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5 Pro Moves That Make Lyrics Hit Harder!

SongTown

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Want lyrics that land harder and feel more real? In this SongTown Studio lesson, Clay Mills breaks down 5 pro moves that help you write with heart, paint emotion-rich pictures, and keep your message clear. If you’re chasing stronger hooks and a lyric-to-melody fit that connects fast, this one’s for you.

⭐️ GET YOUR MELODIC CONTRAST CHECKLIST at: https://songtown.com/melodic-contrast...

No matter how small (to have fun!) or big your goals are, writing better songs is the answer.
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📒 Show Notes and Resources 📒

⭐️ Songwriting Books:
►Mastering Melody Writing: https://amzn.to/3wC5ipE
►Song Building: Mastering Lyric Writing: https://amzn.to/36t3kMy
►The Songwriter's Guide To Mastering Co-Writing: https://amzn.to/2Idev3R
If Amazon is sold out, grab it here:
https://store.bookbaby.com/profile/so...

⏰ Time Codes ⏰
0:00 Intro
0:18 Pro Move #1: Start From Your Heart
3:56 Pro Move #2: Write What You Care About
7:19 Pro Move #3: Show It, Don’t Just Tell It
9:35 Pro Move #4: Tie Images To Emotion
11:37 Pro Move #5: Keep It Simple

📱 Subscribe and Listen to the SongTown on Songwriting Podcast HERE:
=================
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38mVFuZ...

20 Comments

@SongTownUSA Creator 8 months ago Pinned

⭐ GET YOUR MELODIC CONTRAST CHECKLIST at: https://songtown.com/melodic-contrast-checklist/

@americanboondocks 8 months ago

#1) write with emotion
#2) write with emotion
#3) write with emotion
#4) get to the point early
#5) it has to have a great hook.

@matthewfrazier4379 8 months ago

I know right. Bringing back the pain or the humiliation of when my girl dumped or cheated on me and I remember how embarrassed I felt . Embrace the pain and rock on

@DragedaPoemsLyrics 7 months ago

When I write lyrics that make me cry when I’m writing them, I know it’s gold. The lyrics I wrote about my parents passing are the lyrics that defined the closing of that chapter of my amazing life being their daughter, and I’ve never been so cut open and filled with thanks at the same time.

@kilgoretrout321 7 months ago (edited)

What helps me tap into the feeling is I imagine having a conversation with someone who's also going through that thing. The things that we hypothetically bond over and make them feel the most heard and understood are typically very specific and feel more truthful than what I can come up with when I don't do the imaginary exercise

@brandonsurowiec 8 months ago (edited)

Oo, the "why this matters" point hit me hard. I immediately paused the video and worked on rewriting the opening verse that I'd been rewriting again and again for the past week. Took a little over an hour, but I now have a new verse that matters. Thanks for the inspiration!

@janicemariefoote 8 months ago

Yes tap in to them feelings, emotions, memories, and drop in poetics where they fit in the simpler songs.

@AllenWilliamsMusic 8 months ago

Marty gave us insight on his life with his response about what it felt like when a relationship ended.

@gregiskat8354 4 weeks ago

EVERY ONE of these videos make me SO HAPPY I joined SongTown, I can't wait to roll up my sleeves and dive into all your amazing instruction

@KINNEAS2026 4 days ago

Dad's Truck. It's all I had left. And. I've saddled a horse badly before. Woo-hey!! Gems, gents. In the box they go.

@rustyhatstud 8 months ago

If you even read comments.. I write real and raw that's the ticket.

Weak: I was going through a hard time

Hard: I didn’t pray because I was scared you’d answer

Weak: I’m drowning in pain

Hard: I sat in the truck till the engine died

Let a line be ugly, what does that mean...

If a line feels:

Slightly uncomfortable
A little off
Too real to sing twice

That’s usually the one to keep.

Repeat the emotional wound, not the words. Too many repetitive chorus each chorus should be changed to say the same but with different words.

Leave space for the listener to finish the thought. Silence is part of the lyric.

A fine verse
I’ve been struggling lately,
Trying to hold my faith together.
Some days I feel broken,
But I know it’ll all get better.

Use my way I explained above and write this.

I skipped my prayer and turned the radio up,
Didn’t want to hear You ask what’s wrong.
I told everyone I’m doing fine,
Then sat in the driveway till the lights went off.

Hit it hard.... my lyric fuel instructions

@Thomas-y7u5b 8 months ago

Showing as opposed to telling: She was really, really angry (telling); Her face turned a fiery red, her blue
eyes became two storm clouds, as her words exploded like a volcanic eruption (showing).

@macmusic08 4 months ago (edited)

The simplicity angle really struck a chord with me because I remember when I was a kid my Dad had a huge record collection and my favorite of his records was The Beatles “red album”. I would always sit and listen to that specific album and he once said to me “You know son, there’s nothing extra special about those songs. They are pretty simple”. He said that anybody could have written “I Want To Hold Your Hand”. I just remember thinking….Yeah, but I still LOVE it, though. Now that I’m older, I realize that my Dad was actually wrong. Not anybody could have written that song. There is a certain less is more power to those “simple” songs.

@rpiston 8 months ago

Thanks for keeping it real. Which is the only way for a songwriter, but you take it a step further by sharing beyond the song. Power point for me here is the five things I want to tell someone to find a truth to write from.