Put your thoughts to paper. When lyrics come to you, write them down as a first draft. Later, as you set the words to a melody, you may revise the song to make it more fluid and appealing for the intended listeners. Although some songwriters write the perfect song with their first attempts, it is okay to tweak your song until you craft it into what you envisioned.
Don't force rhymes. Words that sound alike typically make the sound of the song more enjoyable, but forcing random words to rhyme can actually take away from the meaning. You can "rhyme" lines "any time" or "find" a close-sounding word much like those in this sentence. "Perfect" rhymes are words that end the same (rhyme, any time), and close-sounding words with different endings are "near" rhymes (rhyme, find).
Captivate your listeners. A catchy chorus or hook is what initially draws the audience in. After catching the listener's ear, what determines the choice to continue listening or changing the station depends on the lyrics.
Keep them listening by telling a story. Words with meanings and story lines to which listeners can relate will leave lasting impressions. Your lyrics can motivate listeners to purchase your music and play the story they want to hear.
Get musically technical. Along with rhymes and storytelling, you will need to learn about music notes, chords, rhythm and harmony to be an effective songwriter. If you are involved in a team or group effort, you may find another member has more strength in one of these areas if you do not. By incorporating your talents, you can achieve creating an acceptable song.
Work on your melody. As a songwriter, you have to know how to choose the right notes for your lyrics. You want your melody to be original and well-suited for the lyrics. Matching the lyrics with the wrong melody can make the song sound awkward and will not be well-received.
Make yours a sing-a-long song. Tunes listeners have a hard time forgetting are the ones they sing along to with the performer. Though the songwriter may be behind the scenes, your talents play a large part in the song's success or failure.