[CardinalPJ]

Hey im CPJ and im just a senior in highschool looking to develope my skills as a songwriter. Started out with my friend who is a very talented musician who needed someone to help out and add some extra stuff. I eventually tried my hand at writing a song and failed but kept trying and trying. Liked a song I wrote one day and hated it the next, the process has gone like this for the past two years lol. Even with the failures I find myself coming back time and time again with something new and what seems like better stuff but still in need of major improvement. Never learned about the basics, just went with whatever so maybe reading and learning here will round out parts I have been missing.

Thanks alot for having me and hopefully I will become atleast somewhat better after being here.
-CPJ

[The Corsair]

As far as lyrics go, there are no real 'basics'
Lyricists are essentially self-taught. We give and take advice, we get influenced, we find things that fuel inspiration. What works for one person may not work for another.

I'm in a slightly similar boat to you in that I hate all my earlier stuff, it's all generic pop-punk with little to no substance (more on the 'no' side haha).

All of a sudden I wrote one song that was absolutely amazing (tooting my own horn here, I know) and from that point on I decided I would only write when something hit me (before that I would write to a title I set myself) and since then my writing has gotten significantly better. I don't know whether anything else quite matches that song or even whether it's still as great as my mind makes it out to be but if nothing else it forced me to set a standard.

Anyway, welcome of course and if you want any advice then feel free to ask!