One way to stay true to your songwriting is to put in on your schedule! Would love for you to come join this special March 5-Day Songwriting Challenge, it's a small commitment of time with a powerful ability to allow you to create a song from start to finish in just a few days. Register Here on my website for the Songwriting Challenge, yay!

Let’s talk about the Essentialism of Our Songwriting and then get to actually writing songs!!

Music is healing, we know this on a cellular level

How is your songwriting going? Are you doing it?

It’s easy not to do our songwriting, but is it? It’s not easy or easeful in our life when we skip our creative processes. So much reward in our adult life to checking off our to-do list but our songwriting is so essential. We come to the dinner table each night more ALIVE and full of feeling, when we’ve said yes to our creativity, touched based with our emotions and feelings, this is HUGE.

At the fork in the road, choosing whether I make a phone call I need OR do I sit at my songwriting. Perhaps it’s not so black or white…

So much more bits of inspiration on my Songwriting Newsletter, just click this link here to sign up for that weekly cheer in your inbox!

Take good care, yours in songwriting,
Anne

Songwriting doesn’t have to be hard. What a good reminder! One of my mentors was saying that editing is perfectionism! That really hit me as being so true. 

On today's episode, you'll hear me dive into songwriting with WAY less editing and less overthinking. It can involve more play and experimentation and having fun.

I know you want to be writing more and I think you'll find these tips will help you do that!

Wanting to join the February 19th Online Song Circle? Come meet some new songwriters (we are a very sweet and supportive community, a safe place!) and share one of YOUR new songs! I'd love to hear it. Register Here, it's free.

You can always head to my website, www.annesibley.com to find out about more songwriting opportunities and support!

Listening to songwriter Pharis Romero is like sitting in the most beautiful kitchen with warm sun streaming in the windows and a cup of your favorite tea. What a treat to get a deep dive into her songwriting process. She has created a beautiful life with her husband, together known as “Pharis & Jason Romero” and you will want to add their albums to your playlists! 

Their latest record Tell ‘Em You Were Gold was released on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings in June 2022.  I hope you’ll read all about them, their lives are fascinating and their music and the banjos they build are exquisite. 

The two recordings we play on the podcast today are songs that Pharis wrote: Souvenir, the title track from their most recent album and A Wanderer I’ll Stay. 

“I love the part of my brain that wants to turn things into songs! And it gets better, the more I do it…” says Pharis. 

Visit Pharis’ Website: https://www.pharisandjason.com/home

Follow Pharis & Jason Romero on IG: pharisandjason

Check Out their Incredible Banjos: https://www.romerobanjos.com/

Enjoy reading these beautiful lyrics to Pharis Romero’s song “A Wanderer I’ll Stay” which we play in the second half of the podcast:

Oh why wait for summer when there's time to waste right here

There's an aching deep inside says

There's no time, honey there's no time

Oh I was born to wander, and a wanderer I'll stay

Though it grieves my poor old mother

There's no time, honey there's no time

There's no time, there's no time

Why do girls go steady, when their hearts are not inclinеd

And I believe thеy just aren't ready

For the road, honey for the road

Boys are fixed on numbers, how many and what kind

In this game we're all pieces

On the board, honey on the board

On the board, on the board

Some will take a hammer, and nail their bodies down

In a loving home forever

In town, oh honey, in town

One morning I might wake up and take the day in hand

I'll use the nails and hammer

Build a home, honey build a home

So many episodes all to inspire and support your songwriting plus check out Anne's songwriting groups and coaching at www.annesibley.com

Think of the last time you were songwriting and the words and/or music just felt like a delivery with little effort on your part, has that happened for you? That is flow state. It's available to all of us and it is a powerful conduit for bringing our songs from our heart to life. On today's episode, I explain what it feels like to write a song from this space, to practice it, and trust that it is always available to you.

Try this whimsical Exercise to experience flow state (I read it aloud at the end of the Podcast):

Picture a beautiful stream. You don’t have to do anything to make that water flow.  Sit down next to that stream, close your eyes, and now imagine that the stream is music and words floating by. Beautiful melodies of all kinds. Powerful lyrics of every shape and form. Take a beautiful cup and dip into that water to scoop out a cup for yourself. Imagine pouring it onto a blank page. As soon as you do, this music and the lyrics come to life, they swirl around you. You hear the notes, the melody and the words form verses and a chorus, and the chord progression is written in front of you. This song is a gift for you now. Anytime you want to write another song, just come back to this stream. It is never ending, always running with a beautiful current, and it always wanting you to come visit. Don’t be too busy to visit the stream. It flows for you and wants to express itself through your voice and through your fingers in the way that your heart can feel its healing powers.

Try recording the previous paragraph by speaking it into a Voice Memo. Give it a title so you can listen to it whenever you need to be reminded of flow state. Now find a quiet spot and take a few deep breaths until you feel calm.  Be intentional about having positive thoughts. Listen to the recording (more than once if you need to). 

Now open your eyes slowly with a soft focus and write about your experience during this exercise / meditation. What song are you willing to receive in this flow state? Write down any images, lyrics, and/or music that came to you. 

Use it to write a song, work on a current song, or just to experience flow state regularly so you can return to this calm and grounding space when you want to be creative.

I love hearing from songwriters, reach out through my website or social media.
Songwriting Courses, One-on-One coaching, Songwriting Groups, and more! www.annesibley.com

I am glad you are here! I hope you are inspired to ease off the break a little and roll into the next step with your songwriting after listening to today's episode. Always a good idea to have your journal nearby to answer some of these reflective questions like what are the next steps for your songwriting? Are you really comfortable staying where you are or might there be some much better rewards taking that next step?

**8-Week Songwriting Course that I run is online and I have space for one more songwriter to join us on this journey! Check it out at my website: www.annesibley.com

I sent this out today in my songwriting newsletter (and thanks for tuning in to the podcast!!)

What if today you took the next step in your songwriting?

If you have been staying in your comfort zone, I get it. I’ve been there. It’s comfortable. Actually, if you really looked at it, is it really all that comfortable? To not write the song, or sign up for the group, or share a song? Does that feel good?

Here’s my experience of not taking the next step: I feel heavy, and a low-level annoyance. I might get annoyed at kids leaving their dishes all over the kitchen. I feel tired, uninspired, and I’m just going through motions. Bored, maybe sorry for myself.

Here’s my experience when I DO take the next step (even the smallest next step like leaving the kitchen dirty and working on my new song):

I lose track of time. I feel alive. I have a bounce in my step. I remember I’ve been wanting to thank a friend for something and I text her. I head off to my next thing humming my new song. I smile at the next person I see and ask them how their day is going.

Does this resonate?

Try this exercise: SONGWRITING & YOUR COMFORT ZONE

What is the next step I want to be taking in my songwriting? Write a few sentences off the top of your head, the steps might surprise you.

Imagine you take one of these steps, are you more or less comfortable than you are now?

Ask a different question now, not about comfort but like this: How might I feel if I take that next step? What would I gain? What might I lose?

What is the reward(s) I get for staying in my comfort zone? (Basically you are finding out WHY you don’t take the next steps when you answer this one).

Now question that last answer, are they truly rewards?

Welcome home to your truth, I promise that taking the next step has rewards beyond what you can even imagine. Allow yourself to take it.

Yours in Songwriting,
Anne

Just wrapped up a 5-Day Online Songwriting Challenge with ten beautiful people writing songs from their heart. While one of the biggest takeaways that I heard was inviting a sense of play which I invited them to do from day one, I don't think you can do this without really getting to know your inner critic. So today we deep dive into just HOW to quiet the inner critic by working to catch what it is saying and putting it to the side in order to let your song flow through you.

**8-Week Songwriting Course Online is underway with space for one more songwriter!!** Might be the ONLY course for this year other than spaces available for one-on-one songwriting coaching with me. 

At the end, I hit another important one: don't write for your audience. Hands down you will write a more authentic song (that I'm sure you future audience WILL connect with) if you are not thinking about them while writing.

I couldn't remember Elizabeth Gilbert's name while recording (I just asked Siri to help me out)...but she's the one that wrote the book Big Magic (very fun and creative read!) and talked about quieting the inner critics and not letting them drive the bus!

Walk away from this episode inspired for 2025, giving yourself permission to write your songs and experience the many rewards of this craft. What your heart has to say really matters! There are so many dreams that we can have as songwriters: songs help us heal, help us process, they can be a comfort and a companion. Maybe you dream of being really truthful in your songs.  
Reveal yourself to yourself through your songwriting. Actively engaging in your songwriting, turning down the “party pooper” thoughts 

Our songs can teach us, show us, and lead the way forward. The rewards of songwriting are immeasurable!

Believe in creativity, then experience it (actively engage in it) and test it, try it, then we build that muscle for more songwriting.
So much more in this episode, thanks for being here!!

8-WEEK SONGWRITING COURSE - this might be the only New Group Course running in 2025 and it starts on Sunday evenings on January 5th, head to annesibley.com/work-with-me to read and register, I look forward to meeting you. This is for at-home songwriters looking for a caring environment to support and grow their songwriting.

You can subscribe to the podcast, I'm releasing a new episode weekly!

Take care,
Anne

Want to write more?

#1) Reflect

#2) Celebrate

#3) Receive

It’s a great time of year to take the time to reflect on what you DO want to see with your songwriting in 2025, can you take time today to imagine your year of songwriting? In today’s episode, I dive into three things to focus on to increase your songwriting in 2025.
When we are reflecting we are truly tapping into our heart spaces and listening to our truth. The more we listen, the more our heart will speak.

When we take the time to celebrate, from every little thing to every big thing, our lives will be uplifted and our creativity will be more plentiful. You may experience your life in general being uplifted!

Learning how to be in a receiving mode is a huge mood booster and life enhancer. I talk in today’s podcast on how to start by just feeling what it feels like in the body to receive.

All three of these will create space and permission for writing more songs. Our heart will have so much room to play a larger role in our lives! Writing from the heart is healing and results in authentic songs that you and others will find very meaningful.

*For more songwriting tools and inspiration, join my 5-Day Songwriting Challenge - it’s Free and Online starting January 1st but sign up now at www.annesibley.com

My popular and supportive 8-Week Songwriting Online Course is live calls every week and starts January 5th!!!! Still a few spaces left, read and register at https://www.annesibley.com/work-with-me

Why am I talking about self-trust? Because it helps with songwriting!
No one knows better than YOU about you. Gosh, I wish I had learned this earlier. Not just in songwriting but in life. But let’s look at what this thought and belief….”No one knows better than you about you” can do for our songwriting: It can build self-trust and reduce your self-criticism.

When you trust yourself more while songwriting, you don’t interrupt the flow of creativity coming through you. You don’t comment (as much!), block, resist, criticize, judge…as much.  Imagine if a song was coming to you, the melody and the lyrics, and your brain was silent other than the song…can you feel what this feels like? You can let your song flow while building a trusting relationship with yourself. 

How do you build self-trust? 

TRY THIS EXERCISE BELOW:

Answer the following questions with a few sentences:

What is it I most often judge about my songs? Why?

Whose voice do I use when criticizing my songs?

What would happen if I stopped grading and checking my songwriting?

What was happening the last time I wrote a song or song lyrics that I really liked? Was I wondering what others would think?

What is the payoff for criticizing my songs?(It might be that you won’t get teased or criticized by others so you are editing, checking, reigning yourself in before they have the opportunity to).

What would it feel like to write a song without wondering what others would think?

Try these positive affirmations instead:

What I have to say matters.

It is healthy for me to hear what my heart has to say.

I commit to quieting my inner critic.

I commit to questioning my inner critic.

I commit to calming my inner critic with kindness so we can work together.

No one knows better than me what is in my heart.

No one can say what I need to say.

I am whole.

I can be trusted.

I support you! Thanks for tuning in to the Podcast

Xoxo

Anne
8-WEEK ONLINE SONGWRITING COURSE - Your Transformational Experience of 2025
Free Songwriting Challenge starts January 1st, New Year - New Song - online just register ahead

Hey! Welcome!
Still time to join the December Songwriting Challenge just sign up at www.annesibley.com and share a song live on Zoom on Dec 11th
Online Songwriting Community starts up January 6th, come open your heart to your songwriting : ) 8-Week Online Songwriting Course information here aka Your Transformational Experience of 2025!

Now for today's episode!

Anne’s Top 10 Tips for Writing A Bridge

1. It’s a good idea to have a unique chord at the very beginning of your bridge. Signals to the listener that something different is about to happen here. It can be a minor chord unless that doesn’t fit the feeling of your song.
2. A bridge often gives us more direct insight into the thoughts of the song’s narrator or the song’s message. Go deeper then you’ve gone in the verses.
3. To help your bridge be distinctive from the rest of your song, give your bridge a unique chord progression and melody. 
4. Take us somewhere you haven’t yet in the song, walk us over  a wooden bridge off the main path of the song. Then bring us back!
5. Is your bridge necessary? I wouldn’t write a bridge just because you think you should. It should have purpose and give us a welcome diversion before it brings us back to the familiarity of the song.
6. The bridge is usually located about three-quarters of the way into the song. You’ve already given us some verses and a chorus (familiar) before you introduce this new part. Study other songs for placement ideas.
7. Just like your Chorus has a different melody than your verses that preceded it, the bridge has its own unique melody. 
8. Best way to learn how to write great bridges (especially if you still feel uncertain on how to create one) is to listen to some of your favorite songs with a curious ear. What is the purpose of the bridge in this song? How is it different from the rest of the song? What chord progression did they use?
9. Do you have to write a Bridge in your song? Nope. Always a good idea not to force it because you think you “should”. What does the song want and need?
10.  If you are a new songwriter and new to writing bridges, play around, experiment and learn. Bridges are pretty amazing components of songs when they come together (and fun to sing and play!).

www.annesibley.com