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Feel like you’re stuck in a rut with your songwriting? Can’t seem to figure out what to say? Let me give you some input.

Give up.

Close your laptop. Put down your guitar. Forget that piano riff that isn’t working.

Just give it up.

For now.

If you read my last post on the one habit that could save your songwriting, you may think I’m a bit schizophrenic.

Maybe I am. But let me explain.

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How many bad songs have you written? How many bad ideas have you generated? No need to raise your hand. If you’re a successful songwriter, I’m sure it’s enormous. If you haven’t had tremendous success, it’s probably because you’re avoiding this one crucial habit of a successful writer.

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On my last post on using Evernote to help you write songs, one of my readers, Brad Lebakken, left a helpful comment on a songwriter’s inspiration. I thought it was so good that I wanted to turn it into a post.

He says:

“I love listening to a lot of bands that are doing innovative things and are on the forefront of creating good art in music. I get inspired by that a lot. Also I love writing songs on my guitar in different locations and times of day. I find I write different when I’m in my house than when I write outside at night on my deck. Sometimes I’ll write in the church sanctuary or in the sun in my yard. I also write by messing around with different instruments like drums, banjo, ukelele, or keyboard. Sometimes just putting a drum loop on and then riffing over that can be productive. Sometimes finding a good song title or lyric first can inspire a song. The best thing is to be constantly writing. Lately for every 5 -10 ok songs I write there might be one good one that makes it to the recording studio. I usually throw out a lot of songs but it’s good songwriting practice.”

Brad has left us with some extraordinary insight into overcoming songwriter’s block:

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The amazing app Evernote has really helped to centralize and simplify my songwriting.

I suggest you give it a try. If you do creative work, flow doesn’t always strike when you sit down to work. You could be in your car, at church, on a plane, in a movie, and you need a tool that is with you where you are.

The best part of Evernote is that you have access to it everywhere – on your phone, on your desktop, and online. You never have to be without your ideas.

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Glorious.

Now it’s your turn. What are some tools you use to write songs or be creative? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Donald Miller wrote a super helpful post on doing creative work.

Click here if you can’t see the video.

His point is essential for songwriters:

A creator does not build on emotion!

Don’t wait for sappy feelings, perfect circumstances, and ideal surroundings to do your work. Get up and get to work. The best songwriters are those who have learned to develop a discipline and a strong work ethic.

Though you may not feel the sappy emotion, envision all the recipients of your hard work when the song is finished! This gives us hope as songwriters because, if we’re honest, we don’t “feel” it all the time. That frees me up to write and generate ideas when my mind and body feel like poop. Just do it.

Question: what songwriting disciplines have you tried? Share them in the comment section below.