Experience with writing lyrics

[Alojzy Kowalczyk]

Does anyone here have experience with writing lyrics for songs and raps, and d'you wanna share some tips?

[Orca]

I used to sing for a Grindcore band. I discovered that I was not always able to write a killer song the first time I put my pen to paper, or even the second or third time. So I kept a journal of verses, choruses, short poetry, and random thoughts - even if I believed they were shit at the time. It was like my lyrical sketch pad. Whenever it came time to put words to music, If I was stuck or had writer's block, I could open my journal and pull ideas or sometimes entire songs from that.

If the journal didn't help, I just let my band mates write the lyrics ;)

[Cheomap]

Orca... that is totally the way to go..Especially if you're having trouble getting lyrics down in one session. i've known so many people where that was their method..
Alojzy, what type of stuff you looking to write? i know with writing stuff like musicals n what have you, they always say the music comes before the vox.. and with stuff like Rap, i'm sure it doesn't really matter..
If you're focusing on one song, i'd do like Orca said... maybe try and at first write down almost like bullet-point sentences of the topic or feeling you wanna come across or focus on.. then after you write down all you can think of to be included, you could go back and try to organize in a sing-songy way.. maybe.. maybe

[Alojzy Kowalczyk]

Already doing that, but none of it is on topic. Eh, I'll just try writing something anyway. Thanks!

'Devil worshipping breakcore rap'.

[Cheomap]

Dude. Where's your fucking live set already?!?!?!? Today is the last day of your samplepack contest. 9 entries so far

[Alojzy Kowalczyk]

I don't knoooow! My friend hasn't uploaded it yet. I dun haz teh recordings.
And cool! Can't wait to listen to it! :D Wonder if someone used the sitar samples.

[Cheomap]

yes... yes they have :)

[Mina]

I do the same as Orca, I write a lot of ideas when it comes, mostly some sentences I like and stuff like this, sometimes it's just an idea of whatever I want to talk about.
For example, "fuck off please" was an idea I had since a long time, writing about a girl making a mess in the city, taking drugs and fucking everybody off
http://soundcloud.com/blissphemymusic/blissphemy-fuck-off-please
Then, it comes with the music. Recently I had lyrics I really wanted to put somehow, inspired by a movie scene. When I heard a very precise track SNM was doing, I knew it would be there, and how.
To match it with the music, I just listen to it many times and drop it there. I have to admit SNM vox effects and adjust chopping some sentences helps a lot for final result. But I'm making the tempo, the mood, and the exact moment I want to drop the lyrics.
For this track:
http://soundcloud.com/blissphemymusic/blissphemy-les-brumes-davalon
I also putted "life" noises (swords, blowing, horses), to express my idea, it's as much powerfully as words! And I made a research online to find an incantation sentence too.

For the last part, recording (I don't know if you want to record it, or only write it?), I would say, like Cheo "music always comes before the voxes". So unless you write the song FOR the recorded voxes, make the track before trying to record anything.
If you only intend to write and not record, you can also talk with the person who's gonna sing or tell it, so (s)he can give you an input, his/her mood for it, which would make the expression when recording right. For example, you want to talk about riding a car... Talk with the singer. Or (s)he sees it like dangerous, crying, afraid, you adjust your lyrics, because it's gonna be the mood the person will input right in the tone. Or (s)he sees it like amazing, powerful, dreamful, you can drop other words to express it. The way, the mood, the tone, is gonna be a big part of the expression!
Last example to explain the tone :
http://soundcloud.com/blissphemymusic/blissphemy-take-it-loud-shot
Here I wanted to have pumpy lyrics with a litlle girl voice. This is how I made my ideas, with a tiny voice, and as it was suggesting "fun", I changed my lyrics to put a "biiiip" when I says I like your... "biiip", because it's fun and childish. A rock style voice would have fit I like your ... engine, tank, machine, or whatever... A "clubbing" voice style would have much more fit I like your style, I like your music, I like your dance... etc...
:)
hope it helps!