Sometimes when I write a song, I already know exactly what I want to say. There’s usually a feeling or a melody floating around, and I just need to capture it before it disappears. Other times, I need to write a song and there’s absolutely nothing there. Just this pressure that I should be creating something, even though my brain feels empty. I look at my life and assume it’s boring from the outside, nothing worth writing about for other people to hear.
So when that happens, I steal from other people’s lives. This might sound kind of messed up, but it’s honestly the number one way I find songwriting inspiration. I’ll look at my friends: their jobs, routines, relationships and try to put myself in their shoes. Sometimes I’ll imagine I’m one half of a couple and write from that perspective. What would I feel? Would I be hurt? Hiding things? Madly in love?
I’d never tell someone I’m doing this. It’s not about them specifically, it’s about empathy and imagination. I do the same thing with fictional characters too. Writing from a TV show, movie, or book character’s perspective can be really fun. I’d never say, “Yeah, this song is about a character from a movie,” because that feels silly. But I can always find pieces of myself in those situations, and that makes it real enough to write about.
Another thing that helps, and this might sound lame, is going outside. Trees and quiet spaces are good for me. I’ll leave my phone at home or in the car and walk for a long time, just letting my mind wander until an idea pops in. When it does, I immediately have to turn around and hurry back to my phone before it disappears.
Of course, inspiration never shows up when it’s convenient. When I feel the most creatively blocked, I’ll get an idea as I’m falling asleep or in the shower. I’ll stand there with wet hands trying to unlock my phone like it’s a life-or-death situation, because I know I’ll forget everything if I don’t write it down immediately.
I also find inspiration in other people’s music. If I hear a song and don’t connect with the message, I’ll write what I wish had been said. If it’s a love song, I’ll write from the other person’s perspective. No one would ever know that’s where it came from, but that’s kind of the whole point. It’s not about the original song. It’s about the feeling it provoked.
I’ve also done some sync placement writing, which has helped a lot creatively. Reading a pitch and writing based on a specific mood or environment takes a lot of pressure off. When I write music “for someone else,” I stop overthinking whether people will like it. That mental freedom usually leads to better songs somehow.
At the end of the day, even with all the doubt, blocks, and second-guessing, writing music is therapeutic for me. It’s where everything gets processed, whether it makes sense or not, whether it’s mine or imagined.
