How Songwriting Builds Confident Communication

If I've learned anything about the magic of songs in my thirty-plus years of writing them, it's that when they work, they communicate in powerful and long-lasting ways. Being an effective communicator is the kind of life skill that can open doors and further our causes in every conceivable way. So, given that this is the case, who wouldn't want to be a confident communicator? Writing songs is not only its own reward but works as a skeleton key to unlocking our best communication skills. Below are a couple of the ways that songwriting builds confident communication.

Songwriting Distills Complex Thoughts into Powerful, Concise Messages
Although often attributed to Mark Twain, I love the Blaise Pascal quote, "I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time." What this means to me is that taking the time to distill your thoughts is like a gift to the person with whom you're communicating. You've done the heavy lifting so that they're left with the essence of what you mean to say. There is no better exercise to improve your ability to communicate with clarity and concision than writing songs. Song lyrics are all about refining your communication so that just the essential, emotional message remains.

Writing Songs Strengthens Storytelling Skills
Human beings are attuned to stories. It's how the most important information and lessons have been passed down for millennia. Storytelling, when used effectively, makes pitches, presentations and really all communication compelling and memorable. In songwriting, the verses are designed to tell stories. The verse is what carries the listener along and holds their interest until we can bring them to the chorus where we explain the song's main message and why they should care about the story we've been telling them in the verses. The more we use metaphor and visual imagery in our verses, the more effective our stories become. This translates perfectly to all other forms of communication. Once you learn to tell a good story, people will want to listen.

Songwriting Builds Self-Awareness
There's another, less obvious but no less important, benefit to writing songs which is that it improves our self-awareness. It's one thing to have an idea rattling around in our heads and another thing entirely when we take the time to genuinely reflect on what we're thinking so that we can explain it to others. This is the very essence of good songwriting and why, even after all these years, the process remains so rewarding to me. Having a way to express what I'm feeling not only works as a pressure valve but also gives me great insight into what I've been feeling and why. Another way to put this is that by externalizing our internal dialogue, we communicate in a way that is more authentic and confident.

Conclusion
Being a good communicator is not so much a luxury as it is a critical life skill. Above and beyond a way of getting your point across, confident communication can rally people to your cause, spread your ideas and ease your way through the world. Songwriting is a highly condensed form of communication and a great way to work your communication "muscles" so that when it matters most, you'll be able to express yourself with precision and confidence.

Bio
Cliff Goldmacher is a GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, music producer and author with recording studios in Nashville, TN and Middle River, MD. Through his studios, Cliff provides songwriters outside of Nashville with virtual, live access to Nashville's best session musicians and studio vocalists for their songwriting demos. Find out more. You can also download Cliff's FREE tip sheet "A Dozen Quick Fixes To Instantly Improve Your Songs."