Beginner Songwriting Course

Make your songwriting dreams a reality

Shake off the songwriting cobwebs and write songs like you’re 16 again!

Our totally online songwriting course is for adults of all ages who are at the start of their songwriting journey. Over ten weeks, we will help you explore your authentic voice, develop your creative skills and bring the joy of songwriting to your life.

You will be guided and supported by your own professional songwriter who will be your mentor every step of the way as you write 10 songs in 10 weeks. How amazing would it feel to write 10 songs?

There is no requirement to read music or play an instrument, nor even be a songwriter. This course will show you everything you need each week through online lessons – you just need to have an open mind. The total time commitment is approximately 2 hours per week and is not time specific so you choose the best time that works for you each week.

If you dream of writing your own songs, this course will help make your songwriting dreams a reality.

Songwriting Lessons

Mentorship and Feedback

Write 10 songs in 10 weeks

OUR NEXT COURSE STARTS FEBRUARY 8, 2024

Course Fee $550 AUD

Enrolments are open now and close the day before term commencement

Course start date is dependent on sufficient enrolment numbers

Online enrolment takes a few minutes to complete

Enroll Now

Includes:

Bite-sized weekly lessons from founder, Francesca de Valence, focusing on different aspects of songwriting, available to watch on demand
Weekly exercises to develop your creative skills
Weekly songwriting homework challenges based around each week’s lessons
Work at your own pace each week. You have the whole week to submit your songs. Your mentor feedback will be delivered within 48 hours of submission.

Your own professional songwriting mentor assigned to your group giving you personalised feedback every step of the way
Join as a small course group and learn how to give your fellow peers feedback on their songs
Bonus invitations to our I Heart Songwriting Club exclusive member events/workshops as they happen

Completely online

Works with all timezones

No songwriting experience necessary

Adrienne’s story

“I am now, at 50, a songwriter. No one showed me how as a child. They have now. I have a goal to write 50 songs in 50 weeks. Oh yes!!!”

Adrienne wrote her very first 10 songs in our Course a year ago and since then has written 44 songs and counting. Nearing her goal to write 50 songs, Adrienne is planning her first intimate house concert to share her original songs with her friends and family.

Nik’s story

“The Songwriting Course really does open your eyes up to the real talent that you have”

6 of the 10 songs that Nik wrote in this Course have been recorded and released to all streaming services and are being played on radio stations in his hometown. The Course gave Nik the confidence to join The Club and he continues to write songs every week. He is currently up to song number 36!

How the Course Works

Enroll in the Course

When you enroll in the Beginner’s Course, we group you with a small handful of like-level songwriters and a mentor for a 10-week term. We have 5 start dates per year, but can start more regularly upon demand. Once your Course has started, we will email you to let you know.

Receive Video Lessons

Each week, we guide you through short and powerful video lessons teaching you about different elements of songwriting – including musical, lyrical, structural and creative process. You’ll be given an exercise to practice working with these elements, before doing your homework, which is to write a song using these elements. This course is aimed at absolute beginners, so don’t worry if you don’t know where to start – we will show you.

Write and Submit your Song

Each week, you also get a songwriting task – which includes a theme, a guideline and a time limit of 1 hour – very similar to how The Club works. Use the video guidance and exercise as the starting point for your song to develop. You can write your song at any time in your week and can submit at any point during the week. At the end of the hour, make a rough recording of your song on a voice memo app and upload your new song to your private course group for your mentor to give feedback on.

Receive Feedback (and give some too)

When your song is submitted, your mentor will be notified so that they can listen and offer you guidance, encouragement and feedback. You will also be notified when your group members submit their song so you can benefit from the huge learning opportunity that is listening and offering feedback in peer community. We also guide you on giving effective feedback.

Reap the Rewards

After 10 weeks, you will have 10 brand new songs with detailed feedback from your mentor and a much better understanding of how to write songs. You may choose to take the course again – with a new mentor and new songwriting tasks each week. Or if you feel you’re ready for The Club (and you’ve written at least 20 songs as a songwriter) then feel free to join.

Your Mentors

Francesca de Valence

Songwriting Course Teacher

I Heart Songwriting Club is a global community of passionate songwriters who love to help and inspire people to become great songwriters!

Francesca de Valence is an award-winning songwriter, educator and founder of I Heart Songwriting Club. With a Masters in Music and both music and education undergraduate degrees, she has taught at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, spoken at conferences around the world, and facilitated songwriting workshops for APRA AMCOS (AUS/NZ), IMRO (IRE), UBC (BR) and more.

Simon Shapiro

Songwriting Course Mentor

Simon Shapiro is best known for writing songs with and for established artists such as Darryl Braithwaite, 1927 and Shannon Noll. The published songwriter co-wrote the hit song ‘Beyond These City lights’ which Jayne Denham took to the top of the country charts in 2013. His soundtrack also won the Park Music Film Music festival Gold prize.

Helen Shanahan

Songwriting Course Mentor

Mushroom Music published songwriter, Helen Shanahan has won ‘Song of the Year’ (WAMi), the Telstra Road to Discovery songwriting award, has toured the UK, USA and Australia and has played support to Passenger, Missy Higgins and Matt Corby. Helen is currently recording her second studio album.

Be supported by professional songwriters to help you write your first or next 10 songs

Enroll now

Here are few songs written in our online course

Life Changing

It’s totally changed my life. I’ve learned so much about my own creative process and my own creative practice – what blocks me, what lets me flow. It’s an incredible part of my week, every week. And it pushes me and drives me forward.

Ella Gibbins , Wollongong, Australia

I wanted to get that additional feedback from the course. And to see if what I was doing actually gave value. It gave me all of those tools to get over the barriers, to get innovative and curious, to try something new.

Donna, Sydney, Australia

Since starting the 10 week course I have learnt how to ignore my inner critic and take a playful approach to songwriting. As a result, so far, I have written 5 songs in 5 weeks.

Nigel Harris , Perth, Australia

I am so thankful for all that I Heart Songwriting Club has brought to my songwriting. In the Adult Songwriting Course, I have found my mentor’s feedback on all songs, not just mine, to be invaluable. I ask lots of questions and my mentor has provided great, detailed responses which have also been invaluable.

For anyone out there sitting on the fence umming and ahhing about whether to take the plunge or not – just do it! What I have discovered with I Heart Songwriting Club is that EVERYONE is so supportive, regardless of your level of experience – it is a wonderful environment to learn and develop your songwriting skills, and/or to kick start your journey of songwriting.

Tamika , Port Macquarie, Australia

The I Heart Songwriting Club Adult Songwriting Course is absolutely ideal for anyone and everyone, from all walks of life, who has a desire to write their own songs. It teaches you a variety of methods or a formula, if you will, to write your own songs and helps you bring out your creative side. It allows you to be you.

My teacher, Francesca, is a beautiful person – motivating, genuine and encouraging – and my mentor, Sam, always provides constructive feedback and knows how to support me in my weaknesses and highlights my strengths. Every week I looked forward to the tasks and themes. It’s very exciting and a fun course that I highly recommend.

Liyah , Adelaide, Australia

Ready to say yes to your songwriting dreams?

Enroll now