The write the room before the hook idea is going to stick with me. I’ve definitely tried to land the big emotional line too early instead of building the scene that earns it. Those small lines like the hoodie on the chair and the time on the clock are the stuff people actually remember. It feels riskier to be that specific but I can see how it makes the emotion more believable. I’m going to work on putting more specifics into my songwriting so thank you for this perspective Idris Elijah and enjoy your weekend!
Such a powerful tool in songwriter indeed, the specificity of it all. Really does have the tendency to enrich what we create. You’re most welcome and have a great weekend! 🤩🤩
The distinction between conclusions and experiences was so well done. I’ve caught myself writing things like “she was overwhelmed” and calling it depth. It’s not. The reminder to replace abstraction with action feels simple but not easy. That parking lot example is exactly the kind of detail that turns a sentence into something you feel in your body. This sharpened my eye in a useful way so thank you Idris Elijah for such a well written topic today! Have a great weekend!!
I like how this pushes back on sanding down the edges. There’s always that temptation to smooth things out so more people can relate, but the examples here make it clear that the edge is what makes something stick. The more lived-in the detail, the more room there is for someone else to see themselves in it. That paradox makes a lot of sense the way you laid it out. This was another wonderful read so thank you Idris Elijah and Happy Friday to you!
Reading this made me think about dancing in the living room with my daughter. If I said, “We had a sweet moment,” it doesn’t really land. But if I said she insisted on wearing mismatched socks and kept spinning until she got dizzy and fell into me laughing…that’s the part you can see. That’s the part that stays. I love how you explained that specificity doesn’t shrink the feeling, it deepens it. It made me realize how many small details are worth keeping instead of summarizing away. Thank you Idris Elijah for the useful and enjoyable content as always and Happy Friday to you!
You definitely pained a rich image here. Love hearing about your creative adventures of mama M and Daughter. Thank you for sharing! And happy Friday!! 🤗🤩
Some great practical tips here. I’ve tried to write in big themes before, thinking that’s what would make something resonate. But the examples here make it obvious that the detail is what makes it real. The “refreshing the dashboard every six minutes” line is one of my favorites. That’s the kind of specificity you can’t fake. It makes me want to go back and cut the vague emotional summaries from my own work and replace them with moments that actually happened. This was a sharp reminder that precision isn’t limiting, it’s clarifying. An important read for writers, musicians and tech people so thank you Idris and Happy Friday!
The write the room before the hook idea is going to stick with me. I’ve definitely tried to land the big emotional line too early instead of building the scene that earns it. Those small lines like the hoodie on the chair and the time on the clock are the stuff people actually remember. It feels riskier to be that specific but I can see how it makes the emotion more believable. I’m going to work on putting more specifics into my songwriting so thank you for this perspective Idris Elijah and enjoy your weekend!
Such a powerful tool in songwriter indeed, the specificity of it all. Really does have the tendency to enrich what we create. You’re most welcome and have a great weekend! 🤩🤩
The distinction between conclusions and experiences was so well done. I’ve caught myself writing things like “she was overwhelmed” and calling it depth. It’s not. The reminder to replace abstraction with action feels simple but not easy. That parking lot example is exactly the kind of detail that turns a sentence into something you feel in your body. This sharpened my eye in a useful way so thank you Idris Elijah for such a well written topic today! Have a great weekend!!
Thank you for the kudos Chloe, and yes, I felt this piece enlightening by refining the eye. Have a great weekend! 🤩🤩
I like how this pushes back on sanding down the edges. There’s always that temptation to smooth things out so more people can relate, but the examples here make it clear that the edge is what makes something stick. The more lived-in the detail, the more room there is for someone else to see themselves in it. That paradox makes a lot of sense the way you laid it out. This was another wonderful read so thank you Idris Elijah and Happy Friday to you!
Yes, yes, yes! The need to rub out the edges is real, but leaving them in is far more rewarding. You’re most welcome!! Happy Friday 🤗🤗
Reading this made me think about dancing in the living room with my daughter. If I said, “We had a sweet moment,” it doesn’t really land. But if I said she insisted on wearing mismatched socks and kept spinning until she got dizzy and fell into me laughing…that’s the part you can see. That’s the part that stays. I love how you explained that specificity doesn’t shrink the feeling, it deepens it. It made me realize how many small details are worth keeping instead of summarizing away. Thank you Idris Elijah for the useful and enjoyable content as always and Happy Friday to you!
You definitely pained a rich image here. Love hearing about your creative adventures of mama M and Daughter. Thank you for sharing! And happy Friday!! 🤗🤩
Some great practical tips here. I’ve tried to write in big themes before, thinking that’s what would make something resonate. But the examples here make it obvious that the detail is what makes it real. The “refreshing the dashboard every six minutes” line is one of my favorites. That’s the kind of specificity you can’t fake. It makes me want to go back and cut the vague emotional summaries from my own work and replace them with moments that actually happened. This was a sharp reminder that precision isn’t limiting, it’s clarifying. An important read for writers, musicians and tech people so thank you Idris and Happy Friday!
Clarity is indeed a common theme here. Thank you Brian! Happy Friday!! 🤩🤗