Story-First Songwriting

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#016 - Insider’s guide to pushing album sales by ending the lyrics of a single release with a cliffhanger.

Do you want your songs to be heard?

Then I've got great news for you.

Here's what my new podcast episode can help you with:

If you've been having a hard time writing something that's never been said before ...

While trying to be relatable and make it interesting, new, credible and catchy ...

And you're trying to write song lyrics that make people want to listen to more of your songs, ...

Then this new podcast episode - "One Amazing Songwriting Trick to Increase Your Album's Streaming Numbers" - is exactly what you're looking for!

It shows you a successful song example to 

• understand how using the power of storytelling in songwriting will not only help you get your one song out there 
• but also make people want to listen to more of your songs 
• AND helps you figure out how you can write the lyrics for a single release that will help you to promote your album sales / streaming number.

Listen to the new episode and let me know what you think by leaving me a comment in the show notes!

Thank you, Melanie!

Here's what we cover:

[00:01:38] What you’ll learn in this episode

[00:04:08] "Middle of a Memory" by Cole Swindell

[00:07:14] Step 1: Summary - What is the song about?

[00:13:07] Step 2: Observer - Who is the main character of the song?

[00:20:15] Step 3: Narration - Analyzing the storytelling craft.

[00:24:48] Analyzing the scene told in the song.

[00:31:25] The Change

[00:33:53] Writing Techniques

[00:36:35] Step 4: Gist - What is the message of the song?

[00:38:30] Songwriting Tips Summary

[00:40:49] Song Exercise - The Lovers Meet


Middle of a Memory lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#015 - Find Out How To Stop Writing Fairytale Love Songs And Show A Darker Side Of Love In Your Lyrics.

Do you want to write a love song that is not about a happily ever after?

Are you fed up with fairytale love songs that always have a happy ending, but don't know how to go about showing how to dig a hole for your song's main character and letting them suffer?

After all, love is not all about butterflies.

Sometimes love hurts.

This new podcast episode will help you ...

Because it helps you figure out how you can tell a love story moment without its happy ending ...

But still, leave your audience with a glimpse of hope.

AND it will show you how your song's main character may get stuck in life, ...

And how you can get him out of that hole again without letting him get what his heart desires.

If that sounds like something you want to try out in your own songwriting, then tune in.

Here's what we cover:

[00:01:37] What you’ll learn in this episode

[00:04:59] "Heartache on the Dancefloor" by Jon Pardi

[00:07:47] Step 1: Summary - What is the song about?

[00:17:41] Step 2: Observer - Who is the main character of the song?

[00:23:14] Step 3: Narration - Analyzing the storytelling craft.

[00:25:46] Analyzing the scene told in the song.

[00:31:36] The Change

[00:33:39] Writing Techniques

[00:37:15] Step 4: Gist - What is the message of the song?

[00:41:48] Song Exercise - The Lovers Meet
Links mentioned in this episode:
Heartache on the Dance Floor lyrics © Wordspring Music Llc, Sony/atv Countryside, Blongsongs, Songs Of Song Factory, Rancho Fiesta Publishing, Wordspring Music, Llc

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#014 - A Wonderful Way To Show The Change Of Your Song's Character - while letting love take on the role of the villain!

Do you want to make your listeners relate to your song's character's troubles?

But you don't know how to pull it off?

Are you looking for a way to show the personal development of your song's main character ...

especially, when you want to show the hardship your character had to go through ...

in order to become who they are today.

Great News!

This new podcast episode will help you ...

Because it shows you a wonderful way to show the change of your song's character while letting love take on the role of the villain!

And still, be writing a wonderful little love story.

Does that sound exciting?

If yes, then tune in to study the successful hit "I'm A Believer" by the Monkees with me!

Here's what we cover:

[00:01:18] What you’ll learn in this episode

[00:02:13] "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees

[00:04:50] Step 1: Summary - What is the song about?

[00:10:26] Step 2: Observer - Who is the main character of the song?

[00:15:08] Step 3: Narration - Analyzing the storytelling craft.

[00:17:21] Analyzing the scene told in the song.

[00:19:47] The Change

[00:20:56] Writing Techniques

[00:23:19] Step 4: Gist - What is the message of the song?

[00:24:37] How a first-person narration can hook your audience

[00:26:06] Song Exercise - The Lovers Meet


I'm A Believer lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#013  - Learn how to narrate a "Love At First Sight" moment in your lyrics while still keeping your listeners engaged.

Do you want to learn how to narrate a "Love At First Sight" moment in your lyrics?

But you struggle with not knowing how to keep your listeners engaged in your narration, especially if you want to include your audience in your first-person narration.

And maybe you’ve already been searching for song examples that show you how to pull it off?

Well, look no further. 

This episode is what you were looking for.

Because it gives you an example of how The Beatles pulled it off!

AND we use one of their famous songs "I Saw Her Standing There" ...

To find out how to use a love story moment and wrap it into a narration ...

... that addresses your listeners while still engaging them in what you have to say.

Then tune into this episode.

Here's what we cover:

1. What you’ll learn in this episode
2. "I Saw Her Standing There" by The Beatles
3. Step 1: Summary - What is the song about?
4. Step 2: Observer - Who is the main character of the song?
5. Step 3: Narration - Analyzing the storytelling craft.
6. Analyzing the scene told in the song.
7. The Change
8. Writing Techniques
9. Step 4: Gist - What is the message of the song?
10. Song Exercise - The Lovers Meet

I Saw Her Standing There lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#012 - The secret weapon every singer/songwriter needs right now to pull their audience into their song.

Do you want to write lyrics that have an enticing flavor?

But don't know how to go about study the lyrics of other love songs?

So that you know what other songwriters do to engage someone ...

... and make them feel the tension ...

... and the attraction of meeting someone special for the very first time ...

... that makes you fall so hard for that person ...

... that you think you're losing your mind?

If you struggle to make your audience feel the heat of the moment ...

Then I've got a great New Podcast Episode for you!

It will inspire you!

It will help you to engage your audience and make them feel like they are the character in your song!

And I will show you how to use the writing strategy of "Show, don't Tell" in your songwriting.

So join me and tune in!


Here's what we cover:
[00:01:30] What you’ll learn in this episode

[00:03:21] "Crazy for You" by Madonna

[00:06:10] Step 1: Summary - What is the song about?

[00:12:18] Step 2: Observer - Who is the main character of the song?

[00:16:40] Step 3: Narration - Analyzing the storytelling craft.

[00:20:50] Analyzing the scene told in the song.

[00:27:26] The Change

[00:29:52] Writing Techniques

[00:33:21] Step 4: Gist - What is the message of the song?

[00:35:32] Song Exercise - The Lovers Meet


Crazy for You lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#011 - How to avoid making your listeners feel left out.

Are you struggling with creating an emotional connection with your audience?

And you don't know how to go about learning some more songwriting techniques?

Well, today this is about to change.

In this episode, you will learn how to engage your listeners ...

And putting them in your song's character's shoes ...

AND I will show you exactly what you need to include in your lyrics so that your listeners root for your character.

Especially by avoiding three lyric writing mistakes that could cost you your audience’s engagement.

Sound good to you?

Then let’s get started.

Here's what we'll cover:

[00:01:18] The S.O.N.G Framework

[00:03:39] What you’ll learn in this episode

[00:04:22] "Ain't No Other Man" by Christina Aguilera

[00:07:37] Step 1: Summary - What is the song about?

[00:13:08] Step 2: Observer - Who is the main character of the song?

[00:19:56] Step 3: Narration - Analyzing the storytelling craft.

[00:26:00] Analyzing the scene told in the song.

[00:32:19] The Change

[00:35:51] Writing Techniques

[00:39:06] Step 4: Gist - What is the message of the song?

[00:40:41] Three Lyric Writing Mistakes That Could Cost You Your Audience’s Engagement

[00:42:55] Song Exercise - The Lovers Meet

Download the exercise here: storiesinsongs.com/podcast/episode-011

Ain't No Other Man lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management, Reach Music Publishing

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#010 -  Write A "Love at First Sight" Song Like The Pros And Create Catharsis

If you've been having a hard time beating writer's block...

And you need to write a captivating love song ...

Then this new podcast episode - "How To Write A "Love at First Sight" Song" - is exactly what you're looking for!

It helps you to study the storytelling aspect of lyrics ...

And how you can use a song as an inspiration to write your own unique lyrics ...

AND it shows you exactly what you need to include in your lyrics to create an emotional reaction in your audience.

PS - Seriously, if you want results, this shows you exactly what you need to include in your lyrics to create an emotional reaction in your audience!

Here's what we cover:
[00:03:05] The S.O.N.G Framework

[00:04:29] Why you should learn how to tell stories in songs

[00:06:24] What is a love story

[00:09:01] Moment 1 - The lovers meet

[00:12:12] "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" by John Michael Montgomery

[00:16:22] Step 1: Summary

[00:23:21] Step 2: Observer

[00:27:32] Step 3: Narration

[00:31:16] Analyzing the scene told in the song.

[00:39:04] The Change

[00:43:37] Writing Techniques

[00:46:00] Step 4: Gist

[00:48:17] Song Exercise - The Lovers Meet

Download the exercise: storiesinsongs.com/podcast/episode-010

Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident) lyrics © Broadminded Music, Robroy West Music, Of Music, Robroy Music, Criterion Music Corp. Obo Of Music

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#009 -  What If You Had The Ability To Know How To Write An Evergreen?
 
A song that would resonate with your audience, hook them from the first line, and which you could then use to skyrocket your album sales and get more fans?

If that’s something you’re interested in, listen to this podcast episode to find out how this show can help you improve your lyric writing.

Here's what we cover:

[00:03:07] - What If You Had The Ability To Know How To Write An Evergreen?

[00:04:30] - Introduction to the podcast host: Melanie Naumann

[00:06:23] - Melanie's story

[00:12:25] - Proof that storytelling matters in songwriting

[00:16:51] - How can you benefit from listening to this podcast?

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

This episode is for you when you want to know the simple way to make your songs meaningful to your audience without giving in to popular demand.
A Minute for Manny, singer-songwriter, and guitarist, talks about how he approaches songwriting and what it has to do with showing both sides of the same coin. He reveals what The Sandman by Neil Gaiman taught him so that he could write better lyrics.
This episode is about his journey of becoming a musician, what it takes, what he learned along the way, and what influenced him the most.
And you'll also find out what a Disney song as well as "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Iron Maiden have in common.
And why he considers music to be the pinnacle of storytelling.
So tune in.
Here's what we cover:

[00:01:12] - How A Minute for Manny got into music by filling someone else’s shoes.

[00:07:30] - “I still have the metalhead blood flowing through my veins”

[00:08:15] - How writing a pop song started as a joke.

[00:10:16] - Flipping the coin in songwriting

[00:12:23] - Quitting a day job to go busking in small towns

[00:19:00] - Recording “They Say”

[00:20:50] - A song a day challenge - over 100 songs written in 100 days

[00:27:31] - "Music can be the pinnacle of storytelling"

[00:30:30] - How Iron Maiden and a Disney Song made an impact

[00:33:50] - Everything changed with Bruce Springsteen

[00:36:33] - How to make a song meaningful?

[00:40:57] - The Sandman by Neil Gaiman and what it teaches songwriters

[00:49:32] - Cast your own songwriter group. Who will be in It


Links mentioned in this episode:

• MannyG (A Minute for Manny) on Soundcloud
• A Minute for Manny on Spotify
• A Minute for Manny on Instagram
• Tunnel of Love by A Minute for Manny
• Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Hallowed Be Thy Name by Iron Maiden
• Treasure Planet Movie
• Treasure Planet Song I'm Still Here
• Blinded by the Light Movie
• Western Stars Bruce Springsteen
• The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

✅ Stop guessing if your lyrics work. Learn story-first songwriting and turn every idea into music-ready lyrics with a proven, repeatable system. Join our community: Story-First Songwriting on Skool.👉 ⁠skool.com/songwriting/about⁠

#007 - How to write an amazing, heartbreaking love song so that you take your audience with you back into a moment in time when they had to get over a breakup.

We’ll do that by analyzing one song of an aspiring songwriter and musician called A Minute for Manny. We’ll play his song in full and talk about the lyrics as well as about the theme of his song, and the craft of storytelling that he used to be able to write his heartbreaking love song: “Last Goodbye”.

And he will take us on his emotional journey and reveal what it takes to come to terms with the new situation and to get out of one’s misery.

A song about hope and pain

If you get the lyrics for this kind of song right, then you give your listeners hope that it is indeed possible to move on, and you provide them with the strength for it.

They will look at you and the hardship you had to go through, and they will find someone in you who can relate to their heartache and who understands their pain.

And this sense that there’s someone else out there who had to go through a terrible breakup as well will empower them to gather their strength and start moving on, too.

Those listeners will become your fans because you’ve helped them through one of the saddest and most challenging moments of their lives. They will be entirely grateful to you to have given them this strength to get back on their feet.

And writing a powerful heartbreaking song that helps someone get over a failed relationship is what you’ll learn in this episode.

You will discover the three most important things to watch out for when writing a song like this.

You will know the 10 questions you need to ask yourself about your song to find out how strong the lyrics are to truly make an impact.

Here's what we cover:

[00:00:00] - Introduction to the episode

[00:02:59] - Introducing: A Minute for Manny

[00:04:15] - "Last Goodbye" by A Minute for Manny

[00:08:35] - My initial observation after listening to the song

[00:10:02] - How to analyze the lyrics of a song? Step 1: Which problem faces the character in the song?

[00:15:01] - Step 2 - The unexpected event

[00:22:31] - Step 3 - The lyrics in detail

[00:26:52] - 10 questions to determine the strength of the lyrics

[00:40:36] - How to write a heartbreaking love song - Summary.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• MannyG (A Minute for Manny) on Soundcloud
• A Minute for Manny on Spotify
• A Minute for Manny on Instagram