130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery 🚀 Auckland Bookstore • Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

The Practice of Songwriting

Inspiration, Lyricism, and Musicality
By Michael Flannery
Series: Music Pro Guides
0.0 (0 reviews)
Brief Description
Foster a lifelong, creative practice through lessons and exercises that integrate three main pillars of songwriting: inspiration, lyricism, and musicality. The Practice of Songwriting guides people of all levels toward a rewarding craft of popular songwriting, progressively developing a range of skills. Each concept is clearly... Read More
Format: Hardback
$23100
Pre-order
Releases 10th December 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "The Practice of Songwriting" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

Foster a lifelong, creative practice through lessons and exercises that integrate 3 main pillars of songwriting: inspiration, lyricism, and musicality.

Foster a lifelong, creative practice through lessons and exercises that integrate 3 main pillars of songwriting: inspiration, lyricism, and musicality.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Foster a lifelong, creative practice through lessons and exercises that integrate three main pillars of songwriting: inspiration, lyricism, and musicality.

The Practice of Songwriting guides people of all levels toward a rewarding craft of popular songwriting, progressively developing a range of skills. Each concept is clearly explained and then reinforced through exercises and analyses of examples from popular songs that demonstrate the same techniques.

Learn about an array of topics, including:

  • Music theory 101 for songwriters
  • Melody writing
  • Song structure
  • Literary devices, character, and meaning in context for lyrics
  • Creative inspirations and fears
  • Storytelling
  • Combining lyrical meaning with music composition

With its focus on incremental growth and thoughtful revisions of songs, this holistic approach helps songwriters build confidence. It not only teaches the foundations but also shows how to continue exploring and refining your authentic voice as a lifelong pursuit.

Series: Music Pro Guides

View all
  • Recording Unhinged
    Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording Techniques dares you to "unlearn" safe record-making, to get out from behind the windshield, stick your head out the sunroof, and put the pedal to the metal! Sylvia Massy and her cohort of celebrity music industry producers, engineers, and recording stars discard fixed notions about how music should be recorded and explore techniques...
    By Sylvia Massy
    Hardback
    $12300
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Reel World
    The Reel World
    This fully updated and complete guide takes you inside the world of creating music for film, television, and—unique to this third edition—video games. Industry expert Jeff Rona addresses a wide range of topics, including musical aesthetics, cutting-edge technology and techniques, and current business aspects. It is packed with interviews with the most influential film, television, and video game composers, along...
    By Jeff Rona
    Paperback
    $8487
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Ultimate Live Sound Operator's Handbook
    The Ultimate Live Sound Operator's Handbook
    The third edition of The Ultimate Live Sound Operator’s Handbook offers new sections on digital concepts, wireless considerations, digital mixers, modern digital snakes, routing schemes, block diagrams, signal paths, plug-ins for live sound, and more. Any live act must sound great to be well received by today’s increasingly demanding audiences. If you’re a sound operator, teacher, musician, or even a...
    By Bill Gibson
    Paperback
    $14265
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • String Instrument Setups
    String Instrument Setups
    Of all the knowledge that a good luthier—one who makes stringed musical instruments—can possess, knowledge of proper setup is far and away the most important. Proper setup can change a clunker into a good workman bass. It can transform a very good bass into a superb, world-class instrument. String Instrument Setups: 10 That Will Make Your Instrument Sound Louder, Better,...
    By Chuck Traeger
    Paperback
    $6600
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Music Marketing for the DIY Musician
    Music Marketing for the DIY Musician
    Unleash your music's potential by taking charge of your career! In Music Marketing for the DIY Musician, industry veteran Bobby Borg provides a step-by-step guide to producing a fully customised, low-budget plan of attack for marketing one's music, helping to propel independent artists and other players towards success in the new music industry. This third edition provides major updates: Cutting-edge...
    By Bobby Borg
    Paperback
    $9430
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Songwriter's Handbook
    The Songwriter's Handbook
    Platinum award-winning singer, songwriter, and lyricist Mark Winkler provides a handbook on writing great lyrics, chock full of songwriting exercises and engaging personal vignettes. The Songwriter's Handbook crosses a variety of genres and teaches the craft of modern commercial songwriting as practiced by the likes of Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Bruno Mars. The book includes: Highlights of great songwriters...
    By Mark Winkler
    Paperback
    $8251
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Ultimate Church Sound Operator's Handbook
    This important second edition of The Ultimate Church Sound Operator's Handbook is written to specifically address the concerns and needs of the sound person who serves ministries and churches. The modern church uses many of the same presentation tools that have become common in television, movies, and concerts, placing a unique set of technical expectations on its eager, willing, and...
    By Bill Gibson
    Paperback
    $17700
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Unlocking Creativity
    Record producer Beinhorn reveals how to deal with interpersonal issues record producers face when they work with artists one on one or in small groups. The situations and solutions are based upon the author's personal and professional experience working with a variety of different artists, such as Herbie Hancock, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soul Asylum, Hole, Soundgarden, Ozzy Osbourne,...
    Paperback
    $7780
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Scoring the Screen
    Scoring the Screen
    This widely acclaimed book enables readers to understand and practice the language of music composed for film, video games, and other visual media. Film and television music veteran Andy Hill offers an insider’s view of what goes into the creation of the musical score for major motion pictures and other works of screen entertainment, including video games. This unique text...
    By Andy Hill
    Paperback
    $6599
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Scoring the Screen
    Scoring the Screen
    This widely acclaimed book enables readers to understand and practise the language of music composed for film, video games, and other visual media. Film and television music veteran Andy Hill offers an insider’s view of what goes into the creation of the musical score for major motion pictures and other works of screen entertainment, including video games. This unique text...
    By Andy Hill
    Hardback
    $41600
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Great Book of Vintage Microphones
    Pre-order
    The Great Book of Vintage Microphones
    Grammy Award-winning music producer Sylvia Massy provides a visual tour through the fascinating world of vintage microphones with hundreds of original, full-colour photographs. Based on one of the largest collections in the world, this book is for the appreciation of the art, technology, and history of microphones, looking at the first 100 years since the original invention – from the...
    By Chris Johnson and Sylvia Massy
    Hardback
    $9400
    Pre-order
    Out 24 Dec 2026
  • The Practice of Songwriting
    Pre-order
    The Practice of Songwriting
    Foster a lifelong, creative practice through lessons and exercises that integrate three main pillars of songwriting: inspiration, lyricism, and musicality. The Practice of Songwriting guides people of all levels toward a rewarding craft of popular songwriting, progressively developing a range of skills. Each concept is clearly explained and then reinforced through exercises and analyses of examples from popular songs that...
    By Michael Flannery
    Paperback
    $6599
    Pre-order
    Out 7 Jan 2027

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781538186657

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 10 December 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic

Illustration: 99 b/w figures

Audience: Tertiary education

DIMENSIONS

Width: 178.0mm

Height: 254.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 224

Collections

Arts & Culture Michael Flannery Music & Musicians Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Pre-Orders Pre-order Books Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date Series: Music Pro Guides

About the Author

Michael Flannery is a Lecturer and the Technical Director for the Music & Technology Program at Stevens Institute of Technology, USA, where he teaches songwriting, creative collaboration, sound recording, sound design, and audio post-production. Across his decades-long career in the music industry, he has been a signed artist, produced albums and singles for a range of acts, created award-winning children’s music, composed for film and commercials, and worked on sound teams for film and television.

Also by Michael Flannery

View all
  • The Practice of Songwriting
    Pre-order
    The Practice of Songwriting
    Foster a lifelong, creative practice through lessons and exercises that integrate three main pillars of songwriting: inspiration, lyricism, and musicality. The Practice of Songwriting guides people of all levels toward a rewarding craft of popular songwriting, progressively developing a range of skills. Each concept is clearly explained and then reinforced through exercises and analyses of examples from popular songs that...
    By Michael Flannery
    Paperback
    $6599
    Pre-order
    Out 7 Jan 2027

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    By Jane Ussher
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    I’ll Believe in Anything
    From Jacob Tierney, the creator of Heated Rivalry, in partnership with Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu, comes I’ll Believe in Anything, an official and complete collection of annotated scripts for the biggest cultural sensation of the year, with all new exclusive behind-the-scenes content.Based on Rachel Reid’s blockbuster Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave and HBO in late 2025 and immediately took the world by storm. I’ll...
    By Jacob Tierney
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    16% off
    New Release
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    By Jon Toogood
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    20% off
    The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    21% off
    The Iliad
    When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017—revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)—critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    On Sale
    20% off
    Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    By Monique Fiso
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    By Freddie Mercury
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Birdlands Birdlands
    New Release
    Birdlands
    A rare, intimate journey into the wild islands where Aotearoa's birds live beyond the reach of most human lives. In the most remote outposts of Aotearoa, our islands are populated not with people, but with birds. From the storm-lashed Subantarctic Islands in the deep south to the scattered volcanic islands of Tikapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf in the north, Birdlands offers a...
    By Edin Whitehead
    Hardback
    $4199
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    21% off
    This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    By Layne Staley
    Hardback
    $5800
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Split Enz
    New Release
    Split Enz
    'My favourite band. Ever! And certainly the best dressed.' Sam Neill Split Enz were never designed to fit. Emerging from art school mischief in early-1970s New Zealand, they turned pop into surreal theatre: costume, character and melody colliding in a rock band that refused to behave like one. At the centre of that vision was Noel Crombie—percussionist, performer and the...
    By Michael Dwyer and Noel Crombie
    Hardback
    $5199
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Artist's Way
    The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a transformative guidebook that has captivated millions, including luminaries such as Elizabeth Gilbert and Tim Ferriss. With its profound ability to inspire and elevate, this book invites readers to embark on an enriching creative journey, fostering a deeper connection to one's artistic process and sense of purpose. The heart of Cameron's groundbreaking programme...
    By Julia Cameron
    Paperback
    $3700
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Mah Jong Player's Companion
    Since the arrival on the market of Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney's two previous books, The Game of Mah Jong Illustrated and Improve Your Mah Jong, a wide range of hands from many parts of the world has been sent to them. In this player's companion, the authors have put together a cross-filled reference guide where over 120 hands, illustrated...
    By Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Arts & Culture lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all