Notes regarding a song writing process used to help people change in a positive way. These notes are meant to accompany a pair of YouTube videos that feature this process (www.youtube.com/PCCSongs)

1. Song Writing for Life Change: How to Write Encouraging Songs
By Patrick C. Connor and associated with video at http://www.youtube.com/PCCSongs)
Stage 1: Important Preparations
The Process (Song: "Remember Me" running example):
- It starts with an idea or event.
> Either I have a neat idea or have been studying something in the bible that's
grabbing at my heart and encouraging me... and I want to codify that in a song.
(running example: Saw trailer for "The Passion of the Christ")
> Or, there's an event (e.g., wedding, baby dedication) that I have been asked to
prepare a song for. Deadlines are helpful.
- Pray. Ask God for the help
> If it's to bless others, that's a pretty good place to be in...
> If he wants it done it will be done
- Start researching around the main idea.
> Bible study - do your own or look at someone else's (e.g., the LifeBridge Growth
Group derived songs, one sermon series song). (running example: Took a harmony of
the gospels and outlined the things that happened to Jesus surrounding his crucifixion
and resurrection)
> Life experience - what kinds of problems did you face or attitudes did you have?
How do they compare with proper attitudes or correct thinking? What got you through?
> Identify the key heart-changing thoughts. This is the heartbeat of the
encouraging song. Note that these are not likely going to be direct commands, but
rather identifying qualities about God and how we relate to him that help us trust him
and do the right thing, even when doing the wrong thing looks better. For example:
- Because I am his child (a child of the eternal, all-powerful, all loving God), I
know that he values me deeply. Since that's true, I shouldn't have to worry about
whether others like me a whole lot because their sense of my value is distorted and
based on their narrow (and often self-serving) perspective. This can help me wiggle
away from peer pressure, avoid needing to outperform others in the workplace and
more...
- God loves me more than I love myself... because he lets me go through
difficult things to mature me. Many times I wouldn't love myself enough to do that.
This thought could help me trust God and walk through a difficult circumstance with him
and mature through it instead of just praying to get out of it.
- In our running example, Jesus did many miracles so that coming off the cross
would have been easy for him... so he must have stayed there on purposes... for me.
This could help someone simply realize that God deeply loves them and the rest of
humanity and receive him or go deeper in their relationship with him.
Without parts of the song that do this, I would say that your song won't be as
encouraging... even though it may help you realize something you're doing wrong or
should do better. The goal is not only to reveal the problem, but convince people that
God, in some way offers you the ability to overcome the problem.
- Clearly express the main idea in a small paragraph to keep you focused.

2. - Draw your ideas into natural groupings. From the research you've done, see if
there is a natural grouping of ideas that emerges. You will probably not get in all of
your ideas. You will have to pick the most important ones.
- Choose an approach to relate to your audience... a necessary consideration if you
want to really encourage them and help them change.
> problem/question/tension (Running example: tension in each verse released into
the chorus). These can be related either through:
> story (Running example: story of the last hours before the crucifixion), or
> personal life experience (the research you did earlier)
- Choose a song structure that fits with your groupings of ideas and way of
relating to the audience.
> the structure may be the popular Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus,
Chorus or something else entirely... it may not even have a chorus (gasp!)
> main idea is likely featured in the chorus or some other prominent and/or repeated
part of your song (so that it is memorable). What's the one-liner that you want people
to remember? Probably one of the key heart-changing thoughts. Take care to
emphasize this point in your song.
> if you choose to use tension, verses might both address particular difficulties and
resolve them, or one verse might highlight a tension and another verse provide a
solution to it... along with the chorus (e.g., Songs: "I am His Child", "We Will Dance").
> key heart-changing thoughts make good pre-chorus lines and bridges because
these build into a chorus (if you have one) and transition well from a tension to a
solution (and may be part of the solution).
> time-released details - some details take repeated listens to sink in... which give it
more longevity. My guess is that these would probably go best in verses, which people
are not as likely to notice on the first few listens, as opposed to the chorus, which
people tend to remember because it is repeated.
Stage 2: Writing and Refining
- Come up with a series of potential phrases using the following helpful lyrical
elements
> artistic themes (e.g., water - lots of metaphors),
> local colour ("do you want to be a millionaire" from "Live Out Loud"),
> alliterations (many words in the same line having the same first letter(s)),
> unique rhyming patterns.
This is the part where God steps in the most, it seems, to provide just the right words.
So you might want to insert more prayer here. See also a link below (How to Write a
Song #3: How to Write Lyrics Video) for some more ideas to help here.
> Warning: Use appropriate vocabulary - consider what words your audience
knows or would be comfortable with. Churchy words and phrases like, "the blood of
the Lamb", "the Lord", or "the Word of God" may be offputting to people with little
understanding of God or of a different faith. Children's songs probably should keep the
vocabulary to simpler words. etc.
- Put phrases together to make roughly cohesive verses, choruses, and bridges (also

3. hard work) etc.
- Massage: make sure that the phrases and larger parts work well together and
fix as necessary. Good transitions between phrases and larger parts is important.
Abruptly or bluntly introducing a new idea that seems out of place can distract your
listener or make them think that you don't understand their particular situation.... or that
maybe you're trying to "fix them". Flow between phrases and major parts of the song is
important to help you avoid this. Sometimes adding a hint of mystery (the opposite of
being blunt) might be a good idea because it adds intrigue.
- Help! What if it's just not working!? Because developing phrases and putting
them together effectively is tricky work you may run into some real difficulty. Try these
things in this order:
> Keep working at it. Sometimes all it takes is a little more time.
> Choose a different artisitc theme (e.g. use a financial theme instead of a water
theme) which offers a different set of metaphors that may better suit your main idea.
> Be willing to sacrifice an entire verse or chorus and start it over if that's what it
takes.
> Set your song aside. The research may not go to waste (e.g. in our running
example, a previous attempt at developing a song to describe both the crucifixion and
resurrection just didn't fly. So I set it aside, only to pick it up a while later under new
inspiration and a different focus -- just the hours before the crucifixion)
- Start working on basic chord arrangements and melodies that suit the theme,
mood, etc. I'm not an expert here, but I've found things that work. I usually have
some ideas about the melody, but it is not fully developed until I get some chords
figured out.
> I work with the guitar first because that's what I play. But having more instruments
is great. Consider collaborating with others (your friends, kompoz.org). It takes more
time, but can produce a greater song in the end. (Songs "Remember Me" and "I Will")
- Refine, refine, refine! It takes time to polish your song, but can make a big
difference in the quality. The song "Beautiful Symphony" is my favorite mostly polished
song. (running example: I'm still thinking up ways of changing the lyrics of my 8 year
old song)
> Take time to identify awkward wordings or lyrics that don't fit comfortably with the
music and look for better (usually less-wordy) solutions. .
> Get feedback from one or more people who will give their honest opinions and help
point out parts that seem awkward, are theologically incorrect, have grammar mistakes,
etc. Also ask them, "Does the main point come across?," and, "Is it 'convincing' or
does it just sound a theological statement?"
> Practice the song. Jam with it on your own. You'll find that the more you play
and sing it, that more comfortable and artistic ways of singing may come up... lyrics
might even improve because simpler ways of singing the same ideas can fall from your
lips during practice.
> Perform - consider the feedback you get. Distinguish the "Good job!" from "That
moved me!" from tears of encouragement you see falling when you perform. Use this
feedback to decide whether or not you need to go back and make some changes, and
perhaps develop your heart-changing thoughts more. (running example: lots of
positive feedback over the years. The most recent from our running example was from

4. an older Christian who was clearly blessed by the song by her tone and words). One
word of caution: If you are writing a song for an event, the event's performance may
set your lyrics in sentimental stone. Those for whom you wrote the song may be
resistant to further changes. E.g. Wedding songs. Also, consider who is giving you
the feedback. Someone who is also musical and/or writes songs is probably the most
capable of giving you effective feedback.
Final Words:
- Problems I've experienced - being too wordy, trying to pack in too many ideas which
forces it to be a longer song and less listenable. Writing too theologically and not
artistically. Wanting to hang onto original ideas that I should just let go so that I can
write a better overall song. Using metaphors that very few others would understand.
> Reality check - not all songs work out... probably few will be as polished and
effective as the top professionals produce. Song writing also takes a lot of experience
to get good at, or at least that's my experience. Although early songs I wrote may have
had some good ideas in them, the way they were expressed (looking back) is more
awkward than the average song I'm writing now (about 30 songs later <using this
process>). I remember listening to a radio interview with Steven Curtis Chapman who
mentioned in passing that he prepared 40 or more snippets of songs to share with his
producers in preparation for an album. Of course not all of these made their way to the
final product.
> On a positive note (pardon the pun) - In the past year, all 8 songs (6 of which
are on my YouTube channel) that I've attempted turned out quite well, so the process
(and God's help) have seen me through.
As mentioned earlier, the process I've described takes hours to write a single song.
But what makes for a more rewarding song than helping someone work through an
issue in their life, blessing, them, etc.? If for no one else, the experience of writing a
song that blesses your own heart and reminds you of important truths may be well worth
the time and effort.
Additional links:
www.stevencurtischapman.com - A favorite artist of mine whose songs usually have an
encouragement focus. Would love to know what his song writing process is!
"Songwriting Formula" Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDS3pGEV-aM) - The
popular song structure and some tips for writing in this format.
www.kompoz.com - a website for collaborating with other musicians to write songs. I
haven't used it myself, but it looks neat!
How to Write a Song #3: How to Write Lyrics Video
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iabXvLojrp4) - helpful in the generation of phrases
suitable for your encouraging songs