Why I Write Songs

There’s something about saying a hard thing out loud with a guitar behind it that makes it easier to feel — and easier to share. I write to understand what I’ve been through, and in doing that, I end up connecting with people who’ve been through something similar.

These songs aren’t polished pop or radio-friendly sugarcoats. They’re honest. Some are raw. Some are funny in a way that makes you wince first. All of them are rooted in something real.

What My Process Looks Like

It’s usually messy.

Sometimes I sit down with a hook in my head. Other times, I dig through voice memos or notes and start connecting dots. I’ve written lines in bars, in silence, in motion, and in breakdowns — both mechanical and emotional.

I’m not chasing perfect. I’m chasing the moment when a line makes someone say, “Yeah. That’s it. That’s how I feel too.”

Lessons I’ve Learned (That You Can Steal)

• Start with the truth. If it scares you, you’re getting close.

• Write it ugly. Fix it later. Or don’t.

• Clever is fine. Honest is better.

• If you cry a little while writing it, someone else might cry listening.

• Save your scraps. Future you might know what to do with them.

The Struggles I Don’t Skip

I’ve played to chairs. I’ve played to half-listening rooms and drunks yelling for covers. I’ve forgotten lyrics, fumbled chords, and questioned everything. More than once I’ve wondered: Is this really worth it?

Then someone pulls me aside and says, “That line about holding back — I needed that.” Or, “That song about your son made me call mine.”

That’s why I keep going.

Why It’s Called ‘Stories’

Because these aren’t just songs. They’re snapshots. They’re scenes from a life that’s been honest, messy, funny, and full of detours. And I don’t think I’m the only one who’s lived like that.

So this is my place to unpack it — to tell you what the songs don’t always say outright.