Developing a theme or idea is a good place to start in songwriting. A unique idea is essential when developing a song. Determine what emotions will be generated with this idea and decide if it is worthwhile. It does not need to be a new idea; however it should be a unique way of expressing an idea, old or new.
Determining the type of song and feelings is one concept in songwriting. When conceptualizing the idea, decide if this is a ballad or rock song. Is it slow or fast? Does it make people want to cry or laugh?
A song's structure is the main concept in songwriting. There are several options for song structure. The most common structure is verse-chorus, verse-chorus, bridge-chorus. This is a good starting point when songwriting.
A strong opening line is important in songwriting. Most songs do not have a lot of words, so each word in a song matters. Lyrics do not have to be poetic, but should be conversational and have something in them that stand out.
When writing the music to a song, the melody is vital. A song should have an interesting rhythm and chord progression in it. Songs that are sad often contain minor chords or seventh chords. Happy songs contain mainly major chords. The music should be written prior to writing lyrics.