Write Simply and Honestly
From an idea to the moon
The best lyrics are often the simplest, written from the heart, and not trying to be too clever. Many of the most effective songs only have a few core ideas, giving the ideas space to develop throughout the song.
I remember sitting in a writing room, struggling to cram every single thought and clever turn of phrase I had about a topic into one song. It felt like I was trying to build a house with every tool in the shed, all at once. The result? A cluttered, confusing mess that didn't land with any emotional punch. My co-writer, a seasoned pro, simply said, "Let's find the one big thing." That shifted everything. We stripped away the noise, focused on the core emotion, and suddenly, the song breathed. It connected because it was written simply and honestly.
Simply and honestly
This thing taught me a crucial lesson: simplicity and honesty aren't shortcuts; they are superpowers in songwriting. They allow your audience to actually hear and feel what you're trying to say. Crafting compelling commercial lyrics is a balance of art and strategy, and part of that strategy is understanding that less can often be more. It’s about creating lyrics that resonate deeply yet are universal enough to appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners.
Here are some key elements and techniques that highlight the power of writing simply and honestly:
Keep it Simple: Focus on One Big Thing
Embrace Authenticity and Your Unique Voice
Use Conversational Language
Show, Don't Tell: Paint Pictures with Words
Connect Emotionally and Universalize
Prioritize Clarity and Conciseness
Commitment to the Craft and Practice
Let's get cracking.
1. Keep it Simple: Focus on One Big Thing
One of the most common criticisms publishers have, and a frequent issue in critique sessions, is that songs contain too many ideas. As songwriters, we often have loads of ideas, and that's great, but trying to communicate too many ideas in the same song can be overwhelming for the listener. Instead, any song should really have ONE BIG THING, a central theme or message that gives the song clarity and purpose, just like my seasoned co-writer said.
By focusing on a central theme, all elements of the song can work together to support that core idea. This creates a cohesive flow, guiding the listener through a narrative or emotional journey.
When you start writing, outline what you want to say and keep this central idea in mind throughout the process. This ensures nothing feels out of place or contradicts the main message. Focusing on a single idea allows that idea to evolve and mature throughout the song, rather than competing for space with multiple concepts. Resist the urge to flood your songs with too many ideas; keep it simple and build from there. A song with a focused central theme is easier to follow and more relatable.
See more about the one big thing here.
2. Embrace Authenticity and Your Unique Voice
Creating music that connects emotionally with the listener requires prioritizing your creative vision over technical resources. It's about tapping into artistic inspiration to develop genuine and relatable songs.
Authenticity is crucial; drawing from personal experiences makes your lyrics genuinely resonate with your audience. While learning tools and techniques is important, the art of a great idea should come first. The goal isn't to show off the tools, but to move listeners' hearts artistically without them noticing the techniques used.
Your unique voice – both musical and lyrical – is what makes your music stand out. Your lyrical voice is the way you combine words to create meaning. Great songwriting often comes from openness, vulnerability, and honesty. Don't shy away from sharing your inner worldview. The more intimate your lyrics are, describing specific moments and sensations from your unique vantage point, the more universal they can become. Sharing your joys, longings, regrets, discoveries, fears, and questions allows you to write from a personal lens that connects with people universally. Embracing this allows you to pursue originality and avoid sounding just like everyone else.
Learn more about writing with your authentic voice here.
3. Use Conversational Language
Publishers frequently criticise lyrics for not being conversational enough. Think about how people speak in everyday conversations – it's not usually in perfect rhymes or overly formal language. Structuring lyrics to mimic spoken dialogue enhances their natural feel. Envision a conversation with your audience. You wouldn't use overly complex or verbose statements when talking to a friend; you'd keep it clear, honest, and engaging.
Language should flow like a conversation rather than stopping and starting. This conversational quality makes the song feel intuitive and pleasing to the ear. While rhyme schemes are essential, the ideas and conversations used in most genres are even more critical. Practice reading your lyrics out loud to identify clunky phrases or awkward word choices that don't flow naturally. If a line feels forced, tweak it until it sounds like something you'd say in a regular conversation.
See more about writing conversational lyrics here.
4. Show, Don't Tell: Paint Pictures with Words
One of the most effective ways to create engaging lyrics is through the use of vivid imagery and action. Instead of simply stating an emotion or situation, use descriptive language and details that allow the listener to experience it. This is often referred to as "Show, Don't Tell".
Much of a lyric's meaning is conveyed "between the lines" with the images you paint. Enhanced descriptive skills give you the power to determine the intensity of the experience you create. Use specific verbs and adjectives rather than generic ones. Could the listener experience the surroundings and feelings of the main character, or do they feel distanced? Techniques like using a "lens," telling a concept through an image, can help express what you want to say. Describe familiar feelings using unique images from your own life, like the colour of walls or the flavour of candy, to bring back memories for others. These specific details paint pictures and help immerse listeners in the song's world. Vivid imagery and action convey emotions and tell stories in a way that resonates deeply.
For more about the idea of show, don’t tell, here.
5. Connect Emotionally and Universalize
Ultimately, the success of your song depends on how the listener feels when hearing it. Songs must create an emotional connection with the listener. Tapping into real, shared, or universal human emotions is vital for making lyrics relatable and impactful. Songs with deep emotional truths connect with people universally.
The concept of "universalizing" involves turning your personal experiences into something that resonates with listeners in a powerful way. This is often achieved by not telling them every detail, leaving space for interpretation. Allow listeners to connect the dots themselves, making their experience more personal and engaging. Incorporating universal themes like love, loss, and hope ensures your song reaches a wide audience. Commitment to the intended overall feeling or vibe of the song makes its transmission more powerful. Deep feeling makes for deep writing. Remember that people will always remember how your song made them feel.
See more about universalizing here.
6. Prioritize Clarity and Conciseness
While authenticity and detail are important, simplicity and conciseness in structure and lyrics are also key for making a song memorable, impactful, and accessible. Commercial songs often need to fit within a radio-friendly length, typically around three minutes and 30 seconds, which requires keeping them concise and engaging. Every second needs to be used wisely to maintain engagement.
Clarity is paramount; your words should move from line to line without ever jarring or confusing the listener. Avoid unnecessary jargon and technical terms that might alienate your audience. Choosing familiar words that everyone understands can be more powerful than showing off your vocabulary. Simplicity in music creation, such as minimalistic arrangements or straightforward structures, can be incredibly impactful, allowing the core emotions and messages to become more pronounced. This simplicity fosters an intimate connection with the audience. Learning the difference between common, trite language and a higher calibre of usage is crucial for crafting memorable phrases.
For more on how long your song should be, click here.
7. Commitment to the Craft and Practice
Becoming a great songwriter is a craft that requires commitment, discipline, study, experience, and a lot of practice. It's not merely a hobby; it's a lifestyle. You need to develop a writing habit, perhaps writing daily, even if only for ten minutes. This consistent effort adds up over time.
Study is essential; great writers are great readers and students of words. Learning involves study, experience, and time. You learn by doing, working on concepts repeatedly. It's crucial to develop the discipline to finish drafts, even when inspiration wanes. Don't be afraid to fail; each attempt is a lesson in what worked and what didn't. Using each song as a lesson helps you become your own editor, understanding what it takes to write a great song and self-editing along the way. Being able to identify a problem in a song is the first step in correcting it. Embracing the process, even the messy first draft, is part of the journey.
In Summary
Writing engaging songs isn't about complexity or trying to impress; it's about connecting. The core elements consistently highlighted across sources point towards the power of simplicity, honesty, and clear communication. By focusing on a central idea, embracing your unique authentic voice, using conversational language, painting vivid pictures with words, tapping into universal emotions, striving for clarity and conciseness, and committing to consistent practice, you can craft songs that resonate deeply with listeners. It's not so much what you write, but how you write it.
If you'd like to explore structured approaches to lyric writing and discover tools that can help you write your best songs, you might find insights in my book, Song Maps - A New System to Write Your Best Lyrics.
Questions
Here are some questions for you to use in your own workflow:
Are you trying to fit too many ideas into your song?
How can you make your lyrics sound more like a natural conversation?
What specific, unique detail from your own experience can you use to universalize the emotion in your song?
Hope this helps!
Simon.