5 Writing Prompts

1) Write a song with a one word chorus. As songwriters, we often want to squeeze in as many words as possible to get our stories across. Sometimes, this works and other times our songs may come across as overwrought. Try on the other extreme: simplicity. Pick a single word and make it the focal point of your chorus. What happens to your song when you limit yourself so intensely?

2) Superimpose your lyrics on someone else’s melody. This can be a powerful exercise especially if you’re struggling with writer’s block because half the song is already written! Take a song you love and write new words for the melody that you love. How do your words change the song? Are the melodies still as potent with new words? Did you improve the song?

3) Write an argument. Persuasive writing is typically reserved for essayists. Let’s rebuff that trend. Use your song to make a cohesive argument. Try to convince your audience to side with you on an issue that you feel passionately about. In a world of love songs, stretch the boundaries of what a song can accomplish.

4) Re-write one of your old songs. This prompt should be a breeze since some version of your song already exists! Take a song you wrote in the past and ditch either the verse sections or the chorus section. Once one of these sections is cast out, try writing a better verse or better chorus. Is the song better after editing? Or was it better before you retouched it?

5) Use AAAA rhyme. Restriction can give us a strange sense of freedom in the creative process. See if this holds true when you use a single rhyme scheme. End each line with the same rhyming syllable and see if you can make something satisfying. Will this restriction give you a great song? Or will you just be able to flex on your ability to create a cohesive story with intense limitation?