“So wait, do the music or the lyrics come first?” is a question every songwriter gets asked sooner or later. And the honest answer is, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that they work well together in the end.

Creativity is a habit that can be learned, just like anything else. All it takes is an understanding of some common-sense principles, and you’ll surprise yourself with what you’re capable of.

No, seriously. What’s stopping you telling your story?

Ze Frank has a lot of advice for those starting out, and reminders for those who’ve been at it for a while. He also does a great job explaining the difference between ‘easy fun’ and ‘hard fun’, and why anyone would want more of the second than the first.

Life as a songwriter isn’t what most people expect it to be. Here’s five reasons why being a writer really sucks – and five why it definitely doesn’t.