Course Description

In this 12 week course Dan McCollam delves deep into the art and technique of worship songwriting.

Learn the key principles in songwriting. Develop and learn how to improve your lyrical content. Understand the building blocks for great songs - song sections. Discover your area of influence and the intentionality in songwriting. 

This course includes: 12 lessons of audio teachings, 2 ebooks: "Worship Writers Guide" & "Finding Your Song",  weekly activations & assignments

You will learn how to:

  • Study and deconstruct popular worship songs


  • Identify, locate and write a song hook

  • How to create memorable melodies, musical motifs, prosody, sing ability, and musical contrasts

  • Craft your ideas into a song hook

  • Study alliteration, contrast, slant rhyme as the four devices for writing

  • Learn the key principles in writing a great chorus

  • Improve your lyrical content;

  • Understand the building blocks for great songs - song sections (Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Pre Chorus etc)

  • Use different 'list techniques' for songwriting

  • Co-Writing and Re-Writing

Sounds of the Nations founder

Dan McCollam

Dan McCollam is the founding director of Sounds of the Nations, a mission organisation training thousands around the world to write and record praise and worship songs in their own culture, language, and ethnic sound. As a dynamic itinerant minister, Dan loves partnering with leaders, trainers, and local churches in the areas of worship, the prophetic, leadership structures and strategies, embracing the glories of the cross, and unlocking dreams of the heart. He serves on the faculty of Bethel School of Supernatural Worship, WorshipU.com, Bethel School of the Prophets, and is a cofounder of Prophetic Company training others in the prophetic ministry. Dan and his wife Regina are based out of Austin, TX, USA. www.soundsofthenations.com www.propheticcompany.com

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

    • How to do this course & Final Assessment

    • Worship Writers Guide

    • Finding Your Song Book Cover

    • Finding Your Song book
  • 2

    Week 1: Song Hooks

    • Song Hooks with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 1 Song Hooks

  • 3

    Week 2: Getting Great Ideas for Song Hooks

    • Great ideas for song hooks by Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 2 Great ideas for song hooks
  • 4

    Week 3: Crafting Your Ideas Into A Song Hook

    • Crafting your ideas into a song hook with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 3 Crafting your ideas into a song hook

  • 5

    Week 4: Song Sections- The Building Blocks For Building Great Songs

    • Song Sections with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 4 Song sections
  • 6

    Week 5: Building Song Sections From A Hook

    • Building Song Sections From A Hook with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 5 Building song sections from a hook
  • 7

    Week 6: Improving Your Lyrical Content

    • Improving your lyrical content with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 6 Improving your lyrical content
  • 8

    Week 7: Introduction To The Simple Chorus

    • Introduction to the simple chorus with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 7 Introduction to the simple chorus
  • 9

    Week 8: The Verse-Chorus Song Form

    • The verse-chorus song form with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 8 The verse-chorus song form
  • 10

    Week 9: The Chorus-Bridge Song Form

    • The chorus-bridge song form with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 9 The chorus-bridge song form
  • 11

    Week 10: Making Memorable Melodies

    • Making memorable melodies with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 10 Making memorable melodies
  • 12

    Week 11: Rewriting and Co-writing Songs

    • Rewriting and co-writing songs

    • Lessons 11 Re-writing and co-writing songs
  • 13

    Week 12: When Your Song Is Finished

    • When your song is finished with Dan McCollam

    • Lesson 12 When your song is finished

    • Activation & Final Assessment