If your lyrics sound clunky, convoluted, or like you swallowed a thesaurus, you're doing too much.
A great line doesn't impress people by being complicated—it sticks because it's clear, bold, and easy to sing.
Overwriting is one of the fastest ways to lose both your listener and your momentum. The good news? Simplifying is fast once you know what to look for.
Here's how to write strong, memorable lines without wasting words or time.
Use Simple Direct Language
Your listener doesn't care about fancy phrasing—they care about feeling something.
Instead of hiding behind big words or elaborate constructions, just say what you mean.
For example:
Overcomplicated: In which I find myself in a state of despair.
Simple: I’m lost in despair.
Which one feels more human? More singable? Exactly.
Avoid Unnecessary Prepositions and Clauses
A common trap is padding your line with extra prepositions or strings of dependent clauses.
It feels poetic at first, but ends up feeling messy and hard to follow.
For example:
Wordy: Through the long and lonely nights in which I wander without you.
Better: I wander alone at night without you.
Every word should pull its weight. If it doesn't, cut it.
Limit Each Line to One Clear Idea
When you cram too many ideas into one line, you confuse the listener and dilute the impact.
Give each line a single, focused point.
For example:
Too much: I remember the way you used to laugh and how the sun felt on my face that day and how nothing has been the same since.
Better: I remember the way you used to laugh.
You can always express the other ideas in the next lines—that's what verses are for.
Strong Verbs That Sing
Weak verbs drag your lyrics down. Strong verbs make them move, hit, and live. Here's a cheat sheet of verbs that do the heavy lifting—so your lyrics don't have to.
Instead of "walked"
Try: stumbled, paced, drifted, stomped, marched
Instead of "said"
Try: whispered, shouted, confessed, snapped, pleaded
Instead of "looked"
Try: glared, gazed, glanced, stared, watched
Instead of "felt"
Try: ached, burned, shivered, trembled, froze
Instead of "went"
Try: ran, fled, crawled, rolled, crashed
These words carry imagery and tone. Pick the one that fits the emotional weight of the moment. Don't just say she "went home." Say she staggered home, or ran home laughing, or crawled back at midnight.
One strong verb can replace a whole line of filler.
Write Lines That Can Stand Alone
Each line should be able to make sense on its own, even without the others.
Think of it like a row of snapshots—each one distinct, but all telling the same story.
For example:
The street is empty after dark.
Your shadow lingers in my mind.
The wind keeps whispering your name.
I can’t forget what we became.
Each line paints one image or thought clearly, without needing to lean on the others.
The One-Idea Line Test
Not sure if your line is pulling its weight?
Run it through this quick test:
✅ Can you say it in one breath without running out of air?
✅ Can someone read it and tell you what it means in one sentence?
✅ Does it express one image, action, or thought—not three?
If you answered "no" to any of these, your line is probably doing too much.
Trim it. Split it. Sharpen the focus.
Remember: One strong idea per line is more memorable—and way easier to sing.
Quick Checklist to Simplify Your Phrasing
☐ Read your line out loud—does it trip you up?
☐ Circle any words you don't really need—cut them.
☐ Make sure the line only says one thing.
☐ Test if it stands alone—does it still make sense?
☐ Swap fancy words for familiar, concrete ones.
When in doubt, cut more than you think you should.
Stripping away unnecessary words doesn't make your song weaker—it makes it stronger. Every word you keep gets heard and felt more deeply.
So don't be afraid of the delete key. The fewer words you use, the more space you leave for the listener to fill in with their own feelings—and that's where the magic happens.
Now go write a line that can stand on its own and punch somebody right in the heart.
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