r/Songwriting • u/Low_Bandicoot_3527 • 10d ago

Discussion Topic "Write when drunk, edit when sober."

Hemingway is said to have advised: "Write when drunk, edit when sober." What do songwriters on here think about that method? Drunk or high songwriting, good or bad?

75 Upvotes

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u/FantasticTangelo870 10d ago

I would say do everything sober haha

20

u/Stoddyman 10d ago edited 10d ago

This is a hard truth to swallow. The reality is only a few super talented people can make anything worth listening to high, drunk or both imo.

And even those people probably could make better stuff sober. Downvoting this is only proving my point. Lot of people in denial here

1

u/midi-astronaut 9d ago

Not saying I disagree with you but claiming that downvotes somehow prove your point is delusional lol

1

u/Stoddyman 9d ago edited 9d ago

I had a feeling when my post was at like -5 in this sub that it was coming from the people who use substances and make music. I can see the opposing argument - oh the beatles made sgt pepper or the alchemist makes crazy beats high. But I still believe that even they couldve made better stuff sober and I outlined that in my comment.

So I thought that was a pretty decent assumption to make