Object Writing
Object writing, or “sense-bound writing,” was developed by Patt Pattison, a legendary lecturer at Berklee College of Music. He explores this technique extensively in his books Songwriting Without Boundaries and Writing Better Lyrics. I highly recommend both, though my personal favourite is Songwriting Without Boundaries.
Writing Better Lyrics blends technical insight with practical exercises, whereas Songwriting Without Boundaries is entirely exercise-based, which is exactly why I love it so much.
Here’s how it works:
1. Lay out the seven senses
Touch, sight, smell, taste, hearing, plus two additional senses:
Kinesthetic (movement): e.g. “I was running up that hill.”
Organic (internal sensations): e.g. “My heart is beating out of my chest.”
2. Choose a prompt
Anything works. The books provide prompts to get started, but you can just as easily create your own. The prompt is simply a starting point; you don’t need to stick to it. Let your senses guide where the writing goes. The prompt could be tree, and you could end up with Mars.
3. Set a timer for 10 minutes
Once you’ve chosen a prompt, write continuously for 10 minutes. When the timer ends, stop, even if you’re mid-sentence. Then repeat the process the next day with a new prompt.
The goal is consistency, not perfection. It’s better to write for 10 minutes every day than 30 minutes once and then nothing for a week. Pattison recommends doing this early in the morning to activate your creative mind as soon as you wake up.
Personally, I keep a notebook under my pillow. As soon as I wake up, I write down my dreams with pen and paper, then move straight into object writing, sometimes while listening to classical music. If I miss the morning, I’ll find time later in the day. I try to never miss two days in a row to maintain consistency.
It’s an incredibly powerful tool for any kind of work, ranging from creative writing, lyricism, and self-expression. If you’re a songwriter, I can’t recommend it enough.
Pattison also taught John Mayer and travels to Australia each year to run a songwriting masterclass at JMC Academy. I had the privilege to hear him speak there, where he recommended Writing Better Lyrics in response to a question I asked. My teacher mentioned the book was available in the library, but since it was already loaned out, I picked up Songwriting Without Boundaries instead, which quickly became my favourite.
I later ordered both books online, and they’ve become permanent additions to my collection.
Below are some examples of my object writing. I prefer the old-fashioned method of writing with pen and paper rather than typing.
Piece 1: Musician, Second Person:
“Sitting on top of the hill, you stare at the sunrise. A golden skyline emerging from the distance. A cool breeze brushing against your face, your hair covering your eyes, golden just like the sun. The grass hooves left and right, next to the small rocks. Vast trees covering the terrain, birds screeching. some singing melodies, some flat out screaming. Chicken calling out their daily morning call. Books stacked on shelves, images pass by as you keep on writing. A whizzing fly passes by, cold water drips onto your skin as the rainwater flows out of the shower. Freshly made porridge wafting its way all the way up to the top of the hill. The ground beneath your feet smooth but comfy. A furry jacket keeping you warm as you enjoy the sunset. The screaming of birds get louder and louder, as more birds join the party. You run up and down the hill, increasing the red blood cells in your body. Wake up at 5 am and immediately write down your wild dream last night. Support from other musicians around you. Lengthy, flattish clouds cover a portion of the sky, as the stars fade away into light. The darkness is gone and is replaced by a flaming hot ball of fire. A strong, cold breeze sways the grass and moved your hair. A grey fence, a dead tree…
Piece 2: Metaphor challenge - “Smooth Anxiety”
Bones shaking, the cold starts kicking in. It gets harder to breathe as the smooth anxiety kicks in, and I fall to the ground. So much noise but I don’t hear a sound. Shaking in the knees as the words inside of me watches the room filled with teardrops from my eyes. No hope is kept alive as I loose more than just my mind.
Me Holding “Writing Better Lyrics” and “Songwriting Without Boundaries”
The lake in this photo is my favourite place to not only go for walks but also to sit down, stare at the water and listen to music. I sometimes do my object writing here whilst listening to classical music. Fun Fact: Classical music boosts creativity.
