How to Find Inspiration by Setting up a Songwriting Routine

Inspiration and routine seem like two completely different things, but they don’t have to be.

In fact, creating regularly in an inspired, exploratory way is your best chance at creating great work as a musician.

Every musician works differently when it comes to making music, but we’re all better off creating and refining our work as often as possible.

Finding real inspiration in your day-to-day musical routine is the only way to create with consistency and passion.

Here’s how.

The inspiration myth

Many think that creative inspiration is something that falls out of the sky and hits musicians when they least expect it.

This idea isn’t completely wrong, but it’s only one part of the story. It often takes real work and planning for certain types of inspiration to make an impact on your process.

Instead of passively waiting for inspiration to strike, you can make the most out of inspiration by inviting it into your creative life as often as possible. This is where the importance of building a thriving songwriting routine comes in.

You can’t always control when and where inspiration happens. But you can decide to be ready to accept and use it when we experience it.

You can’t always control when and where inspiration happens. But you can decide to be ready to accept and use it when we experience it.

There’s not much you can do if musical inspiration strikes on the subway on your way home from work.

But preserving that energy and letting it inform your music-making routine can make a huge positive impact.

But what happens if you don’t feel inspired? Or that the inspiration you feel isn’t enough to translate into finished songs?

If you wait for inspiration before we create music, you might never end up never making music.

Inspiration is crucial for artists, but it won’t turn into anything more without hard work and willingness to fail and explore.

Building an inspirational songwriting routine

Using routines and schedules to stay consistent doesn’t have to limit spontaneity. Here are some tips for making sure your songwriting routine is meaningfully inspired:

1. Leave room for spontaneity, risk, and failure

You need to give yourself all the time you need to explore ideas no matter where they lead you.

You need to give yourself all the time you need to explore ideas no matter where they lead you.

Even if they result in failure.

Inspiration leads to creative curiosity. The action that results from that curiosity should become meaningful action during your routine.

Without giving yourself the chance to explore ideas fully and freely, your routines will feel dull and tedious.

2. Create a clean, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing environment to work in

The physical space you make music in matters, especially if it’s somewhere you work in day after day over a long period of time.

You need quick and easy access to instruments and recording equipment to turn inspiration into real ideas.

Make the space where work beautiful and clutter-free. That’s how to cultivate a music-friendly environment that makes inspiration your focus.

3. Don’t force ideas

Since begging for or buying inspiration doesn’t work, you have to show up to receive it when it comes to you.

Resist the urge to force ideas or fill up space with for the sake of it. Everyone should recognize that productive songwriting routines don’t always result in finished music.

You’re at the mercy of meaningful creative inspiration, and not the other way around. If you give yourself as much time as possible, you won’t feel pressured to make something amazing in a limited amount of time.

If things aren’t working the way you wish they would one day, you can try it again the next. That’s the beauty of sticking to a regular songwriting schedule.

Everyone should recognize that productive songwriting routines don’t always result in finished music.

4. Focus on what moves you

To make your creative routines as inspired as possible, you need to stay focused on what moves you—musically and otherwise.

You can get into an inspired mindset by journaling, listening to another artist’s music, or taking a quick walk around the neighborhood.

It’s even possible to access inspiration and hidden parts of our musical creativity by exploring other artforms.

Leave room for activities that aren’t directly related to you making music in your routines if that helps you.

If you want to make great music over the long-term, you’re going to need all the inspiration we can get.

Making music seriously can be a huge challenge, and most of us need creative and emotional enthusiasm to get us through tough times.

The good news is that building your songwriting routines around inspiration lets you stay true to your artistic identity and progress naturally toward your goals.

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Patrick McGuire is a musician, writer, and educator. He creates music under the name Straight White Teeth and has a great affinity for dogs and putting his hands in his pockets.

@Patrick McGuire