WORSHIP SONGWRITER
[ 5 WAYS TO WRITE SONGS PEOPLE WILL LOVE | John Chisum ]
What would it feel like for people to love the heart cries of your listeners and set them that can become great ideas and great hooks
your songs like they love “Lord, I Need You” free with your songs. Think about Chris Tomlin’s and great songs. How does anyone expect to
(Nockels, Carson, Reeves, Stanfill, Maher), “In song “How Great Is Our God” (Tomlin, Cash, master songwriting without great influences
Christ Alone” (Townsend, Getty), and “Holy Reeves). That one phrase so perfectly captures from literature, poetry, or even other songs?
Spirit” (Torwalt)? What would it mean to you the feeling of praise and worship that it will be to walk into a room filled with thousands of sung for decades to come.
There’s a Latin phrase, ex nihilo, that means
“out of nothing.” That’s how a lot of songwriters
worshippers, hands lifted high, tears streaming
down their faces, their hearts filled with a sense THIRD: GREAT SONGS START WITH GREAT IDEAS. go about writing. They sit down and try to
of the presence of God, and all because of a Most songwriters sit down to write without write out of nothing. Their heads are empty.
song you wrote? having spent any time exploring the value of Their minds are fruitless because they’re so
their ideas. The one thing you can do today to filled with the busyness of life that they simply
Here are five of the most important songwriting stand out is to spend time on your ideas first, have nothing to say. Do yourself a favor and
principles I know that can help you write the making sure they’re worth writing before you fill your heart with words that are inspiring,
kind of songs people will truly love. even start. encouraging, magnificent, magnanimous, holy,
awesome, and beautiful. Then watch to see if
they don’t spill out in your own beautiful words.
FIRST: STOP WRITING FROM YOUR HEART.
Okay, I know that sounds almost blasphemous,
but hear me out. I was on the phone with a
songwriter recently who felt very passionate
about her call. I asked her if she’d had any
song training and her answer was, “Oh, no, I
don’t need any. I just write from my heart.” This
is the kind of thinking that will keep her songs
in complete obscurity. She may have written
them “from her heart,” but that’s not the test of
greatness. People are.
Put yourself in
the place of your
listeners. What
reaction do you
want from them?
FIFTH: DISCOVER WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE.
Since literally anyone can put words to a
melody and call it a song, you need something
extra to stand out from a million others vying for
the same little bandwidth.
What is that something extra? Originality. A lot
of people put words to music and call them
songs, but it’s only those writers that can
stand out that make a real impact. What is
Writing from your heart only works if you know How do great ideas happen? They happen in originality and how do you get it? First, I believe
how to capture the whisperings of the Spirit in conversations with friends, or from something it’s something you already have, even if you’re
the most compelling ways. You’ve got to add you hear in a sermon. They come from books, not aware of it. God’s given you fingerprints
skill to the heart’s impulses in order to release or the Bible, or ancient literature. They come like no one else on the planet. He’s given you
its deepest messages effectively. Otherwise, from watching a movie, or from a dream or something that makes you completely and
your songs mean a lot to you, but very little to a random thought sparked when two ideas uniquely you. Find out what that is, and then
anyone else. that wouldn’t normally fit together collide. The find ways to bring it into your songs. We don’t
greatest songs are written from the greatest need another Chris Tomlin. We need you.
SECOND: STOP WRITING FOR YOURSELF ONLY. ideas. The more time you spend developing Most songwriters think of songwriting as self- lists of great ideas, the better your songs CONCLUSION:
expression, but that’s only partially true. People will be. Great songs are an amazing blend of inspiration,
skill, and creativity. Use these five principles and
tire quickly of hearing your pain in your songs.
Put yourself in the place of your listeners. What FOURTH: STOP TRYING TO “WRITE ON EMPTY.” get started today writing the kinds of songs that
reaction do you want from them? To feel sorry If you expect to write great words you have to people will love for years to come.
for you, or to worship Jesus? Write your songs be filled with great words. It’s amazing to me with the end-user singing in your ears. Your job how many aspiring songwriters never study as a songwriter isn’t just to express yourself, as language. They never read books. They never good as that may be, but to actually capture listen to podcasts or fill their minds with words
14
January 2018
John Chisum
Managing Partner of Nashville Christian Songwriters,
a coaching and resource company for Christian
songwriters at...
www.NashvilleChristianSongwriters.com
WorshipMusician.com