Songwriting Tips

For anyone starting out or looking for songwriting tips, here are some things that have helped me out:
-Keep a daily diary
    - It doesn’t have to be filled with incredible poetry or complete songs.  If you make a habit of writing a little bit everyday, it will start to come more easily for you.  If you’re ever stuck, you can always go back to see what you have previously written and get re-inspired, or use previous ideas.
-You can write about anything
    -Some people say: write what you know. While this is a great tip, you should feel free to write about anything - even if you may not have experienced it personally. The best thing about songwriting and performing is that it gives you the ability to place yourself or the listener in a specific state of mind for the duration of that song.  You can escape to someone else’s life or imagine something that you may not have experienced yourself, but can relate to in some important way.  
-Write out song titles
    -Sometimes it helps to come up with interesting song titles of hooks and then work from there.
-Read a book
    -Read a new book, see a new movie, and get inspired from something that you may not have known about before
-Listen to everything
    -Don’t knock any genre or artist - they are all tools for learning and crafting your own music.