Songwriting isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect idea. It’s about showing up, getting words and melodies on paper, and refining later.
The longer you stare at a blank page, the more your creativity shrivels.
Overthinking kills momentum. Momentum writes songs.
If you want to write faster, better songs, you need to change how you think about songwriting.
Here are three mindset shifts that will get you out of your own way and into creative flow.
1. Separate Writing from Editing
Your brain can’t create and critique at the same time. If you try to edit while writing, you’re building and demolishing simultaneously. It’s like trying to drive with the parking brake on.
Instead, focus on writing first, editing later.
Paul McCartney didn’t stop halfway through “Yesterday” to tweak a lyric—he wrote the whole thing, even calling it “Scrambled Eggs” until he found the right words. He let the process unfold.
Here’s how you can do the same:
- Set a timer for 10 minutes and write nonstop. No backspacing. No second-guessing. Just go.
- If you get stuck, write, “I don’t know what comes next,” and keep going.
- Once you have a rough draft, take a break. Come back with fresh ears and refine.
First drafts aren’t supposed to be great. They’re supposed to exist. Get yours down first.
2. Treat Songwriting Like a Numbers Game
Hit songwriters don’t write one song and call it a day. They write hundreds. The more songs you write, the better your odds of stumbling onto something incredible.
Think of it this way: If you only write three songs a year, each song carries massive pressure. But if you write 50, you free yourself from the need for each one to be a masterpiece.
Max Martin, the producer behind countless #1 hits, doesn’t sit around waiting for inspiration. He writes daily. He knows that songwriting is about volume and iteration.
Here’s how to adopt this mindset:
- Set a songwriting goal. One song per week. One per day. Whatever feels doable.
- Keep a “junk” folder. If a song isn’t working, don’t fixate. Move on and come back later.
- Remember: Every song teaches you something. Even the bad ones sharpen your instincts.
Write more songs. That’s how you write better songs.
3. Stop Writing for an Imaginary Audience
The quickest way to kill a song? Write with a million voices in your head—industry gatekeepers, playlist curators, or imaginary critics who don’t actually exist.
Songs aren’t written by committee. They’re written by you.
Billie Eilish and Finneas didn’t ask, “Will this work on the radio?” when they wrote “Bad Guy.” They followed their instincts, and the world caught up.
Here’s how you can shut out the noise:
- Write for yourself first. If it moves you, it has a shot at moving others.
- Forget trends. By the time you chase them, they’ve moved on.
- Finish the song. An imperfect, completed song is infinitely more valuable than an unfinished masterpiece.
Trust your gut. You’re the songwriter. No one else can write the songs you’re meant to write.
The Bottom Line
Overthinking is a habit. So is finishing songs. The more you practice letting go, the easier it gets.
Write first, edit later. Write a lot, not just a little. Write for yourself, not for approval.
Shift your mindset, and you’ll write faster, better, and with more freedom than ever before.
Now, open up your notebook or DAW and start writing. No overthinking. Just go.
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