There’s a quote from playwright Tom Stoppard that’s always stuck with me:
“I don’t think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect.”
Now, Stoppard was talking about writers in general, but from where I sit (behind a guitar, notebook, or DAW) that line hits even harder as a songwriter.
See, in songwriting, words aren’t just decorations. They’re the heartbeat of the song. They’re rhythm, melody, truth, and tension all at once. And when you think about it that way, it’s easy to realise that we, the songwriters, aren’t the sacred part of the process, the words are.
We’re Not Sacred, We’re Craftspeople
Let’s be honest here: being a songwriter isn’t about sitting on some creative mountaintop, waiting for the muse to strike. It’s showing up. It’s writing bad lines just to get to the good ones. It’s rewriting verses 10 times because something’s just off. It’s doing the work.
So no, we’re not sacred but we are craftspeople.
We shape and sharpen. We fuss over the syllables, chase better rhymes, and sweat over bridges. The magic doesn’t always just “arrive.” It often has to be dragged into existence.
But the Words? They Deserve Everything
A well-written lyric can make someone stop what they’re doing. It can punch them in the gut. Make them smile through tears. Bring them back to a memory they thought they’d forgotten.
That kind of power deserves respect.
In songwriting, we don’t have 300 pages to get the point across, we’ve got a couple of verses, a chorus, and maybe a bridge. Every word has to pull its weight.
Respecting the words means:
- Cutting the fluff – No filler. No throwaways. If it doesn’t serve the song, it’s gone.
- Choosing carefully – “I miss you” is fine, but “you’re the ghost in every room” hits differently. The right word can make a lyric stick for a lifetime.
- Letting them breathe – Sometimes the most powerful thing is what’s not said. Give your words space to land.
- Singing with intention – You can always tell when a songwriter means what they say. It’s in the delivery. Even the quiet lines feel important.
Words Carry Weight So Use Them Wisely
As songwriters, we’re working with limited real estate. But within that space, we can build something unforgettable, if we treat the words with care.
You don’t have to be clever all the time. You don’t need to use big words or flashy metaphors. You just need to be honest, stay sharp, and never underestimate how powerful a single, well-placed word can be.
Because when you do get it right? When the lyric finally lands? That’s when your song becomes someone else’s voice, for the moments they couldn’t explain on their own.
So yeah, I’m not sacred. Neither are you. We’re songwriters, and that’s more than enough.
But the words we write? The ones we sweat over, sing through, tear up, and tape back together? Those are sacred.
Let’s continue to treat them that way.
Peace,
Corey 🙂
