This is just a list that we have compiled, based on our years of experience, general knowledge and numerous visits to songwriting forums and web pages. The list is in no particular order, although some factors are more important than others.

The list should be seen as a summary of our web pages on songwriting, and more in-depth tips and ideas are spread across our site and should be fairly easy to find.

Here we go!

1) Know your audience

Ask yourself these questions: Who are your potential listeners? What do they normally listen to? What is typical of that sort of music?

You really need to connect with your audience on an emotional level. You may want to write a complex musical piece and complete it with deep poetry on a Shakespearean level, but that might not be what the general public craves. In other words, start by analyzing the wants and needs of people you want to write for.

2) Be honest!

Who are you? No, who are you really? Don't try to emulate songwriters or songs you despise. If rhymes like "I love you /  our love is so true" make you sick to the stomach (I hope they do!), that is not what you should write. Never compromise with your deepest self!

Write about your inner feelings, your own experiences or whatever occupies your mind. Don't force it, but let thoughts, ideas and words come naturally. Use mind maps and free association.

3) Carry a notepad and/or MP3 recorder

That's right! Ideas for songs always come at all the wrong times. I get some of my ideas sitting in front of the computer, but just as often sleeping (my dreams are extremely vivid.... and a shrink would probably have me committed), driving my car or playing soccer. In those cases it is really nice to be able to write down (or speak/sing) my thoughts at the first convenient moment. MP3 recorders are an easy way of remembering melodic gems that suddenly pop into your mind. Find a good, cheap one at Amazon, for instance this: 2GB USB 2.0 Digital MP3 Voice Recorder

4) Write songs!

The most stupid piece of advice you've ever heard, you say? It might seem obvious, but many aspiring songwriters only write a couple of songs and expect to become superstars.

If you want to become a swimmer, you most likely get into the water as often as possible. If you want to become a heavy weight champion you put your gloves on every day and sweat your guts out. Likewise, if you want to become a well-known songwriter you have to practice, so get your brain working! Write three or four songs a week for a period of time. None of these songs may be masterpieces, but you learn a little every time. Don't just be a songwriter, be a prolific songwriter!

5) Don't take sh*t from anyone!

A lot of people will tell you that you stink. Well, maybe you do, maybe you don't. Accept all forms of costructive criticism, but brush off all the negativity some people manage to spew out of their puny little minds. So you may not be God's gift to the music industry yet, but you have found your path and set your goals. Also, don't automatically assume that people who praise you have your best interest in mind. It doesn't hurt you to be slightly paranoid, but listen to good advice and learn as much as you can.

Yeah, and don't sleep with managers or record company executives unless you really want to. ;)

6) Copyright your material

Consider having some sort of copyright on your songs. If you upload your works to certain Internet sites you have documentation of when your song was written, but remember that anyone can claim that they wrote this exact song years before you did. Copyrighting is a fairly simple process, but unfortunately could be quite costly. Check with your local agency.

No matter what you do, make sure that you slap a "Copyright (year) (composer/writer)" on your material whenever you send or upload your songs, lyrics or notes.

7) Promote!

If you build it they will come, right? Nope! Most likely they won't. Put some garnish on your best work and spread it around. Make samples of your music available for free. Give copies to your friends. Build a web site where you put your bio and examples of what you do. Get in touch with local bands and convince them to work with you. Be a bit pushy, but not overly aggressive. Making connections is very important! Duh!

8) Be watchful!

Don't sign a contract or anything unless you are 100% sure of what you are getting yourself into. If there is something you don't understand, ask!

9) Kill your babies

Not literally, of course. But at some point you may have to remove that clever lyric line, solo, riff, bridge, etc. because it simply doesn't fit in. All those ideas left on the cutting room floor can be swept up later and could very well make the basis of a new song.

Also, never settle for second best. If you ask yourself: "Is this a good song?" and the answer is: "Yeah, well.... I s'pose" the song is not good enough, and you know it! The answer has to be along the lines of: "I totally dig it! This is a friggin' hit, dude!"

10) Don't over-accessorise

So you just bought yourself a new (insert name of your favorite clever toy here). Does this really have to mean you have to use it on every song you write? Fuzz pedals and wah-wahs are cool, but don't overdo it! Also, just because you know a lot of big words (or rather your thesaurus does) doesn't mean you should throw them all into your lyrical stew. Rhyming dictionaries and thesauruses have to be used with great caution. You don't want to alienate your listeners from your music, do you?

11) Be a loaner, not a loner

Other people are great sources of inspiration, and you should never underestimate your fellow man. 98% of us listen to music and have an opinion about it. If you get stuck, don't hesitate to ask for help. Collaborate with other songwriters. There is something called "The Internet" that has made this very easy. Don't know if you've heard of it yet.... ;) Find yourself a forum and get started.

Don't be afraid that other people will steal your ideas. Be a loaner, or investor if you will, and you will soon see that your songwriting skills are appreciated by others. Most likely you will get a huge return in the end.

12) Experimenting is good

You make straight rock songs, you say? Well, try to become a more versatile songwriter. Learn how to write country, rap, r n b, jazz..... Widen your horizon, and you might be the one to invent a whole new sound or develop a unique lyrical style. Along the way you learn new stuff that you'll have good use for later on. I never thought that using a fuzz pedal with a keyboard would be a good combo, but it made a cool sound that I used on one of my songs.

Also, many people tend to write the "same songs" over and over again. Maybe your fans liked your first four verse - chorus - verse - chorus - bridge - chorus songs, but that does not mean that you have found the universal super formula of hit songs. Write a song with no chorus. Try to move the bridge or solo part. Whatever, just try something new.

13) Know music

I take it you're not the new Beethoven? Good thing no-one expects you to be! You need to know the basics of music, though. As long as you don't get too theoretical or always go by the book you'll do fine!

One thing is certain: What sounds good in your ears probably sounds good in your fans' ears as well. Analyze your favorite songs, and you will probably find certain similarities between many of them.

14) Seek inspiration

If you lack inspiration and really want or have to make s ong, there are some techniques you could try:

a) Pop a good CD into your CD player, sit back and listen and let your mind flow.

b) Create the atmosphere you want from your song. If you want to write a love song, watch a chick flick (haha), visit your significant other, read poetry, take a bath..... Whatever gets you in the right mood.

c) Read a newspaper.

d) Go for a walk or take a nap. Don't allow yourself to think too much. Rest your mind.

e) As mentioned earlier: Give and you shall get! Find a good songwriting forum and bounce your thoughts around.

15) Get into people's brains

Not by magic or secret potions, but with your very own power-tool: Words! I bet that if I made a catchy little tune called "It never rains, it pours" you would think of that song every time someone uttered that exact phrase. Well, at least if I played all my cards right. The commercial industry is very clever at this, so learn from the pros.

Use everyday words and phrases, but try to avoid cliches. It is much harder than it sounds. If you succeed, you have your audience (semi-literally) hooked!

16) Stay focused

Don't let less important things distract you. Keep your mind clear by getting enough sleep and exercise and eating right. Eat your fish and vegetables and in general do what your mama told you. ;)

17) Equip

Even the best song will sound terrible if recorded with bad equipment like cheap microphones and semi-functioning amps or out-of-tune guitars and bad vocals. Did you try playing your fave rock song on a badly tuned guitar late on a Friday night at a party? You probably didn't notice the badness of it all, but some b*stard with a cam or a cell with a recording function most likely was at the wrong place at the wrong time and you got to hear it later. That's the stuff nightmares are made of. Do you think a recording like that would catch the attention of the big record companies?

Record, re-record, then do it all over again. You need to spend a lot of time on each song. Try to emulate similar (hit) songs when it comes down to the sound part. Call your song a pre-demo until you really like the sound. Then call it a demo.

Maybe you want to add to the list? Share your experiences with us!

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