As an amateur songwriter, I am always trying to figure out how to improve on my craft. There are many aspects of songwriting and even more to learn about recording. I guess people write music in all kinds of ways but I've been reading a how-to book on songwriting and it had some great exercises for getting started. Try writing a song:

- that is only 2 minutes long

- that is in any time signature other than 4/4

- that is sad, but only has major chords

- that starts with a chorus

- that has an odd number of bars in the verse or chorus

- that increases in tempo

Some of these can be real challenges if you're stuck writing in one particular way all the time like me!