ASW Skill Lab: Lyrics
Presented By American Songwriter
Enrollment for Fall '26 Term: Open Now (Spots Limited)
October 5th - November 1st, 2026
Intermediate Course
Enrollment Deadline: October 2nd, 2026
What is it?
Say What You Mean.
Learn to Write Better Lyrics with American Songwriter.
Skill Lab: Lyrics is a focused, four-week, four-module online course for writers who are seeking stronger lines, clearer ideas, and more intentional songs. Bring your lyrics, drafts, or works-in-progress, and learn how to improve them with more purpose, more detail, and more emotional impact. Learn from pro songwriters, workshop in real-time, and leave as a better songwriter and lyricist.Â
Videos by American Songwriter
Advanced Lyric Feedback
Weekly detailed workshops, feedback, and exercises from pro songwriters, tailored to your lyrics
4-Module Detailed Curriculum
Four focused, in-depth modules covering the core principles of lyric development, from voice to editing to specificity
Repeatable Writing Workflow
Designed to build a lyric development & revision process you can use well beyond the course.
ASW Skill Lab: Lyrics is a focused, four-week online course designed to help developing songwriters sharpen their lyric writing, strengthen their voice, and revise their work with more clarity, detail, and emotional impact.
Through live instruction, guided writing exercises, lyric analysis, and feedback-driven revision, you’ll dig into the core elements of strong lyric craft: specificity, point of view, structure, imagery, emotional clarity, and the line-by-line decisions that make a song connect. This course is built for writers who already have lyrics, drafts, or completed songs and are ready to move beyond the basics into deeper, more intentional writing.
By the end of the course, students will leave with refined lyric work, practical revision tools, and a stronger understanding of how to write words that feel honest, memorable, and built to last.
Student Testimonials
Course Curriculum Preview
In-Depth Skill Lab Curriculum – Four (4) in-depth, hands-on modules from idea to production. Modules are supported by weekly live sessions, plus all live sessions, exercises, and course materials are permanently downloadable for all students. Build your skills now, take them with you forever!
- Module 1: Hooks & Focus
- Module 2: Specificity & Sensory
- Module 3: Flow, Rhyme, & Movement
- Module 4: Editing & Voice
Meet The Instructors & Special Guests
ASW Skill Labs: Lyrics is an immersive songwriting course led by American Songwriter’s Membership Community Director & professional songwriter, Dean Fields.
He will be joined by #1 songwriters, industry experts, and multi-platinum ‘special guests’.
Summer 2026 Term – Special Guests to be announced soon…
Pricing
Frequently asked questions
If you’re still deciding whether to enroll, you’re probably wondering how it all works. Here’s everything you need to know before beginning your enrollment process.
Have an additional question? Reach out to us directly below.Â
The entire 4-week online course is held within the virtual American Songwriter Membership Hub + supported by weekly live sessions via video call.
Summer 2026 Dates Coming Soon – Enrollment Open Now
Please note: Course dates are subject to change in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Any updates will be communicated to all enrolled students.
The course is open to anyone (18 and older) who wants to deepen their lyric writing ability. It is recommended that students have taken Foundations (or have written their first few songs) before enrolling in the course.
Start/Close Dates:Â October 5th – September 1st, 2026
Module 1: Hooks & Focus –Â October 5
Module 2: Specificity & Sensory –Â October 12
Module 3: Flow, Rhyme, & Movement –Â October 19
Module 4: Editing & Voice –Â October 26
$499.99 – Price includes four guided, downloadable, in-depth songwriting modules supported by weekly live sessions. Every student is guaranteed to leave with advanced lyric feedback, repeatable writing processes, an American Songwriter membership, access to community, and more!Â
Skills Lab: Lyrics is designed as an intermediate course for writers who have some basic experience in songwriting or have written a few songs. If you are looking to get started as a beginner, we recommend our beginner’s course: Foundations.Â
No advanced technical experience is required. You’ll just need access to a computer or tablet and a reliable internet connection to complete the online modules. From there, Skills Lab: Lyrics is designed to meet you where you are and help you build a lyric-writing workflow you’re proud of.Â
Not at all. You don’t need to play an instrument to be a songwriter. ASW Skills Labs give you the tools and guidance to develop a writing workflow that suits you.
Skills Lab: Lyrics is a step up from Foundations, but is designed to fit into a busy schedule and will require around 3–5 hours per week. This includes live lessons, completing songwriting exercises, participating in feedback/community, and working on your songs. The course is fully structured to be manageable alongside your full-time commitments.
Say What You Mean. Improve Your Lyrics With ASW Skill Labs.
Looking for a different course?
Learn to write in the room with others.
A real-time collaboration lab. Co-write with other writers each week and build the creative, interpersonal, and professional skills that make co-writing actually work.
Real rooms, real collaborators, real songs
In Co-Writing Rooms you learn the skills that make collaboration work, then put them straight to use writing live with other writers each week.
Curated Co-Writing Rooms
Learn the skills, then put them to work in real time, matched into curated rooms with other writers.
4 Live Sessions
Four weekly two-hour sessions where you write in real time, together. Not async, not solo.
Co-Write in Real Time
Experience the actual craft of writing with others, the give and take that makes a song better.
Peer + Pro Feedback
Get reactions from your collaborators and guidance from working songwriters in the room.
The Skills That Make It Work
Build the creative, interpersonal, and professional habits that separate good co-writers from great ones.
Led by Pros
Learn the etiquette and instincts of the room from songwriters who co-write for a living.
Four weeks in the room
Each week pairs a collaboration skill with hands-on co-writing, and moves your ongoing song forward.
More than finished songs
The goal isn't just to write, it's to become a stronger, more confident collaborator who thrives in any room.
Is Co-Writing Rooms right for you?
This is for you if…
- You've completed Skill Lab: Lyrics, or have a strong grasp of lyric-writing fundamentals.
- You're comfortable writing lyrics and melodies and understand song structure.
- You can contribute ideas in real time and have finished songs before.
- You're open to collaboration, feedback, and experimentation.
Maybe start elsewhere if…
- You're brand new and haven't finished a song yet, start with Foundations.
- You want to sharpen your lyrics specifically, look at Skill Lab: Lyrics.
- You only want to write solo and aren't looking to collaborate yet.
Learn the room from working hit songwriters
Co-Writing Rooms is led by songwriters who co-write for a living, the same caliber of working pros behind Songwriter U, sharing the instincts and etiquette of a real writing room.
Dean Fields
Cuts by Lori McKenna & William Clark Green · No. 1 on Texas radio · Disney, Paramount & ABC placements.
Andrew Petroff
Co-wrote on Lainey Wilson's 2024 Grammy-winning album · Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Little Big Town.
Adam Wright
Multi-Grammy-nominated · cuts by Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood.
Sarah Siskind
Covered by Robert Plant, Alison Krauss & Wynonna · 20+ songs on ABC's Nashville.
Thomm Jutz
Grammy-nominated · ten #1 bluegrass hits · IBMA Songwriter of the Year.
Ava Suppelsa
Cuts by Keith Urban & Carly Pearce · 350M+ streams · "30 Under 30."
Questions, answered
What is Co-Writing Rooms?
It's a four-week, real-time collaboration lab from Songwriter U. You're matched into curated rooms with other writers and co-write live each week, building the creative and professional skills that make collaboration work.
How is it different from Foundations and Skill Lab?
Foundations teaches you to finish a song on your own; Skill Lab: Lyrics sharpens one part of the craft. Co-Writing Rooms is the advanced step, taking your skills into a room with other writers and learning to create together.
How do I know if I'm ready?
It's built for writers who've completed Skill Lab: Lyrics or have a strong grasp of lyric-writing fundamentals, comfortable with lyrics, melodies, and song structure, able to contribute ideas in real time, and open to collaboration. Enrollment may be curated based on experience and goals to build balanced rooms. If you haven't finished a song yet, start with Foundations.
How do the rooms and matching work?
You'll be placed into small, curated co-writing rooms with other writers so each session is genuine collaboration. Full details on room size and matching will be shared as enrollment opens.
What's the format, live or self-paced?
It's live and collaborative by design: four weekly two-hour sessions. Each runs a short mini-lesson, a fast speed co-write with a new partner, then 70–80 minutes on the song your room develops across the lab, with a debrief to close. Co-writing only works in real time, so this isn't self-paced.
Who owns the songs we write?
You do. Every song created in the lab remains the property of the writers who made it. You and your collaborators determine splits and ownership together, and Week 4 covers how to navigate those conversations.
What will I leave with?
The confidence and skills to walk into any co-write and contribute, plus the songs and relationships that come out of the room.
When does it start?
Co-Writing Rooms is coming soon. Join the waitlist and you'll be the first to hear when dates and enrollment open.
The room is almost open.
Co-Writing Rooms launches soon, and spots in each room are limited. Join the waitlist to get early access when enrollment opens.
Join the WaitlistLooking for a different course? Explore all Songwriter U courses →
Join the Waitlist
Be the first to know when enrollment opens. We'll only email you about Co-Writing Rooms.
Partners
