In a world with an ever-growing population of indie artists, songwriting is one thing that can set you apart. It's easier said than done, though. There's nothing scarier than a blank sheet of paper, the saying goes, and I couldn't agree more.

Songwriting requires you to be at your creative best. Writer's block happens when that creativity seems to go missing. Luckily for you, creativity can be coaxed out of hiding. So how do you keep your mind fresh and your creativity flowing? I've got seven things you can do…

Seven Practices to Keep Your Creativity Flowing

There's a ton of advice out there for indie artists looking to boost their creativity. Some might work, most won't. These tips you're about to read are tested and trusted by the very best in the world. Apply them correctly, and they'll be no limit to your creative stream.

Write First, Edit Later

Are you an over thinker or a perfectionist? Do you spend an eternity poring over a single line? Stop that.

"Write first, edit later" is one of the best pieces of writing advice I've ever gotten. It's great not only for songwriting, but for any kind of writing. Trying to churn out a perfect song on the first attempt is a tedious, and often futile, exercise. It's much easier to just pour out your thoughts and let it flow.

Once done, you can go through it again with a fine eye. Look for rhymes, melody, maybe even punchlines. Before you know it, a blank sheet of paper has turned into several filled up sheets of paper. What to say is often the hardest part, it doesn't have to be anymore.

Consume Creative Content

When your mind is full, write. What happens when your mind is empty, though? One of the best ways to spark your creativity to life is to listen to other songs, preferably songs with impeccable writing. Immersing yourself in all that creative expression will help activate your own creative flow.

Songs are not the only source of creative expression. You can read poetry, watch a movie, or look at art. Just make sure that whatever you're consuming is tied to the emotion and message you'd like to convey in your own song.

If you find yourself stuck in a writers block situation, it's time to go push the boundaries of your inspirations. Get outside and get inspired.

Tell a Story

One of the best songwriting concepts is to tell a story. Storytelling is perhaps the best way to convey emotion to your audience. Some of my favorite songs are stories because of how they transport me to a different world.

So, tell a story. It could be about a traumatic experience or a trip to the store to get some juice. "How I Met My Ex" by Dave and "Keep it 100" by Joyner Lucas are prime examples of storytelling in a song.

Using a personal experience eliminates the problem of what to write because it's literally what's happened to you. It also makes you more relatable to your audience because there's a good chance, you're not the only one who's gone through that experience.

You also don't have to tell a story about yourself, you don't even have to tell a real story. It could be something you read on the news or saw in your daydreams. Stories are powerful, nonetheless.

Use a Prompt to Improve Creativity

Prompts are a powerful way to jump-start the creative in you. I've seen prompts used more for writing stories, but it's perfect for songs too. A prompt would either give a scenario, a theme, the first line, or even the last line of the story. It could instruct you to write a story that ends with the phrase, "and that was the last time he ever saw her smile". Imagine how many different things could've happened to lead to such an ending!

Prompts will literally prompt your brain into action. They'll activate your creativity in ways that will amaze you. You can find them for free online, too. What's not to love?

The Hidden Glosa Technique

Sometimes all we need to overcome writers' block is a push, a head start if you like. Sometimes it's as simple as getting the first line, and the rest will come rolling down. This is exactly what the hidden Glosa technique offers you.

Popular in Spanish poetry, the hidden Glosa technique is a smart way of "stealing" from other songs. It involves taking four random lines from an existing song, then filling in the blanks between them yourself. If you're a rapper, for example, you could take the second, ninth, and fifteenth lines in a sixteen-bar rap. Then fill in the blanks by yourself. It gives you the first push you need to get going.

Give It a Rest

Sometimes you need a push, other times it's as simple as resting your brain. Stress is a notorious blocker of creativity, and rest is the only way to fix that.

Sleep, take a walk, listen to some music, or even play a round or two of FIFA. Reduce the amount of deep thinking you must do so your brain can recharge. It will do you better than you know.

Build a Writing Habit

Inspiration is a beautiful thing, but the best writers learn how to summon it at will. I read somewhere that Sia wrote the song "Diamonds" for Rihanna in fourteen minutes. Fourteen minutes!

A full song in fourteen minutes is incredible, but it's exactly the kind of skill you need to develop. Waiting for inspiration is a dangerous game that could leave you stranded at the wrong time. So train yourself to command inspiration, and there's only one way to do that: discipline.

Write every day, whether it's beautiful or ugly. Build the habit of writing and it will eventually come to you naturally. Write songs as much as you can, but why stop there? Write poems and stories, start a journal, just write. When writing becomes a second nature to you, all you have to do is call and inspiration will come running.

Final Thoughts

If you can crack the secret to songwriting, there's almost no limit to how far you can go. You could easily become like Sia or Ed Sheeran, who write massive hits for both them and others. The world of music will be yours for the taking.

Creativity is the key to standing out and standing out is the key to success in today's world. So keep your mind fresh and stay creative. The sky's only the beginning.

End Writer’s Block: 20 Songwriting Tips from Andrea Stolpe | Berklee Online | ASCAP | Songwriting