You’ve probably heard the expression, “a writer writes,” right? I think the saying ought to be “a writer rewrites.” Why? Clarity and flow. Clarity, because most often the goal is to say what you want to say, and have others understand you. Flow, because the clearest expression of an idea is not necessarily the most interesting. Chasing one while preserving the other is the work of rewriting.
I think this is especially true for songwriters. Early on many songwriters believe their initial outpouring of inspiration will be ruined by tampering. “That’s how it came to me, it was magical…” And where flow is king, clarity often takes a backseat. Every songwriter, of any stripe, gets to make that choice, of course. You know what your song is about, but will the listener? Sure, you could explain it before each performance, but without that explanation, does your audience know what you want them to know? That’s a question of clarity. However powerful the music is, the lyric tells the story, and the pursuit of a better story involves rewriting.
There are no doubt countless ways for songwriters to approach rewriting, but I think this is a good map:
A: Condense. Whatever you’ve said, you could probably say in fewer words.
B: Subtract. Some of what you’ve said is superfluous to the story.
C: Rephrase. Certain things you’ve said could be said in a different or better way.
D: Resequence. Your sequence of events might be improved upon for greater dramatic effect.
So feel free to write down and record everything in the beginning. You will never use it all, and you don’t need to. It’s a process. But try not to get too attached. Keep the parts you love, but more importantly, keep the parts that seem like they serve the song best. Everything else gets the axe (or goes in the scrap drawer). Even if that means you replace your favorite line, or change the order of verses, or eliminate the chorus, or abandon the facts altogether in service of a better song.
Think of writing and rewriting as wearing two hats. According to my friend, one of the best book editors Canada ever had, you need to be both the uninhibited contributor and the merciless editor. Just maybe not at the same time; try to balance the two. If the contributor is left unchecked, the song may ramble, or be vague, or trite. If the editor is too stern, the contributor may become shy, or reluctant, or even shut down altogether. When inspiration strikes, allow yourself the luxury of letting it pour out, but don’t be afraid to come back and reevaluate later.
Rewriting takes work. But the results are worth it. After all you’re a writer, right? And what does a writer do?