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For each of us it's different. Sans does lyric's then music. I prefer to do music then lyrics.
That way the timings set. Just strum the guitar and start making up rhyems. Keep track of ones I like. I drive a truck so with the melody in my head I'll sing for hours while I drive. Usually have the song done by the time I pick up paper and pen.
Ocassionally do it different though. Wrote "perfume and kisses" lyrics first.
Had subject for song. 2 men were forgiven a debt. Who was more gratefull? Wanted to writesong on it for months. finally it all came fast.

At a rich mans house Jesus went to eat
A sinful woman came and laid at his feet.
Simon thought with such a woman
He shouldn't be caught dead.
Jesus looked at simon and said.

Two men owed money one a little one a lot
Who was more grateful when the debts were forgot
Simon said Jesus I guess the one who owed more
Jesus said yes of this you can be sure.

His feet were washed with her feet and dried with her hair
It was a heart felt response to how much he cared
She did so much cause of the life she had led.
Yet Simon you didn't even put oil on my head------

Perfume and kisses she stayed at His feet
The love that He showed her was pure and complete.
Perfume and kisses tears and her hair
In response to being forgiven and shown that he cared
Shown that he cared
Shown that he cared.

Play around and find what works for you.
Writting comes easy to me but by working on it lyrics get better.
Music is harder for me but working on it makes me improve there too.

2 Tim 1:6 Fan into flame the gift of God.
NIV study Bible says Our gifts are not given in full bloom but are rather developed through use.
In other words Practice, Practice, Practice.
Blair

Writing lyrics isn't my strong suit, but I have a few bits of advice.
1. Start with a subject you have something to say and feel strongly about (war, heartache, etc.)
2. Write down a list of related thoughts (for war: misery, destruction, insanity, etc [if you feel that way]; for heartache: memories, sorrow, emptiness, etc) and use those images in your verses
3. Let the chorus sum up your thoughts, as if it were to be preceeded by the phrase, "and that's why I say . . ."

Ian Dury used to have an enormous sheet of paper that he'd add individual lines to as they came to him. Every so often he'd go back to it & pull them off at random, as they fitted with each other.

Kind of explains "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick"

S P makes a valid point.
Learn to read and spell first.
Hell - just look at the title of this topic, " . . . writting?"

SP...I agree with you only to a point. The better your vocabulary, the more likely you are to use words that regular folks can't understand. That will take you out of the running to have a song that is well accepted faster than anything, with the ppl who actually listen to the lyrics. (Those ppl DO exist, ppl! there just aren't that many of them these days.)

Do try to keep the lyric flowing in an understandable fashion. Ppl with lysdexia like myself often have a helluva time with that part of the equation.

He's right, if you sound too educated, the audience will tune out.

Most of them can barely make out a check, let alone recognize vernacular that they have never seen, let alone heard.

May as well be speaking Pidgin...

Humm, If they dont listen to the lyric, my music is pointless.
All I can hope for is that some of my experiences can leep out of the lyrics and touch someone. The music for me simply allows me to pour out that emotion, the energy from within.
The axe opens the soul so the blood can spill out on the stage for all to see.

They deleted my response to this.
Hell . . .
Let's try again . . .
I disagreed that a large vocabulary is a hindrance.
Heck; the average journalist has at least a 12th grade vocabulary, but the average newspaper is geared for 5th grade.
A larger than average vocabulary didn't change anything there.
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Just 'cause you know a lot of words doesn't mean you have to use them all, and try to talk like a politician . . . geez . . .
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A larger vocabulary lets you find more words that will rhyme or just fit in. It helps you think. And - if a word is not understandable by the average person - hell - you just find a better word.
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Case in Point:
I wanted to name a song "Ebullient Heart."
But - a lot of folks wouldn't know what that means.
So - OK; no problem, I just kicked it down a level to "Jubilant Heart."
That's ok; and it means kinda the same thing.
Now, there may be some folks who don't know what the word 'Jubilant' means, but I'm not going to kick it down another notch to "Happy Heart."
That sounds just plain crappy . . .
Anyway - if someone doesn't know what the word 'jubilant' means before listening to the song, they will know after they hear the song . . .
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Hell, the average person knows at least 30,000 words . . . there's no big deal about having a good vocabulary.
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It sure won't stop me from using slang.
And, I ain't gonna stop from using the words I kinda sorta think are more gooderer, no matter what.
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So - go ahead Bandmix - delete this one too.

LOL @ that Jubliant heart story..

What's already been said is really the key: Vocabulary.

Increasing your proficiency in the use of the language is probably the quickest way to think of clever lines. For that, try playing on idiomatic expressions, pseudonyms, and definitely look for as many ways to say things as possible.

I'll use one of my lines as an example: "The hordes rising over the horizon"

You might get inspired by listening to other bands' lyrics, reading more, or even browsing a thesaurus. I've done it all in the past. Of course, trying to implement less common words into colloquial speech helps, too. I'd say that's my secret.

People (I) have the ability to also get what a meaning of a word is by how it is used in the context of a sentence or phrase. Say, for example, that I did not know what "hordes" means, I can figure it out by what the words around it are. You can use larger words just make sure that you have simpler language around that one "big" word (for lack of a bigger word) LOLOL

Ok, done cracking myself up now.

My Pa told me to stay away from hordes and save my money.