when writing songs, i seem to be able to come up with good melodies and chord progressions and have everything about the song finished. except for lyrics. how do i get over this annoying problem???

If you really can't write lyrics then you might want to get in touch with another singer/songwriter who's a bit better with lyrics

write the lyrics first? After you get 1 line of melody, stop and think about lyrics?
Most of the time when I write, I have vaguely decided before doing anything, what the song will be about. It can be very loose, but it helps it give some structure and direction so when I'm writing the music, all kinds of ideas for lines or lyric are popping out.

If you want to get into the habit of writing your own lyrics, I recommend getting into the habit of writing regularly. It doesn't have to be lyrics, but write something every day. Spend at least 30 minutes if you can with a pen in your hand. Getting into the habit will not only make it easier to break the block, but it will also give you pages of your own writing to inspire you, and you'll find bits you can use in your songs.

Yeah I tend to just write the music first and think about lyrics later (which may be a bad thing i don't know). I use songnotes which i bought with an amazing groupon deal. This is when you play the music and it notes them down for you. I would reccomend it to anyone!!!

yes thats the way i mainly do it but i also do what tone suggested above & write down ideas & good lines as i think of them so ive always got a lot of lyric material ready to try on the music

Actually that's true. I'll tend to go in with a particular mood or tone I want to evoke. For others I'll have an image, idea or concept and I'll try and develop those issues into melodies.

I used to have the same problem.
Now I'll be the first to admit that my lyric writing is not great, but I stopped being embarrassed by them. That was the main thing holding me back.
Just find some words that fit with the groove and the melody. I can be nonsense at first. They can be refined when you get the feel but just rely on getting the feeling over with the sounds rather than the meanings at first, because.....

English is a wonderful language.  There are many (abundant, copious, countless, divers, innumerable, manifold, multifarious, umpteen, various) different ways of saying the same thing. 

yeah, alot of my problems is having a fear of the words sounding awful or cocky and have a fear of other peoples reaction and my embaresment. we all have insecurities!!!
maybe i need to scale back abit and not set the bar so bloody high and expect to write the perfect song everytime i sit down and write. it would be nice though.

You have hit the nail on the head my friend. Quality comes with practice, so just keep at it and don't be afraid to let a perceived "weak" lyric stop you developing an idea. You can always revisit an idea later when your confidence and techniques improve. 

I 99 times out of 100 write the music first or at least the first verse (chord wise) and

then plug in my mic and let whatever the hell kinda crap is floating around in my head

come out, melody-wise and word-wise. Play around with the melody and the syncopation

until if find something I think is cool and fits the music well. Usually there will be one line

of the words that jump out of my mouth that I home in on and then usually I can build

I relevant story or theme around it.

They key is not to worry if people will find them clever, or sincere, or meaningful or whatever.

They are your lyrics, flowing out of your brain, and somewhere in your mind, mean something to you.

That's about as honest and sincere and meaningful as you can get.

Sometimes the lyric isn't even the hook and so is less relevant anyway I find.

There is a song I listen to called "Running with the Mothmen" by Lighterthief. You should look it up

on youtube. The video is insanely brilliant. The music is great. The vocals are great and I have no

idea what this song is about haha.

Some people will love them and some people will think they are garbage. It doesn't matter because the ones

that do will get it. Get you

Get over the embarrassment of writing what comes into your head. Just let it spill out, and get used to reading lines and applying them to melodies. If it's no good then you can always cross it out! The main thing is, as others have said, is to get into the habit of writing ideas down and trying things out

If all these ideas fail, you could always try a blood sacrifice to the Archdemon Shulgar.

Hey, it worked for the Beatles.

Need a high Iron diet though

Peter

lol

I believe what makes a good song great is the lyrisc. Can't be underestimated. Yes there are a few exceptions where a riff or a melodic idea is more memorable. But without that memorable hook line a song will never be elevated to a great song.

 In tandem with this I put melody. Get the two to work together and u have a hit. Production, instrumentation can all come later...

I've worked with so many students who crank up their guitars, get the drums and bass in, and last think they think about is the lyrics and melody. Inevitably they come out with weaker songs. As the lyrics are forced into the music.

A good source to study is the great american songbook. Abundant in inspiration lyrics and melodies that have defined popular culture. Try buying a jazz real book, all numbers reduced to great lyrics and melodies...

Just thoughts...

Chris