Songwriting Hack #9: You Are What You Read, Part 2

A producer friend of mine once said that in the sixties, people would take drugs and write songs; today, we read. I wholeheartedly agree with this. I don’t think anybody would argue with me when I say that the stuff you take in will greatly effect the work that you churn out. Books are so powerful that you should take great care in choosing which ones to read and affect your writing. I’ve got a few thoughts on this subject that I’ll share with you.

Theologian Karl Barth once said that preachers should prepare sermons with a Bible in one hand and today’s paper in the other. I think this eloquently describes a balanced approach to reading. You should seek outthe Bible and other ancient texts as your first option for reading. Steven Sample nailed it in The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership that these ancient texts, which he calls “supertexts” have so permeated the culture that they have literally shaped the way we use language in our lives. Think of them as the bedrock upon which all other writing is built. And if you’re trying to write quality song lyrics (or poetry or prose or whatever), what better source of inspiration than the classics? The reason for reading the newspaper (magazines, web articles, etc.) is to achieve what I would call “currency”. Currency is sort of a dual-edged word in that you are staying “current” and relevant. But also think of currency like money. I have an old lawnmower in my garage. I could try to take it down to the music store and trade it in for a guitar (not recommended). Or I could sell it to somebody and use the money to buy a guitar (better). By reading the very new and staying up-to-date, , you are giving your song lyrics this same kind of buying power when it comes to people’s attention span. So I think by reading both the very old and the very new, you are giving yourself a great balance both in your intellect and in your songwriting.

There’s one other kind of “reading” I want to talk about here. That would be the “reading” of people or situations. The best songwriters have a knack for taking things in their personal lives and crafting them in a way that others can relate to. That’s the beauty of songs: they can turn the very personal into the universal. So try develop the habit of “reading” people. Write about interesting conversations you’ve had in your journal. Write about what’s going on in your life in your journal. In this way, you can “read” yourself and find that raw material for songs I’ve been talking about.

In addition to helping you write songs, these ideas of reading often and deliberately, and recording ideas from everyday life in your journal will help you become a well rounded individual. Read early and often. Oh, wait. That’s save early and often. Do that too.

Comments

[Kara]

And what would you recommend for those that are having trouble getting things down on paper/online? I get random spurts of inspiration, but the words never come out on paper or typed how they are in my head. Or have you already posted about this?

[Kara]

Ctrl+S.. got it! :D Interesting that you would put down "reading" people Mark... I didn't think that would be a hack!