Do song lyrics come first — or does the melody lead the way? The truth is, songs don’t begin in just one way.

In this episode, I walk you through five common “doorways” into songwriting — simple, human starting points that can help you move past the frozen feeling of “Where do I start?” We explore how songs can begin through lyrics, melody, rhythm, harmony, or listening to what’s already stirring beneath the surface — and how finding your doorway can make songwriting feel more natural and less intimidating.

If you’ve been searching for a simple way to start writing songs, this episode offers a clear framework you can return to again and again — without pressure, rules, or overthinking.

<3 Lainey

P.S. You're Invited to Join Me for a FREE Live Songwriting Workshop -->

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Songwriting isn’t about coming up with ideas — it’s about learning how to listen.

In this episode, I’m sharing a different kind of ear training for singer-songwriters: one that helps you recognize song beginnings as they’re already forming — where listening becomes the skill that guides everything else.

We’ll talk about the subtle ways songs often arrive: a line that won’t leave you alone, a sound or melody fragment, a feeling that hasn’t found words yet — and why learning to listen for these beginnings can change the entire songwriting process.

Rather than forcing a song into shape, this episode explores how to notice what’s already present and stay with it long enough for the song to reveal itself. This is ear training for the creative process — grounded, embodied, and accessible, even if you feel stuck or unsure where to begin.

If songwriting has ever felt intimidating, overwhelming, or overly technical, this conversation offers a simpler starting place: attention, curiosity, and trust.

Listening is where the song begins.

<3 Lainey

Next Steps:

Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching

Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider

Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com

Write Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

What if you didn’t have to think your way into songwriting — but could play your way in?

In this episode, I explore how vocal play can become a gentle doorway into songwriting, whether your songs begin with words, melody, or something in between. Instead of focusing on performance or “getting it right,” we look at how letting the voice explore can lower pressure, reconnect you to emotion, and help songs begin to take shape naturally.

You’ll learn:

• why singing doesn’t have to mean performing
• how vocal play supports the songwriting process
• a simple practice for turning journal lines into song ideas
• how singing, songwriting, and creativity are deeply connected

This episode is for singer-songwriters who feel stuck, overthink their songs, or want a more embodied, intuitive way to write music.

If you’re longing to reconnect with your voice — and let songwriting feel more alive and possible again — this episode is for you.

If you’re heading into the new year feeling creatively overwhelmed — with too many ideas, unfinished projects, and uncertainty about where to focus — this episode is for you.

So many singer-songwriters struggle not because they lack inspiration, but because choosing one direction feels risky. What if you pick the wrong project? What if you lose momentum? What if you don’t follow through?

In this episode, we explore a gentler, more sustainable approach to creative focus: choosing one creative practice instead of forcing yourself to commit to a specific outcome or project.

Rather than asking, “What should I make this year?” we shift the question to, “What is asking for my devotion?”

You’ll hear:

• Why having too many ideas can create creative paralysis
• The difference between choosing a project and choosing a practice
• How focusing on one creative practice builds clarity, consistency, and trust
• A guided listening exercise to help you tune into what wants your attention right now
• How devotion to practice can naturally support songwriting, singing, and creative momentum

This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and release the pressure to have everything figured out. You don’t need to chase every idea — you only need to choose the practice that can hold them all.

If you’re craving creative clarity without burnout, and focus without force, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

<3 Lainey

Related Episodes:

85 | A Creative Year-End Ritual for Singer Songwriters: Reflect, Renew, and Reconnect with Your Voice

35 | Renew Your Artistic Vision in the New Year with This 5-Step Creative Exercise for Singers & Vocal Artists

Next Steps:

Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching

Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider

Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com

Email Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

If you’ve ever filled journals with words but felt stuck turning them into a song—or if you have music you love but freeze when it’s time to add lyrics—this episode is for you.

In this episode, I’m sharing a simple way to move from journaling into song lyrics without forcing meaning, overthinking, or trying to get it “right.” We’ll talk about how lyrics actually take shape over time, why journaling is already a powerful part of the songwriting process, and how to begin shaping words into songs in a way that feels natural.

You’ll learn:

• A simple process for shaping raw language into lyrics
• How to bridge the gap between words and music—whether you start with lyrics or melody
• How this fits into a gentle, repeatable songwriting practice

This episode is especially for singer-songwriters who want a clear place to begin, without pressure to finish a song or have something profound to say right away.

Most songs aren’t written all at once (It can happen! Stay open to the magic!)— they’re usually written in stages. This episode focuses on one of the most important ones.

<3 Lainey

Next Steps:

Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching

Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider

Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com

Write Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

What does it really mean to stay connected to your singing voice—especially in quiet seasons, when you’re not practicing, performing, or making much sound at all?

In this episode, we explore what actually counts as singing for singer-songwriters, and how creativity and voice remain present even when the voice goes quiet. If you’re in a slower season, returning after a break, or feeling unsure how to stay connected to your voice right now, this episode offers reassurance, permission, and a gentle reframe.

We talk about the many forms creativity can take, including listening, writing lyrics, exploring meaning through words, creative cross-training, and rest. You’ll be invited to see silence and stillness not as a loss, but as an essential part of the creative cycle—like the rest in music that allows the next sound to emerge.

If you’re longing to reconnect with your singing voice without pressure, judgment, or performance, you’re in the right place. <3 Lainey Next Steps: Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com Write Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

This episode is an invitation to pause.

At the end of the year, we so often rush forward—setting goals, making plans, trying to improve. Instead, this guided creative ritual offers a moment to stand still at a viewpoint: to look back at the path you’ve walked, to sense the artistic horizon ahead, and to listen for what wants to come next.

Together, we’ll move through a gentle process of grounding, reflection, and creative listening—using journaling, intuitive drawing, lyric fragments, and simple vocal sound. There’s no performance, no fixing, and no pressure to create anything “finished.”

Just space.

This episode is especially for singer-songwriters who:

• feel tender or quiet about their voice right now
• want to reflect on the past year without judgment
• are craving creative renewal rather than productivity
• want to begin the next year with trust, curiosity, and presence

You can listen straight through, pause when you need to, or return to this ritual anytime. Come as you are. Your voice already belongs here.

<3 Lainey

Next Steps:

Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching

Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider

Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com

Email Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

How do you actually start a songwriting practice—especially if you’re feeling rusty, intimidated, or creatively blocked?

In this episode, I’m sharing the gentle 3-step ritual I use myself—grounding, lyric freewriting, and melody improv—to help you quiet the noise, access creative flow, and hear your creative voice again.

Whether you’re returning to music or just beginning to explore your voice, this practice gives you a soft place to start. These steps will help you slow down, listen inward, and make space for the song waiting to come through.

<3 Lainey

Next Steps:

Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching

Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider

Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com

Email Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com