Balancing Intention and Creativity in Songwriting and Production

Songwriting is often seen as an elusive, abstract process reserved for those creatives who can access that part of their mind. While many view it as a strictly creative and inspired practice, writing and producing a song requires a balance of creativity and intention in order to communicate a message well. Creativity is often given all of the credit for songwriting and production, but creativity without intention is an unstable tool. In his book on creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi states simply "the spark is necessary but without air and tinder there would be no flame''. Creativity fuels the music, but the choices made along the way bring it to fruition.Through the lens of six themes- emotion and innovation, connecting elements, building upon skills, managing revision, parts within the whole, and writing over time-I will illustrate how a balance of both creativity and intention is involved in songwriting by analyzing the writing and production of twelve original songs. I will detail the important thought processes, revision tactics, and hurdles faced when writing and producing each song to convey an overarching perspective of the songwriting and production process as a whole. Through this detailed analysis, this report aims to highlight how balancing creativity and intention in my songwriting has allowed me to tell genuine stories while making more conscious artistic choices that heighten the emotional impact and overall effectiveness of my music.