I was never known for having the best lyrics.
In fact, I studied at Berklee College of Music and did a songwriting program with Grammy-award nominees, and they commonly said,
“She has the best melodies that come out of her, but her lyrics need some work.”
And honestly? They were right.
I was never told I had the best lyrics, and mostly that’s because I just let what should’ve been placeholder lyrics stay… placeholder.
What are placeholder lyrics? They're the words that come out when you’re chasing a melody. You’re playing chords, feeling the rhythm, vibing… then you start singing whatever falls out of your mouth. Usually it’s something you’ve said a thousand times before. (Mine lately has been the classic: “tell me.”)
Sometimes those words lead to you telling a fine story.
But most of the time they’re boring, repetitive, or nonsensical because your magic is being poured into creating a melody and vibing instead.
That used to be me.
The Shift
Over time, I realized something:
Melody was coming naturally because I let myself feel.
Lyrics were hard because I was trying to think.
So I started doing something different. Before writing melodies, I’d spill everything in my head onto paper. No structure. No rhyming pressure. Just thoughts. Exactly like a journal entry.
That brain-dump process changed everything.
Instead of pulling lyrics from tired placeholder phrases, I started pulling from real thoughts I had already written down. And suddenly, my songs felt deeper. More honest. Finished.
And for the first time, the lyrics were good… along with the melodies.
Why Notara Exists
This is my introduction to why I ever started Notara.
I want a space built specifically for songwriters — a place to catch the messy thoughts as they turn into melodies. A place where unfinished ideas can become finished songs.
I’m a songwriter who struggled, learned, and found systems to finish songs. Now I share those tools with others.
I’ve helped children and adults write their first songs. People who didn’t think they could do it at all.
And now I want to share everything I’ve learned, so you don’t have to figure it out the hard way.
I’ve released my first product - guided songwriting journal for guitar - centered around my favorite process: the thought spill. A guided place to pour out what’s in your head, highlight the phrases and words that matter, and turn them into lyrics that actually say something.
I want to share everything I’ve learned along the way, based on all my studying, so you don’t have to figure it out the hard way. So you can learn from the greats, through me.
What I’ll Be Sharing Here
I’m a songwriter and producer who’s still a little shy about being seen, but very passionate about helping other people write songs.
I’ll talk about how I get honest lyrics out of my head, how I turn scattered thoughts into full songs, and how I work through writer’s block when I want to quit. It’s not always a one-size-fits-all situation, so I’ll demonstrate how I go about writing songs with different processes and approaches.
I’ll also be posting real-time videos of my songwriting process, so you can watch a song come together from the very beginning.
I’ll be staying as anonymous here as I can in the beginning. Not to hide, but to give myself the same pressure-free space to create that I hope this space gives you.
I want it to feel less like a performance and more like sitting beside a friend.
If you want to be part of this journey, I’d love to have you. Sign up, follow along, and let’s finish more songs together.
--- Your Songwriter Friend 💜
