Great musical compositions coupled with wonderfully touching lyrics are something all songwriters strive to achieve. To this end, the following easy steps will guide you on your path to successful songwriting. Who knows, you could be the next Bob Marley, the next Kurt Cobain … or whoever.

First of all, it's important to remember that the right attitude and mindset will always bring the best results, whatever you do. Songwriting is something you should enjoy, never turning it purely into a chore. Having said that, there's no doubt you'll also need put in some hard graft! But, keep your mind free and you're sure to hear lots of great ideas popping in and out of it.

Title Selection.

One of the most overlooked aspects when writing any song is title selection.

Your song title gives listeners an idea as to what they can expect from your song, what it's about, and its type. In a way, it becomes the soul of your song and, ideally, when your audience hears the title, it should get their imagination working. Your title should be short, catchy, appealing, and easy to remember.

So, how do you come up with great song titles? Well, once you've got the hang of it, good titles are not that difficult to find. You need to get into the habit of keeping your eyes and ears open for them … they could be everyday phrases twisted round, something you hear in conversations, on television, or read in magazines and newspapers. Do remember to immediately jot them down though.

Dynamics.

Any hit song requires great dynamics in order to successfully avoid monotony, and to keep the listener's attention and interest. Incredible dynamics will make your song stronger and more appealing.

Take, for example "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion. The song begins with melodious flute euphony. The first few verses are then low pitched and give depth, while the final verse changes, taking flight and going on a speed high. Had the song's dynamics all been the same, the song would have risked being boring and monotonous, and would probably not have been the hit it is to-day.

Lyrics.

When writing your lyrics, you first of all need to work out who your target audience is and make sure the lyrics will appeal to them. Then, you need to begin with a strong opening, and follow up with simple, focused lyrics that get your message across.

Pay attention also to your meter and density of lyrics. Your meter will depend on stressed and unstressed syllables. The density refers to the number of words that are sung in a particular amount of time. Varying your density can make your song more lively and dynamic. Rappers are renowned for making the best possible use of meter and density.

Rhymes.

Songs don't necessarily need to rhyme, although you'll discover lyrics of the vast majority of popular songs do follow a rhyme scheme and, often, it's the song's rhyme that helps listeners recall popular songs. In other words, rhymes definitely help a song to become successful.

Generally speaking, the best rhyme schemes are fairly simple ones, although usage of clichéd or too predictable rhymes can also ruin your song.

Popular four line stanzas often follow the ABAB or ABCB pattern, with any chorus either keeping a similar rhyme scheme to the verse, or following a different one.

Enjoy your songwriting, work hard at it, follow the above advice, and your skills will improve no end