How to Keep Writing Songs—Even When You Don’t Feel Inspired

One of the most common struggles songwriters face is not knowing what to write about. I hear it from students and professionals alike: "I just don’t feel like writing," or "Everything’s great—what am I supposed to write about?"

This is where prompt-based writing (also known as writing to a brief) comes in. It’s a common practice in the professional songwriting world. If you work in a publishing house or as a songwriter for hire, you’re often given briefs from artists or labels—specific directions on what kind of song is needed, what it should sound like, and what themes it should explore.

But even if you’re not writing for a specific project, adopting this mindset can be a powerful tool. Giving yourself a goal—whether it's a lyric theme, a melodic style, or even a strict rhyme scheme—keeps your songwriting muscles active. Some prompts are highly detailed, guiding every aspect of the song, while others are more open-ended, leaving room for creative interpretation. Both approaches push you to show up for your songwriter self.

Think of it like practicing an instrument. You wouldn’t only play when inspiration strikes—you practice to improve, stay sharp, and be ready when creativity flows. Songwriting is no different. Prompts help you engage with the process, develop your skills, and, most importantly, keep writing.

I just started reading a new songwriting book by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. He speaks extensively about this in his book How to Write One Song, emphasizing that inspiration often follows action—not the other way around. Like us, he encourages songwriters to develop a daily practice of writing, even if what they come up with feels unimportant or uninspired in the moment. "The sooner you accept that the quality of your ideas isn’t as important as the act of creating them, the better," Tweedy says. This approach removes the pressure of having to feel inspired and instead focuses on simply doing the work—trusting that good ideas will emerge through consistency.

So the next time you’re feeling uninspired, try setting a challenge for yourself. Write a song in a specific genre, tell a story from a new perspective, or experiment with an unfamiliar song structure. Inspiration doesn’t always come first—sometimes, you have to create the space for it to arrive.

What’s your favorite way to spark a new song? We'd love to hear from you!