7-Day Songwriting Challenge
2-9 January 2026
Write your first song of 2026 in just seven days!
Registration closes January 1, 5pm ET
7-Day Songwriting Challenge Overview
Kick off the year by completing a whole song—start to finish—in one week.
When you join the 7-Day Songwriting Challenge, you’ll receive a daily songwriting prompt (plus small, helpful resources) straight to your inbox from January 2nd to January 9th.
Each day takes you one step closer—sequentially, simply, and without overwhelm—to writing your first finished song of 2026.
No guessing. No waiting for inspiration. Just doable, daily steps that build momentum and lead you to a brand-new completed song by the end of the week.
Challenge Features
Your First Song of 2026 — Written in 7 Days
A simple, structured path to get you from “I want to write” to “I finished a whole song.”
7 Daily Prompts (Delivered to Your Inbox)
Each day brings a fresh, focused prompt with a tiny resource or insight to keep you moving—nothing overwhelming, always actionable.
Two Live Sessions with Keppie & Benny (Join from Anywhere)
Kickoff Party (Jan 3): Set your intention, meet fellow writers, ask questions, and get a creative boost.
Song Spotlight Session (Jan 10): Three participants’ songs will be highlighted for warm, encouraging, actionable feedback. (Submitting your song is optional.)
We meet on Zoom.
Access to the HTWS Community Portal
Your private space to:
- Post your daily work (only if you want to)
- Share your final song
- Celebrate wins and cheer each other on
- Connect with songwriters around the world
You can be fully social… or completely private. Either way, you’re supported.
Who This Is For
This challenge is designed for anyone who wants to start the year by taking action—no skill level required beyond the basics of playing a few chords and writing some words.
It’s perfect for:
- Songwriters who thrive with structure, deadlines, and momentum
- Creative do-ers who want to ride the New Year wave into immediate progress
- People who want to stop thinking about writing songs and actually write one
- Musicians who crave a quick win to kick off 2026 feeling inspired and capable
- Anyone who wants to feel that thrill of, “Hey… I made this.”
No prerequisites. No perfectionism. Just seven focused days and a plan.
Why it Matters
Because most of us don’t struggle with ideas—we struggle with starting and finishing. This challenge hands you both.
When you commit to a small daily step, something shifts. You stop waiting for the “right time” and start proving to yourself that you can create on command. You build trust in your own creative instincts. You learn that finishing isn’t magic—it’s momentum.
And when you finish even one song, everything else becomes easier:
Your confidence rises. Your creative energy wakes back up. You remember why you love this.
Seven days isn’t long. But it’s long enough to change how you see yourself as a songwriter.
Start your year with a win. Start with a song.
Live Sessions
🙋 Can’t make the live sessions? No problem! Both sessions are video recorded, with replays available within 2 hours. If you can’t make it live, you have the flexibility to catch up when you can.
Kick Off Party – Friday Jan 2nd
6pm (New York)
3pm (Los Angeles)
11pm (London)
10am (Sat Jan 3 Sydney)
Song Spotlight Session – Friday Jan 9th
6pm (New York)
3pm (Los Angeles)
11pm (London)
10am (Sat Jan 10 Sydney)
“The step by step guided tour of songwriting was super fun and helpful. I loved being able to share with a small group. Being able to chat live with the leaders and ask questions after face to face was so very generous too!”
“Very clear exposition of a powerful system for turning an idea into a song”
“I learned that songwriting doesn’t have to be a slogging, grueling process. My biggest takeaway was the importance of getting a first draft done quickly to work with, of digging into an idea while it’s fresh.”
Keppie & Benny are your Guides
World-class educators
Keppie and Benny have been teaching songwriting in world-class and globally recognized colleges and universities for over 15 years, including for The Berklee College of Music, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the Australian College of the Arts, and more. Teaching others is not a “plan B” for us – it’s a calling, a passion, and a privilege, which has been sought out by the world’s best institutions of higher learning in contemporary music education.
Professional songwriters
Keppie’s original and co-written songs have been streamed over 10 million times in the past 3 years alone; an album of original work was commissioned by Penguin Random House in 2022; and in 2024 she was a featured artist on a Grammy-nominated album.
Benny is a founding member of internationally touring bluegrass band The Green Mohair Suits, and has been commissioned for major projects by Adobe, Cathay Pacific and Audible.
Passionate communicators
Our popular YouTube channel, How to Write Songs, has well over 170K subscribers, and almost 10 million views of our videos. Our unique ability to turn theory into practice with passion, humour, and joy, has inspired songwriters around the world.
Time to stop dreaming—time to take action.
$29
Registration closes Jan 1st.
Price in USD