For some reason, I’m always curious about other songwriters’ creative routines. Maybe it’s because I’m a bit of an obsessive-compulsive sometimes, with rather unbreakable habits about how I work, eat, and most especially sleep (earplugs, shades drawn, heavy blankets no matter what the season).
I certainly have my own habits when it comes to songwriting. I always sit cross-legged on a bed or couch, for example, and I always write on my computer instead of longhand on a pad. I also can’t function without a thesaurus and rhyming dictionary, do better with a specific deadline, and I prefer to be alone in my creative quest. A purring cat by my side is helpful.
I asked folks in the Songwriting Scene community (on the Facebook and Twitter pages) for their takes on the topic — including what instrument they use and their accompanying drink of choice:
Michael Amitin says he writes songs using the guitar, beginning on paper and then transferring to the computer “if it looks good the morning after.” He also says he relies on “the muse” to get his creative juices flowing, “anytime, day, night or in-between. She brings me coffee, she brings me tea — she brings me every damn thing but the jailhouse key.”
Brian Kendig kept his comments tight: “Morning and/or night, coffee, hand-written often but like the edit abilities of the computer, guitar, alone, muse-oriented.”
Darren Hayhurst was even more succinct: “Anytime. Water. Hand-written. Guitar. Alone. Deadline.”
Randall Henderson, on the other hand, recommended a glass of Pinot Noir and a nightime songwriting session.
Finally, on our Twitter page, Jillian Gelati also says nighttime writing is for her: “The days events make me think, then I just start pouring lyrics out on paper.”
What works for you?
Related posts: