I admit that I did not finish this book. I love Jeff Tweedy and I got into some of his ideas, but ultimately I lost interest. That's nothing against the author or the text. I will give it another shot in the future.

Jeff Tweedy from the long lamented group Uncle Tupelo and current member of Wilco has written a How-to about songwriting that is very much a How-to on following your dreams. Written clearly, Tweedy shows examples and tricks that he's developed over the years to help in general creativity. Many of these can be used not only in songwriting, but maybe in finally writing that novel. Not only is the book a "You can do it" the book also asks "Why not do it." Tweets does not downplay the work involved in creativity, he actually loves the work, but his focus on how you might feel at the end of the process. Tweets wants you as happy as he does. Very enjoyable, especially in these pandemic days.

I absolutely loved this book!

I really enjoyed Jeff Tweedy's 2018 memoir, Let's Go (So We Can Get Back), so I have been looking forward to reading this one since I first heard about it several months ago. Admittedly, I am a huge Wilco fan, but I think this book will appeal to anyone interested in learning more about the craft of songwriting, or any creative endeavor. Much of the advice given by Tweedy would be applicable to anyone who longs to create, whether that be art, poetry, or music.

I saw this quote posted on another review, but it was one that really hit home with me as well:

“You have to stop thinking about anything other than what happened when you were a little kid, and you laid on the floor, and you drew. And you lost yourself in that drawing. And in the end, you absolutely loved that drawing because you made it yourself.”

It's that joy of creating something new, not because it will please anyone else, but because you allowed yourself the freedom to create for yourself without worrying about what anyone else thinks.

Tweedy discussed several helpful creative exercises that he uses in his own songwriting, mostly involving playing around with words that may not typically go together, to allow your brain to see them in a new light, and to inspire using them in ways that they haven't been used before.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to develop habits that will give them tools to be more creative in their everyday lives.

This is a really sweet, little book. It's not so much an instruction manual as it is a motivational pep talk. (though there are also some fun word association exercises that can work towards generating lyrics.). It acknowledges how difficult it is to give oneself permission to create something for creation's sake -to try and to suck and to keep trying out of joy and not frustration. Having compassion towards oneself is vital to any creative undertaking and is often the biggest hurdle in the process. And it definitely helps to have Jeff Tweedy cheering you on!

How to Write One Song is an interesting and philosophical look at song writing, creativity, and the creative process by Jeff Tweedy. Released 13th Oct 2020 by Penguin Random House on their Dutton imprint, it's 176 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a very quick and engaging read. Although written around the premise that anyone can write a song, it has lots of takeaways and encouragement for anyone engaged in any creative pursuit. Some of the information is logical and obvious (to be a success at *anything* one must have a good work ethic and actually *do* whatever it is) and some is less so (struggle is not synonymous with genius and writing doesn't *have* to be a struggle).

The author has a lot of good points and writes surprisingly well and succinctly. Writing about creative process usually has very limited relevance to others - "here's what works for me, take it or leave it" - but he manages to write generally and intelligently on the general ideas and concepts involved. I found a fair bit of information applicable to my own life situation; definitely well worth the price of the book.

Five stars. One of the better books I've seen about the creative process. I did not, however, write a song.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

This was an extremely fast read! I think it took less than an hour from start to finish. This is for hard-core Wilco/Tweedy enthusiasts only though. Jeff gives some of his songwriting exercises and tips, while also giving plenty of encouragement towards getting the reader to focus on writing one song. He discusses how some of these exercises led to Wilco songs, but only intermittently. If you're a burgeoning songwriter, I suspect this might help a little but everyone else should beware.

A smart and fun, if light, book about the creative process. It's predictable if you've ever read another memoir about creativity -- but that doesn't mean it isn't useful, and Tweedy's insights are worth the read if you're looking for something new. A good holiday gift!

I am basically exactly the audience for this book - a person who plays instruments as a hobby but has never written a song. I found the book to be very engaging; Tweedy's voice is warm and friendly, a refreshing alternative to a lot of books about creativity that have an oppressive sense of forced positivity. While the specific songwriting tips seem good, I think this would be a good title for anyone engaged in an artistic pursuit, no matter the discipline.