Has your child ever wondered how the writer of their favourite song came up with the lyrics? Songwriting is an art that anyone can try, no matter their age or ability - everyone has a song in them!
Share the tips below with your child and help them write the lyrics for their own song.
Four professional songwriters share their advice
Songwriting tips from Lauv, Pixie Lott, Mabel and Henry Camamile from Sea Girls
An environment for creativity
The environment you write your songs in (this could be anywhere from your bedroom, to the train, or the local park) is very important. It can change your mood and thoughts and, through that, your lyrics.
In this clip, BBC Introducing's music presenter Dean Jackson talks to songwriters about how to create the best environment for creativity.
BBC Introducing's Dean Jackson talks to artists about the songwriting process.
Fun fact - Justin Bieber's "Love Yourself" was co-written by Ed Sheeran!
Let's get started
Step one - Loosen up!
To write the best song, you need to get in the right state of mind and let go of your inhibitions. To help with this you can listen to your favourite song, dance around the kitchen, or do some stretching.
Step two - Set the right environment for creativity
The environment needs to be right to write. Ideally, find a chilled, quiet space like your bedroom, or the park - somewhere you can sit comfortably and concentrate on your thoughts.
Step three - Think of a theme
A song is like a story, so you need to think about what your story is going to be about. For example, it could be about taking a trip to the supermarket, what your day at school was like, how you’re feeling in that moment. Or you could write about what you're looking forward to doing in the holidays. Anything goes!
Step four - Write it down
It's time to get writing! Write down whatever thoughts or ideas come into your head as you think about your theme. It may feel like a load of nonsense at the time, but once you've written down all of your thoughts and ideas, look over them and you'll often find they become something more!
If you're getting stuck, you could set yourself a time limit - say ten to twenty minutes - to freestyle and write as much as you can without worrying about the quality of your lyrics. This will help you get things going and you may even find a few gems in there too!
Step five - Combat writer's block
If you're still getting stuck for ideas, don't worry - this happens to every writer at some point. If you're struggling with what's called 'writer's block', look for inspiration in what's going on around you. You could take a walk around your local area, talk to your friends, look at old photos, see what’s happening on the news - inspiration can come from anywhere!
Have you written a song you're happy with? Great! Now you can start to think about how you can set it to music…
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