Songwriters Blues, Do you get stuck too? Options

[Presto]

Help. I've lost inspiration. I feel dumb even though I'm a musical genius (hum!!!). I tend to avoid the problem by dealing with technical issues but that doesn't help if there's nothing worth technicalling.

What do you do to get over it? Tell me I'm not the only one.

[mccaymoran]

This may sound strange but for me I think I'm always "processing" songs (subconsciously?) while in a writer's block! Often I'll go a month or more without writing anything then pen 12 or more songs in a week or two.

Also: when I'm in the studio and under pressure to compose quickly I'll often times begin humming a melody of another song (either one of mine or maybe a blatant rip off of somebody elses!) then start improvising on that theme not unlike a jazz musician would do--modifying the melody and/or chord structure and/or timing. In no time at all I might not even recognize the original song! Add a bridge...lyrics...viola! a new song! I've written some of my best (and worst) songs this way

Cheers,

Mark