Create Folklore, Not Just a Track

your next song—not because you lack skill, but because you're unsure of why you’re writing—it’s okay. You’re not alone. Maybe you’ve looked at the trends, the marketing reports, the playlists... and none of it feels like you.

Create something real

What if I told you the most effective way to come up with one idea is to quickly come up with many ideas? Would you temporarily hang up your disbelief and give it a try? If you're ready now and need no further explanation, I encourage you to go straight to this exercise and come back when you're done.

Think from a broader perspective

Folklore

Collaborate

Once you have your list, it's time to do some housework. Remember how you were supposed to list all your ideas, both good and bad? Here's how to go through that list.

• Circle or highlight your best ideas
• Scratch out or delete the ideas that aren't going to work. Let them go.
• Make connections between related ideas. Have two similar ideas? Try to rephrase your thought by combining the two.
• Elaborate on your best ideas. I like to immediately make a list of thoughts below each of my best ideas. Sometimes, I do this with another timed exercise. Other times, my mind is already flowing freely at this point and making new lists comes naturally.