Level Up Lyric Writing
Self-paced edition.
Learn the creative tools and technical craft that transform good lyrics into unforgettable ones.
Build a daily writing practice, experiment fearlessly, obsess over the details that make great lyrics work, and build a practical toolkit you’ll use for the rest of your songwriting life.
Does this sound like you?
You know what you want to say, but the words come out sounding clunky and cliche.
You have pages of fragments, half-finished verses and notebook ideas that never become songs.
You have melodies waiting for lyrics, but no reliable process for turning ideas into songs.
Yes? Then this is the course for you.
Level Up Lyric Writing will teach you:
- How to generate better ideas.
Discover creative writing exercises that consistently produce surprising, personal and emotionally rich lyric ideas—without waiting for inspiration. - Why great lyrics work.
Dive into rhyme, imagery, metaphor, structure, power positions, phrasing, perspective, emotional progression and the subtle decisions that separate “fine” from unforgettable. - How to develop your own voice.
Most importantly, you’ll learn how to stop sounding like everybody else—and start writing lyrics that could only have come from you.
By the end of this course:
You’ll be able to sit down on any day—regardless of your mood or whether inspiration has struck—and generate an abundance of lyric ideas.
You’ll notice songworthy ideas everywhere you go, because you’ll have trained yourself to see the world through a songwriter’s eyes.
You’ll have the confidence to turn almost any idea into lyrics that feel personal, meaningful, and deeply relatable.
You’ll have a practical toolkit for transforming ordinary thoughts into fresh, memorable lines that capture attention and stay with listeners.
You’ll never feel trapped in “second verse hell” again. Instead, you’ll have proven frameworks for developing, deepening, and finishing every lyric you start.
Most importantly, you’ll stop wondering whether you’re “a lyric person” and start trusting yourself as a lyric writer.
Transformations from Songwriters in the HTWS Community
I learned that songwriting doesn’t have to be a slogging, grueling process. My biggest takeaway was the importance of getting a first draft done quickly to work with, of digging into an idea while it’s fresh.
I liked the steady (but manageable) pace, descriptions and action steps, the bridge questions and video, the returns to free writing to keep creating fresh material.
The Lyrics Intensive showed how to actively generate ideas rather than waiting for one to arrive. Coming up with memorable, effective lyrics still requires hard work, but since the workshop I am getting much more out of the hours I spend writing and editing. Highly recommended!
This course takes a very organized and measured approach to writing lyrics. I ended up with two complete songs written during the two weeks of the course. It was great information and a fun process!
I was very fortunate to study songwriting under Keppie and truly believe that without her guidance my songwriting skills would not be where they are today. I picked up so many techniques that I draw on regularly when crafting my songs. She is super talented and a pleasure to be around and highly recommend her as a teacher and mentor.
I was so lucky to have Keppie as my teacher. She took what I knew of songwriting and broke it open to reveal a much deeper understanding I would not of found on my own.
What’s involved in the course:
3 Modules – 34 Lessons
Three interactive, workshop-style modules of learning (6 hrs total), where we’ll dive deep into the creative and technical craft of lyric writing. Expect practical demonstrations, real song examples, and real-time writing exercises.
Guided Writing Tasks
Short, focused writing exercises to help you immediately apply what you’re learning, build momentum, and develop a sustainable writing habit.
Final Lyric Project
Bring everything together in a final lyric that showcases your growth. You’ll finish the course with a complete piece of work—and a practical process you can return to again and again.
Radically Practical Feedback
Get detailed, specific, and personal feedback on your Final Project Lyric—feedback that shows you what’s working, and gives you priority areas for further development.
Private HTWS Community
When you join with the Membership pass, you connect with a supportive community of songwriters from around the world. Share your work, ask questions, celebrate wins, and continue growing.
Live Coaching with Keppie, Benny, and the HTWS Team
Join the twice weekly live group feedback sessions to get your work heard, targeted guidance, and real human ears giving you expert advice on how to move your songs and songwriting forward (Membership Pass only).
Hear from Level Up Lyrics Songwriters:
Course Outline
Module 1: Finding Your Original Voice
Establish a Toolbox of ‘Go-To’ Writing Exercises
Practice writing exercises to warm up, generate ideas, connect laterally, and find your original lyrical voice.
Writing from Abundance
Create lyric material in abundance, so that lyric writing is about choosing among many options.
Find Song-Worthy Ideas
Know how to find and notice song-worthy moments any time, every day.
Module 2: Building & Finishing Every Idea
Think in Titles
Learn to recognise songworthy titles, unpack the creative DNA hidden within them, and use them as a roadmap that gives your lyrics clarity, focus, and direction from the very first line.
Never Experience Second Verse Hell Again
Master Song Mapping—a practical framework for developing any idea into a complete, emotionally satisfying lyric. Learn how to create momentum, shape emotional progression, and confidently finish every song you start.
Create Moments of Magic
Learn how to build anticipation, create powerful priming for the listener, and make every section work together so that your songs feel inevitable, surprising, and deeply satisfying.
Module 3: Writing Lyrics That Last
Say It Better
Learn practical techniques for transforming ordinary ideas into lyrics that feel fresh, memorable, and emotionally powerful.
Shape the Listener’s Experience
Discover how rhythm, structure, and language can create suspense, anticipation, momentum, and emotional impact.
Put Your Best Ideas in the Spotlight
Learn how to use power positions, sound, and rhyme to make your strongest ideas land with maximum impact.
Meet Your Instructor
For more than fifteen years, Keppie Coutts has helped thousands of songwriters develop their craft, teaching songwriting at the Berklee College of Music, for Berklee Online, the Sydney Conservatorium’s Open Academy, the Australian College of the Arts, and other premier contemporary music institutions the world over (and of course, the How To Write Songs YouTube channel and global education community).
Her students have gone on to write award-winning songs, secure publishing deals, build careers as independent artists, and—perhaps most importantly—discover a confidence they never thought possible.
As both an educator and professional songwriter, Keppie’s work sits at the intersection of creativity and craft. Her teaching combines practical techniques with a deep belief that great songwriting isn’t reserved for the gifted—it’s built through curiosity, experimentation and deliberate practice.
Keppie’s original and co-written songs have been streamed over 10 million times in the past 3 years alone; an album of original work was commissioned by Penguin Random House in 2022; and in 2024 she was a featured artist on a Grammy-nominated album.
You can hear Keppie’s music and collaborations here: https://www.keppiecouttsmusic.com/music
Our popular YouTube channel, How to Write Songs, has over 185K subscribers, and more than 10 million views of our videos. Our unique ability to turn theory into practice with passion, humour, and joy, has inspired songwriters around the world.
Pick the right pass for you
Join any time and start writing straight away.
Standalone Course
The full intensive, on your schedule. Start today, keep it forever.
- 3-Module Curriculum—6 hours [$441 value]
- Guided writing tasks [$97 value]
- Your final Lyric Project [$97 value]
- HTWS Song Feedback [$197 value]
- Lifetime Access to Everything [included]
Total value: $832
Your price: $295
BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL: $195
All prices USD
Membership Pass
BEST VALUE
Everything in the self-paced course, plus a full year inside the HTWS Community:
- Full HTWS Song Feedback Coach [$300 value]
Upgrade to the complete version and get in-depth feedback anytime on up to 10 songs every month, in English or your own language. - Twice Weekly Live Song Feedback [$600 value]
Bring your songs to Keppie, Benny and the HTWS team every week and get kind, specific, actionable feedback that takes them from good to great. - Live Songwriting Workshops [$400 value]
In-depth training on chords, melody, song form, lyrics and process, all included at no extra cost. - The Workshop Archive [$1,050+ value]
Instant access to every past workshop replay, so you can learn whatever your next song needs. - Members-Only Short Courses [$350+ value]
A whole library of focused courses, yours from day one. - Community Space & Songwriter Q&A [included]
Share works-in-progress, find collaborators and get your questions answered by mentors and 1,500+ songwriters worldwide. - VIP Access to Live Intensives [$692 value]
Get VIP discounts to upcoming live HTWS Intensives and keep building your skills with Keppie and Benny in real time.
Total value: $4,224+
Your price: $297
That’s just $2 more than the full-price course on its own, and a year of membership normally costs $297. You’re getting the full course for free.
Renews at $297/year, cancel anytime
All prices USD
Questions? Answers!
No—the self-paced version is fully asynchronous. It is designed to be done over 3 weeks, but you can take as much time as you need.
Yes. Whether you’ve never finished a lyric or you’ve been writing songs for years, you’ll find practical tools and creative exercises that meet you where you are. Beginners will build a strong foundation, while experienced writers will deepen and refine their craft.
Absolutely. This isn’t a “Songwriting 101” course. We’ll explore the deeper mechanics of lyric writing—from rhyme and structure to imagery, emotional impact, and perspective—in a way that challenges writers of every level.
Each of the 3 modules is 2 hours long. Each module is divided into 10-15 min lessons, so you can make progress in small bites, or do more intensive learning stacks. The course content totals just over 6 hours of video; the guided tasks will take a total of 3-6 hours, and the Final Project 2-4 hours.
If you join with the Standalone Course, you’ll have access to feedback on your Final Project, using our HTWS Song Feedback Coach—an AI model we designed ourselves, built exclusively on HTWS pedagogy and feedback. If you’d like ongoing human feedback from the HTWS team (including Keppie and Benny), join with the Membership Pass.
You’ll have ongoing access to the course materials, so you can revisit them whenever you need a creative reset or want to sharpen your lyric-writing skills.
The course is hosted inside Circle, our private online learning community designed specifically for online courses and creative communities. It’s where you’ll access all course materials and writing tasks—all in one easy-to-use platform. Within the Membership, you’ll also be able to connect with fellow songwriters, share your progress, ask questions, and be part of a supportive community throughout the course.