Determine what type of song you would like to write. This would sometimes be based on the genre you normally prefer, however; depending on the increased level of versatility you possess, you would not limit your creativity to just one particular genre. For instance, when I first started writing poetry I was at the tender age of 7. I later parlayed that poetry writing ability into writing raps at the age of 13. To me, rap music was everything, my music library was full of rap music, as I got older I started to have an ear for all types of music. I decided to expand my horizons and had love for all genre's. Therefore, when I write a song, you might here a little bit of every genre such as; Gospel, R&B, Rock, etc. It is very important to be versatile when writing songs, versatility is what makes you a good songwriter, this demonstrates that you are not stuck writing the same type of songs day after day. If you want to write songs, then you must be willing to evolve and adapt to a changing industry. Remember the movie "What's Love Got To Do With It" when Ike was trying to get Tina to sing this song and she stated that all of his songs sounded the same and in her state of mind, she was eager to dibble and dabble into all different kinds of music, and as a result, she is one of the most respected and admired artists in the world.
Move away from all distractions. If you are trying to write a song then you would need to spend some time alone in order to gather your thoughts. Go to a secluded area within your home or a safe and quiet environment within your neighborhood.
Choose the right time of day to write a song. Many people reach their creative peaks during certain times of the day. When I am in the songwriting mood it is always late at night, sometimes around 2 or 3 a.m. Due to the fact that everyone is different you need to figure out what time you are the most creative.
If you are the type that needs motivation in order to write, then you should utilize an instrumental, preferably an original instrumental, however; if you do not have access to an original, then you can practice writing to various instrumentals that are already on the market. Listing to instrumentals greatly enhances the songwriting experience, it gets you in the mood and enable you to vibe or feel the music you are listening, especially when the music is turned up. Nevertheless, it depends on what type of song you are trying to write. When I write songs, I tend to want the music loud enough to where I could feel the bass thump in my chest.
As you are writing a rough draft, refrain from thinking too much about what you are writing. Rough draft are not perfect renditions of your masterpiece, it is basically the foundation or outline of what you want to say. Songwriting is all about writing what you feel and what's on your mind at the time. There are so many issues to write about, however, in order to have a really good song, then you must first write from your heart. We all have it in us, to express ourselves from our heart. Some of us can express ourselves verbally (freestyle) while others express themselves through written communication. If you think about it, writing a song is similar to blogging, you talk about how you feel at the time. So what are you waiting for? Get started.