I'm a one verse wonder . . .

Good question! If it makes you happier, you should know your not alone, even though you seem to suffer more from this disease than others do. I often stuck in the middle of the song.

Here is what I do:
- I play the part I've written over and over again, and I try to do it with feeling. Sometimes the words just come, or at least an idea might pop up.
- I do other stuff and wait. Usually something will pop up when you least expect it, but not allways.
- I walk, because I've found out that a long walk (like 5-10 km) makes me think. It's also a chance for seeing stuff that triggers your fantasy: like strange flowers and insects, reflections in the water, people ... whatever I find interesting!

A swedish inventor (and neurologist) once said that he thought creativity was the results of brain malfunction: it sometimes connects thoughts by accident. Try to find ways to improve the chance that this happens. Maybe you could cut out words from the paper and try to rearrange them into sentences and see if somethings happens. Open a book and start to read - not necessarily from the beginning! Listen to other peoples conversation - maybe they talk about something interesting - or maybe they talk in an interesting way! Read a poem and try to make it a part of your song - the meaning of course - not the exact phrace. Und so weiter!

But don't just sit there and be frustrated!

Good work, kingpatzer.

You know what you've written is about, right? So take a pen and just write anything that comes to mind about it. Lines, verses, words, etc. Don't think so much about it and just write. Ideas will come.

After you've got that plethora of ideas down on paper, you can easily take them and arrange them. Rather than trying to perfect every single verse and chorus in the beginning, try finding a general progression to the story. Then you can make everything work out.

Once again, good work, and Write On!

There are alot of big name songwriters.. the ones we all envy, that feel exactly like you do. I have been reading and listening to interviews with songwriter/singers that I consider great. Same theme with them all is that sometimes they have to write a bit and then put it away. Some time later something else will come into play and you'll add to it.

I wonder if part of the problem is that you get a GREAT first verse and then mentally you block yourself cause you dont want to tear up the first verse with what you percieve is a poorly written second verse? I do this sometimes.

Have you ever worked a puzzle? Because it is very similar. The first verse and chorus is the initial inspiration and its kinda like the edge peices of the puzzle. But after that you have to search for the details. So explore how the song makes you feel or what the character in the song is feeling. I read recently that what make a great song great is by making a song detailed.

For example, if you were going to write about your family reunion. Dont talk about the folks en mass. Get specific and write about "Aunt Melba's gold plated tooth, shining in the light of the afternoon sun" OK, I will stop now cause I am getting off track and nearly butchering the GREAT lesson I originally read, WHICH btw was on the GuitarNoise website I believe.

Main point is that you dont have to complete the song in a sitting or even several.. Just enjoy the time you spend in your writing. The other verses will come.

Jim

I have this, and it does suck. You get that wonderful first verse, and then nothing is as great as it so you dont even bother writing it. There is a song by The Ataris called Takeoffs and Landings, if you get a chance listen to it. It has one of the greatest first verses ever, but after that its just crap, but they stuck with it and wrote what they thought. Just write words and rhymes that you like, and then come bak with a thesaurus and change them to have more of a meaning, it will come, just have some patience

I often find it hard to write more than one verse. The first verse usually just flows out of me and then nothing. You are not alone. I really am just going to rehash what everyone else has said. I jot down sometimes just words that I want to use, ones that really contribute to the imagery. I often write a song three different ways. One verse can be the chorus the beginning, the middle, or the end. I usually write each one of these songs. I end up with lots of lines and verses and I hack through until I get a coherent song. When writing I do concentrate on what I want to say, what is the message? So think about, what inspired you to write these verses? What were you thinking about at the time? Who are these people you are talking about, even yourself, and why are they at this moment? Sometimes i even steal from other songs where I only really liked the chorus. Some of my songs are compilations of 2 or 3 somteimes 4 songs.

I just have to say this, although I probably shouldn't because it is best to find your own direction for your songs. The first verse you wrote is well.... :oops: really dirty. I could see the song really just sticking to some double entendre of the girl riding the stallion. Ok, now that I have wrote that let me just once again :oops: .

Happy writing!

P.S. No pressure but now that you have thrown those verses out there, we would really like to see a finished product or even just some your progress. They are really good and I am very interested in seeing what they develop into.

I could help you out, but everyone else has already given you my advise and I wouldn't want to make this post repeatetive (like some of my songs!) so the only advise I can give now is listen to these guys here posting. They know what they're talking about.

Just keep writing those thoughts down. I know I've forgotten more lyrics than I've ever written. Those examples that you give are really good.
They might even work well together with a little work. Think about it she leaves the apartment in San Antone to go to the Stables and he goes for a walk downtown. Could be about a couple from two different worlds.

Just a Thought.

Most of all keep writing.

Celt