Guide · Lyrics

Lyric ideas: 20 angles

A lyric idea is an angle into a feeling rather than a topic. Pick one, write for ten minutes in plain words, and keep the best line. These twenty angles each give you a way in.

Updated 20 Oct 2026

Angles

1. A letter you will not send.
2. A place you cannot go back to.
3. An object someone left behind.
4. A question you never asked.
5. A rule you broke once.
6. A conversation you replay.
7. What you would say with one more minute.
8. The thing you did not say at the time.
9. A habit you picked up from someone.
10. A secret everyone knows.
11. A promise that was kept.
12. A promise that was not.
13. The last time you felt brave.
14. A smell, a sound or a taste that takes you back.
15. A conversation in a car.
16. What changed in a year.
17. A lie that helped.
18. A name you no longer use.
19. The view from a window.
20. Something you only say to yourself.

How to use them

• Pick one and write for ten minutes without stopping.
• Write in plain words and real details.
• Keep the best line and build the chorus around it. See how to write lyrics.

More starting points

See 100 song ideas, songwriting prompts and the random song idea generator.

Common questions

How do I find something to write about?

Pick an angle, write for ten minutes, and keep the best line.

What is the difference between a song idea and a lyric idea?

A song idea is usually a subject. A lyric idea is a way in.

How do I make lyrics more original?

Use details only you know and cut stock phrases.

Should I write lyrics first?

Either. Start with whatever turns up first.

How do I turn a line into a song?

Make it the title or the chorus and build around it.