from an article by Pam Mellskog regarding how to write songs.
Lyrics: Andy Eppler
Composer, musician, writer, interviewer, painter, The Prairie Scholars, Longmont
Seize the moment. I am a realist when it comes to this stuff. I don’t think you need to communicate with a spirit for inspiration. So, my creative process is all about making it a repeatable process. To do that, I have become addicted to learning. I consider it a skill to remain interested enough in all sorts of things to notice a great idea. And as soon as that happens, I know it’s like holding a yoga pose. It’s there. It’s real. But I can’t hold it forever. I need to bring it into the physical reality by writing it down. And because I’m dyslexic, I just speak the lyrics into my iPad. That way, I don’t feel dumb watching the spellchecker fix everything that I type. But I still can get a good look at it and see what it really is.
Listen longer to the “yes” voice. The “no” voice is an important part of the creative process. It’s the voice you listen to in the judgmental, editing phase. But people tend to go to that editing phase too soon, and for this reason they can edit themselves right out of creating anything. The cure for that is to realize that when you’re writing, no one else needs to see it. Nobody gets to see work you don’t show. So, listen longer to the voice that says “yes” to your ideas. Focus on getting into the flow and just filling up your page with ideas.
Embrace your inner artist. I see it this way. The universe is a creative force. So, creating is a natural thing for you to do because you are a part of the universe. And there’s a lot to discover about the universe and about yourself. What you think. What you feel. No one’s done with self-discovery. … So, don’t compare what you write with what anyone else writes. The only kind of creativity anyone wants from you is your creativity.
