[Swingin' Ryan]

1. Read lots of other peoples lyrics, just to see how different people do things.

2. Like Icarus Falls said, if you're going to write about a subject, make sure you know about it. If you're writing something political for example, make sure you're read up on it. This is why people like the Manics and Zach De La Rocha come off better than Pennywise. There's nothing worse than someone trying to write 'scathing' political comment and not knowing what they're talking about.

3. One really good phrase or line can be enough to build a song around.

4. Alliteration is a good thing, and when you're writing lyrics, be aware of words that sound good when they're sung. Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie) is very good at that. The Thesaurus is not a kind of dinosaur, it is your friend, use it.

5. Don't be afraid to write something that makes no sense to anyone but yourself. In the world of lyrics, specificity and personal experience are king. If you're constantly thinking "is this the kind of line people will singalong at festivals" the lyrics will generally be shit.

Hope this helps.