How to Turn Poetry Into Lyrics

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Decide what genre of music you want your song to be in.

   Is is punk, country, jazz, rap? Once you decide, you may want to read some lyrics from a band or artist in the genre to get a feel of what you're going for.
2. 2

   Step 2: Write a poem.

   Don't even think about the fact that you're trying to write a song.
   
   Base your poetry on something that's happened to you.
   
   Depending on the genre, you can decide if you want to describe an emotion, tell a story, or just write something down.
   
   Or if you're writing your song as a gift, take some time to think about that person and your history together. , Pick out a particular phrase that grabs your attention.
   
   Turn this into a chorus.
   
   It is usually easier to make the chorus then the other parts, if it catches your attention it will to other people. , Is there going to be one chorus or four? Where do they go? Try reading your poem out loud and notice where you pause or breath.
   
   These are usually good places to break.
   
   Then put in the chorus. , Erase the parts that you think are too long or don't fit in a song.
   
   In each song there is a beat and if you have a long line in your poem and just try to squish it in, it won't sound nice.
   
   If you really liked the line, then try to think of another, shorter way of saying it. ,
3. 3

   Step 3: Read over your poem.

4. 4

   Step 4: Decide where you want the breaks in your music.

5. 5

   Step 5: Read over your poem again.

6. 6

   Step 6: Take your poem and put it in lyric form.

Detailed Guide

About the Author