Jeff Tweedy Details New Book ‘How to Write One Song’

Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy will publish his new book, How to Write One Song, October 13th via Dutton.

The book, per a statement, will find Tweedy delving into the nature of his creative process. He’ll share stories and anecdotes about his own work, while also, according to the statement, providing practical tips for budding songwriters on “overcoming self-defeating dialogue, building a creative habit, language techniques to get out of a writing comfort zone, easy recording methods, and so much more.”

The goal of How to Write One Song is to help distill the songwriting project to a “focused, self-contained event” where “the mystery and fear subside, and songwriting becomes an exciting pursuit.” The book finds Tweedy pushing back against the notion that songwriters are either “suffering artists” or “constantly inspired,” and instead focuses on “the importance of digging deep and finding beauty even when we don’t have the time or confidence in our ability to do so.”

Tweedy added in the statement: “The feeling I get when I write — the sense that time is simultaneously expanding and disappearing — that I’m simultaneously more me and also free of me — is the main reason I wanted to put my thoughts on songwriting down in book form to share with everyone so inclined.”

How to Write One Song follows Tweedy’s 2018 memoir, Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back), which chronicled his childhood, music career, work with Uncle Tupelo and Wilco, as well as his struggles with addiction and depression.