How do you write a song?

Whenever I write a song I find it best to record it at the same time. I do my best songwriting when I can listen to my idea being played back at me, then I play along with it. If you have a riff that you like, try recording it (along to a click) and loop it. Then write a chord progression to go along with it, or maybe a beat. Then take the chord progression and the beat (exclude the riff) and write a verse. Switch up the chord progression and repeat that to write the chorus.

This is only one way to do it. I know everyone says there is know right or wrong way to write a song... and it's true. But just start with that, then build on it and figure out what works for you.

I used to do a lot of writing session where we would get no-where. The more you just continue to write the better you will get. It's like playing guitar. You gotta do it for hundreds of hours before you're going to really hear what you like. Just don't give up. And write with others.

my songs are inspired by a variety of things, mostly rhythmical phrases, sometimes a melody pops in, or i'll hear someone say something that gets me going.

but the single biggest and most effective thing i do, is i write lyrics backwards. Meaning, i know what the point of the entire piece is, then i build lyrics moving end to beginning of the tune. Maybe weird?, but totally works for me, and I rarely seem to wander off.

Hm,
there are so many ways to start off a song idea...
For me, it always helped me to know as much as i can about drums and rhythm.
Then session around that beat i have in mind. Until having a cool lick, or even just a cool rhytmic pattern around a chord progression or a single chord. Than a vocal idea has to come up. Probably the right time to decide, what part of the song this should be, chorus, verse, intro or a cool bridge. Mostly i come up with one or two parts and then already like to jam with someone else, a band member, and see, what he comes up with.
'Developing' the song. Not beeing too schematic. Often enough, the real art is keeping the best errors.
It has to be fun and enthusiam, otherwise it might not sound good but constructed, not authentic.
Sometimes the restrictions on your instrument or your playing or your theoretical knowledge leads to pragmatic bridges between the parts that sound good by more or less accidents. I always try to forget anything i read about musical theories. I listened alot to Hendrix and Led Zep. I always try tp have a kind of arragement in mind, in a minimalistic way. Always thinking about how to make slight but interesting changes from verse to verse and chorus to chorus, that can be a rhythmic little twist, a twist in the lyrics or pronounciation, making the song structure more interesting. I like to have a climax in the middle of the second half of the song. Sometimes even a complete change of things to surprise the listener. I love the idea to have a somewhat "childish" approach to a song idea, playing around with things and never be too serious or forcing a direction that i think might be just comfortable or what somebody normally would expect. In some positions of a song, and unexpected experimental part can do the trick, sometimes the opposite, an obvious cliche might be surprising and interesting...
Well, generally - before i come up with a good idea, there is one psychological thing that i really really appreciate. And this is, surprisingly, boredom and a kind of 'shortage'. A shortage of ressources, inspiration, stimuli. This seems to be a psychological law. Creativity is born out of a shortage of stimuli and boredom. You can't have new ideas if you are consuming stimuli and ideas of other all the time. It is like you have an idea for a new recipe, a meal, when you really have been waiting until you are really hungry. Abundance kills the creativity for me...
Well, just my 2 cents.
Sorry if this turns out to be not too helpful or incomprehensible, it is just my very subjective point of view on the topic of songwriting...

Best regards,
Martin

nice to see the one thing i do backwards, is the one thing i do that most don't consider backwards? lol!

Hm,
I learned a lot about singing and melodies in a school choir back in the days. It was not only fun, until today it was an invaluable experience, the choir leader was an excellent vocal coach and overall musician.
Listen to all stuff Beatles and classical choirworks. Händel, Haydn, Bach... And - sing along - with the different melody lines. Get a feeling for how these melodies work by actually singing them. No joke, i mean it. I guess after a while doing this you might never run out of melody ideas again. Worked for me, though....

Best regards,
Martin

Last side note....
I recently watched a live video of Arch Enemy playing in Japan. Since vocalist Angela Gossow is a growling kind of extreme metal vocalist, melodic range is very very limited. So guess what works for the audience? They sing along the guitar hooks and melodies - because these are essentially vocal melodies...that's the way it works. that was very funny to watch and notice ;-)

The problem is that, I know what I like to hear, but when I'm left to try to emulate it, I can't. I'm not sure how to explain it, it's like my mind goes completely blank. Strange, eh?

I like to mess around on a guitar and sing insults about my brother to a melody. Keeps it fun. Here are some serious songs I wrote for anyone who only hear the hardcore songs about workplace safety. www.chasememanhattan.bandcamp.com

That book is expensive.. But I might give it a try anyway.