Tell a Story in the Past Tense

Throughout the decades there have been a number of ways to write
words in a song. So many in fact, that sometimes it can actually
get confusing for some on how to begin creating them.

Here, I'm going to share with you the EASIEST ways for creating
topics to write about.

Write about a situation that you were in, or perhaps your friends
or your family were in. It could even be completely made up and
totally fictional.

Here are some ideas:

- Write about your first crush
- When you grandfather died
- When your best friend stabbed you in the back
- When the girl you fancied ended up sleeping with your brother
- The time when you got shot
- Life in the military
- Growing up in your neighbourhood
- A love affair that you'll never forget etc.

Writing about events that have ALREADY UNFOLDED makes it much
easier as the foundation for the story is more or less already there.

Tell a Story in the Present Tense

Write about a circumstance that you are involved in RIGHT NOW. Are
you in some kind problem or predicament at the moment? Write about
it! Maybe your friends or a member of your family are in a sticky
situation. Write about it.

It can also, be a 'made up' story in the present.

Here are some ideas:

- Write about poverty
- The state of the world
- How a marriage is deteriorating
- How a relationship is blooming
- Your children's view of the world
- A man cheating on his woman
- A boy/girl you fancy but can never say a word to
- Write about a night out in the town drinking - having fun, but
not remembering only the things your friends told you had happen.

Tell a Story in the Future
Why not write about events that are GOING TO UNFOLD?

This method of writing lyrics rarely hits the surface - not to
mention its great way to create a bit of suspense in your song.

You could either write about something that has happened in the
present and then the POSSIBLE OUTCOME of that situation, or you
could simply make up a story that is SET IN THE FUTURE.

Here are some ideas:

- Write about the outcome of a wife committing adultery
- How you would see your children if they didn't want to graduate
- What would happen if you lost your home
- What would you do if you won five million dollars
- Tell the story of a passionate night with your girlfriend
- Tell the story of what you would do if you were the president
- Tell the story of convicted man who will be released from prison
and you feel he'll commit the same crime over and over again
- Tell a story of how you would live in complete paradise, etc

Now of course all of the above methods can be mixed and matched to
suite your own individual song, and most songs actually are treated
this way.

There is NO ONE RULE that you must follow when it comes to creating
lyrics. But by focusing on a particular 'tense' can make the
process easy.

This doesn't mean that if you were writing about the present, you
couldn't have PAST REFERENCES. Or, it doesn't mean that you
couldn't write words pertaining to the OUTCOME OF THE PRESENT.