---
title: 'Avoid This Common Songwriting Mistake Now!'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=FOK1j7efWUY'
video_id: 'FOK1j7efWUY'
date: 2026-07-31
duration_sec: 85
---

# Avoid This Common Songwriting Mistake Now!

> Source: [Avoid This Common Songwriting Mistake Now!](https://youtube.com/watch?v=FOK1j7efWUY)

## Summary

This video highlights a common yet subtle songwriting mistake: switching pronouns (e.g., from 'she' to 'you') when referring to the same character. The speaker explains why this happens naturally, how it can confuse listeners without them realizing why, and offers a simple fix: stay consistent with the perspective you start with.

### Key Points

- **The Pronoun-Switching Mistake** [00:01] — A common songwriting mistake is switching between different pronouns when talking about the same character. This subtle error can easily slip past both the writer and the listener but can undermine the clarity of the story.
- **Why Songwriters Switch Pronouns** [00:14] — Songwriters often start writing about a character and, as the song becomes more emotional or intimate, unconsciously want to 'zoom the camera lens in.' A natural way to do this is by switching from he/she/they to the more intimate 'you.'
- **The Subtle Problem Often Goes Overlooked** [00:47] — Because the shift is so subtle, songwriters typically don't notice it during feedback sessions—they're too immersed in bringing the theme to life. Yet that single word change can be enough to confuse the listener, who may disconnect without knowing why.
- **The Fix: Stick With Your Initial Perspective** [01:14] — The solution is to be mindful of staying with the perspective you start with throughout the song. Consistency prevents confusion and keeps the listener engaged with the story.

### Conclusion

Pronoun consistency is a small but powerful element of songwriting clarity. By avoiding the shift from 'she' to 'you' (or similar), you keep the listener anchored and emotionally connected to the character.

## Transcript

mistake we often see in songwriters songs. It's a mistake that's easy to make, but it's also very easy to avoid. So, the mistake is switching between different pronouns when you're talking about the same character. And it's a
really natural thing to do because often when we start writing a song, we're kind characters, particularly if we're writing about someone. And it's actually a very natural and intuitive thing to want to zoom the camera lens in as the
song becomes more emotional or more intimate. And often the way that we might unconsciously do that is by switching from he, she, or they to you because you feels a lot more intimate. But the real problem is that this is
such a subtle issue that it often goes overlooked. And we find that when we're doing feedback sessions, the songwriter hasn't picked up on it because they're immersed in trying to bring this theme and this story to life. But that one
word, that switching between she and you can be enough to just confuse the listener. And they might not even know why they're confused. They might just disconnect with the song and the story, but not really be able to pinpoint that
that is the reason. So this is why we need to be so mindful of sticking with the perspective we start with so as not to confuse the listener.