Writing words that inspire: a conversation with an LDS lyricist
A memorable sacred song often begins with a sentence that feels simple enough to say in a quiet room. Then the melody gives it motion, the singer gives it breath, and the listener discovers that the words have described something deeply personal. For Latter-day Saint lyricist Mara Ellsworth, that transformation is the heart of songwriting.
In this imagined interview, Ellsworth discusses the craft behind devotional lyrics: how personal faith becomes a shared message, why specific images matter, and how revision can turn a sincere thought into a song that stays with a congregation, youth group, or family for years.
Her approach reflects the distinctive place of Latter-day Saint music, where testimony, scripture, worship, and contemporary arrangement frequently meet. As explored in this perspective on LDS music, the strongest songs often feel intimate while still speaking to a broad spiritual community.
Beginning with a lived truth
What usually starts a song for you: a melody, a line, or an experience?
“Usually, it is a truth I cannot stop thinking about,” Ellsworth says. “That truth may come from scripture, a sacrament meeting talk, a conversation with a young person, or a difficult season in my own life. I write down the emotional center before I worry about rhyme or meter.”
She describes the emotional center as the sentence beneath the sentence. A song about prayer may really be about waiting. A song about discipleship may be about choosing hope before circumstances improve. Identifying that deeper idea keeps the lyric from becoming a collection of religious phrases.
“I ask myself what I want someone to feel when the last chorus ends. Peace? Courage? A willingness to begin again? If I cannot answer that, the draft is probably still searching for its purpose.”
Making faith feel specific
Ellsworth believes inspiring lyrics need concrete details. Words such as “faith,” “light,” and “grace” carry meaning, but they become more powerful when connected to an image listeners can see.
“Instead of writing that God is near, I might write about a hallway light left on, or a hand resting on a shoulder after a hard conversation,” she explains. “The image gives the listener somewhere to stand. From there, the spiritual meaning can open naturally.”
This balance is especially important in Latter-day Saint songwriting. Lyrics may refer to covenants, the Savior, revelation, family history, or the Book of Mormon, yet the references should serve the emotional journey rather than interrupt it. A carefully chosen detail can make doctrine feel lived instead of merely stated.
She also avoids trying to explain every meaning. “A song should leave room for a person’s own memory. If I spell out every conclusion, the listener has nothing to discover.”
| Lyric choice | Effect on the listener | Useful question for the writer |
|---|---|---|
| Broad religious statement | Establishes the central belief | Is this idea emotionally clear? |
| Specific image | Creates a visual and personal connection | What could the listener see, hear, or touch? |
| Scriptural reference | Adds spiritual depth and familiarity | Does it support the song’s main movement? |
| Repeated phrase | Makes the message memorable | Does repetition deepen the meaning? |
| Quiet, honest admission | Builds trust and vulnerability | What human experience gives this truth weight? |
Shaping words around melody
How does the music influence your lyric writing?
“Words have physical weight,” Ellsworth says. “A long vowel can open into a sustained note, while a cluster of hard consonants may feel rushed or tense. I want the lyric to be singable before it is clever.”
She often writes a rough chorus first, then speaks it aloud at different speeds. This reveals awkward stresses and unnecessary syllables. In a congregational setting, a phrase must be easy to remember after one or two hearings. In a solo recording, the lyric can be more conversational, but it still needs a natural vocal rhythm.
Rhyme is another tool rather than a rule. Ellsworth favors occasional internal rhyme and repeated sounds, using them to create cohesion without making the song sound forced. “A perfect rhyme can be beautiful, but a near rhyme may preserve the meaning better. The message should never be twisted simply to land on a matching word.”
Her interest extends across quiet piano ballads, youth-oriented pop, choral arrangements, and the energetic repertoire associated with EFY music. Each setting calls for a different lyrical pace, vocabulary, and degree of repetition.
Revising without losing sincerity
Many aspiring writers assume that an inspired lyric should arrive complete. Ellsworth sees revision differently. “The first draft is where I listen. The second draft is where I begin serving the listener.”
Her revision process starts with removing familiar expressions that do not add anything. She marks repeated ideas, vague verbs, and lines that sound meaningful but do not communicate a clear thought. Then she reads the lyric as if she were hearing it for the first time.
“I look for the line that feels most alive and build around it. Sometimes that line belongs in the chorus. Sometimes it is only a doorway to the real song.” She may write ten alternatives for a single phrase, changing its tense, syllable count, or point of view.
Feedback also matters. A trusted musician can identify a difficult melodic stress, while a friend unfamiliar with the draft can reveal whether the central message is understandable. Ellsworth accepts criticism more easily when she remembers that revision is not a judgment on her faith. It is a way to make the expression more generous and accessible.
Writing for different listeners
How do you write for both devoted church audiences and people who may be exploring faith?
“I begin with the human experience,” she says. “Loneliness, forgiveness, gratitude, fear, and hope belong to everyone. The gospel perspective gives those experiences a particular light, but it does not make the emotions exclusive.”
This principle helps her avoid insider language when it is not necessary. A song can honor Latter-day Saint beliefs while using words that invite someone unfamiliar with the tradition to listen. At the same time, she does not remove every specific reference in pursuit of universal appeal.
“Specificity and welcome can exist together. A sincere testimony is more inviting than a vague attempt to please everyone.” She believes listeners recognize the difference between language chosen from conviction and language assembled from expected religious vocabulary.
For youth songs, she uses direct sentences and strong images, allowing the arrangement to supply energy. For reflective adult music, she may leave more space between ideas. In every case, the lyric needs an emotional progression: a beginning that presents a need, a middle that wrestles with it, and an ending that offers movement rather than a simplistic answer.
Carrying a song beyond the page
Once a song is recorded, Ellsworth considers the audience part of its creative life. A lyric may sound one way in a studio and another when sung by a family, choir, or congregation. That shared use can reveal meanings the writer never anticipated.
“One of the greatest gifts is hearing someone say a line helped them through a particular day,” she says. “I do not feel ownership in the same way after a song is released. It becomes part of the listener’s story.”
For those discovering this repertoire, a focused resource such as the LDS music catalog can provide a window into the range of formats and artists that have supported devotional listening, from albums and MP3s to hymn arrangements and sheet music. The medium may change, but the purpose remains familiar: helping people remember what they believe.
Ellsworth’s final advice is practical: “Write honestly, edit patiently, and listen for the line that brings light without pretending life is easy. Inspiration is not decoration. It is a form of service.”
Practices for stronger devotional lyrics
A thoughtful songwriting routine can make spiritual expression clearer and more memorable. Ellsworth recommends:
- Begin with one emotional truth rather than several related themes.
- Replace abstract language with a sensory image whenever the meaning becomes vague.
- Read every line aloud to test its rhythm, stress, and singability.
- Let a trusted listener identify confusing phrases before recording.
- Keep the most memorable line where the melody gives it room to breathe.
The most enduring Latter-day Saint songs rarely depend on elaborate wording. They offer a recognizable human experience, connect it to faith, and leave the listener with language that can be carried into prayer, worship, or an ordinary difficult afternoon.
Explore the recorded music, arrangements, and artist history preserved in the online catalog, then spend time with the lyrics that speak to your own season. A single carefully written line may become the beginning of a stronger testimony, a family tradition, or a song someone else needs to hear.