350 Songs and Counting: The Keys to Becoming a Prolific Songwriter with Helen Perris

The Magic of Songwriting with Francesca de Valence

Helen Perris shares how becoming a prolific songwriter has significantly improved her mental health and how commitment versus perfection has played a vital part in that. We also discuss how songwriting regularly can help with detaching from the outcome of the song and how this opens the creative space up to so much magic. As a home-based business owner and mum of two children, Helen shares some practical parenting tips for finding the space and time to write, and how to minimise distractions to be able to get into flow state when the family is at home. A rich and rewarding listen.

Timestamp:
2:35 - Consistency vs perfection

7:50 - Helen shares some tips for effective learning

13:57 - Editing songs and prolific songwriting

20:02 - How regularly writing can help mental health

24:09 - How virtual songwriting spaces are meaningful

28:40 - Formal music training vs learning through experience

34:18 - The headspace to write songs

37:33 - How play can unlock creativity

41:45 - Cultivating space to write at home with a full house

51:27 - Helen shares her song “Over Again”, a love song to her husband

About Helen:
Self-confessed dork with a keyboard, Helen Perris, combines the influences of her regional AM radio and musical theatre upbringing with more contemporary sounds. Eschewing the major-label model, the Sydney-based award-winning songwriter and artist has successfully crowd-funded her two EPs and launched her own subscription community to work on her music directly with her fanbase. Helen has shared a stage with Amanda Palmer and Kate Miller-Heidke and has performed at Peats Ridge Festival and TEDx Canberra.

Contact Helen: Website / Bandcamp / Facebook

Song Credit: “Over Again” - Music and Lyrics by Helen Perris. Performed live by Helen Perris at IHSC Headquarters.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

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