first time writing a song

ok so this is my first attemt at writing a song. i have a few notes down on my guitar. i want it to be a full acoustic. only one guitar. mine. i dont know how to word it. let alone what to say. i kinda feel like it should be sad. emotinal song. as im going threw a depressing time in my life. but the notes ive got dont quite fit the way i want the song to sound any help would be nice. direction on writing

Well... when you're writing the music, you can only really write what you sort of know... If you only know 2 chords and one rhythm -- anything you write will sound the same.

That's not to say you shouldn't write that 2 chords song -- at least once. But then it's time to learn a new chord, a different way to strum. All the while trying out new ways to sing things.

Now, that, you say, sounds fine, but where do I start?

You do start with what you know. You write that two chord song, and you learn some new songs.

And the first few (or few score) songs are not going to say what you want or feel like you want. It's going to embarrass you when you hear yourself playing them. When you're alone.

And you can give up right there. Lots of people do.

Or you can just figure you are paying your dues and this is something you kind of have to slog through.

It's not easy and seldom fun, at first, but it's just something most of us (who aren't Mozarts) have to go through.

But after a while you learn a lot of different little things. You learn a number of different ways to approach a bunch of different chords. You learn different ways that songs often fall together and that can help you streamline the brainstorming and writing process. You learn not to be embarrassed if a song calls for a straight I, vi, IV, V progression. And you also learn when to use that 13th chord.

All things in time -- and with a little work. Maybe a lot of work. But you get out what you put in. Not right away. You have to put in for quite a while, sometimes. (I know I did. It was the longest I ever stuck with anything and lots of old friends commented on that. When I didn't put the guitar down after three months. That was over 30 years ago.) Anyhow, put in good work now, steady, patient, focused work and, a little farther down the road, you'll likely get out more than you ever dreamed you could. Or not. YMMV. But what do you have to lose?

I recommend the following steps if you are completely new to song writing. It kinda depends how much you know about your guitar of course.

The more chords and scales you know the better you will be able to express yourself. Same principle when you talk. If you know more words, you will be able to express yourself better and most likely more articulate ;-)

The whole fun for me on the guitar in the beginning was to play around with it and make up my own stuff. Do that and learn some songs you like (Tip:start with the easy ones ;-)) and you will learn more techniques and skills. That will help you a lot and you will see your own work improving. Also by learning songs you will get an idea of how songs are structured.

Anyway:

Step 1: Figure out your Verse/Chorus (you can figure out a start and ending now or later)

Step 2: Record the song instrumentally.

Step 3: Listen to the song and sing to it. If what you wrote doesnt fit, you ca change the way you play the song or change the lyrics/make new ones.

Hope that helps for starters....