Second Verse Hell

Also called Second Verse Curse.

This is a general term for when a songwriter has written a fragment of a new song—the first verse, say—and gets stumped about what to write next.

There are several ways around this problem.

1. Identify the function of what you’ve already written. Is it a chorus? A bridge? A first verse? A last verse? Perhaps both? Once you decide which section you’ve already written, you’ll have a clearer idea of what other sections you need to complete the song.

2. Developing a plot for a song often involves setting a scene, introducing and escalating some kind of conflict; and finally resolving that conflict (or leaving the listener hanging in suspense). Writing another verse means asking yourself, “What happens next?”

3. Show the fragment to a collaborator. Another songwriter may have some exciting new directions for the fragment you’ve written.