What to Include in Your Song Brief (So I Can Write Something Great)

The brief is the foundation. A vague brief produces a generic song. A specific brief produces a song that only makes sense for one person on earth. Here's what I ask for.

Basics

Full name (and nickname if it's what everyone actually calls them), the occasion, the date the song is needed, and who the song is from.

The person

Two or three things about who they are — not resume facts, character facts. "She hums when she's happy." "He calls every Sunday no matter what." "She still writes handwritten notes."

The story

One or two defining moments. The night everything changed. The hardest year. The trip you took together. The thing you always laugh about.

Words to include (optional)

A phrase they always say. A name only you two use. A place that means something. I'll weave these in without making them feel forced.

Words to avoid

Names of ex-partners, hard topics you'd rather not surface, anything that would embarrass them in front of family. Better to know upfront.

Musical direction

A genre or two, one or two reference artists, and whether you want it more upbeat or more tender. That's plenty to work from.

The most important thing

Send it in your own words. Don't over-polish it. The raw notes from a spouse or best friend almost always produce a better song than a carefully edited version.