Of the many songwriters I've interviewed for Songwriters on Process, they are divided into two camps when it comes to discipline in writing. Most believe that carving time out of their day to write is not the "organic" way to do things and thus leads to subpar creative output. They prefer to rely more on the inspiration of the muse. The other camp, a smaller one, believes in the importance of discipline in writing. They write on a regular basis. This routine, they feel, will make them stronger writers and will boost their creativity. So perhaps we can say that the former group is more reactive, waiting for inspiration to strike, while the latter is more proactive, actively seeking out creativity. Both groups have offered persuasive explanations for their method.
But for Ben Knox Miller of The Low Anthem, this discussion of discipline in writing is irrelevant. Sure, he writes every day. Usually upon waking, for reasons he explains below. But Miller doesn't write because he needs to or because it's part of being a songwriter or because it's a cathartic release. He does it because he likes to. He looks forward to writing. So his songwriting process really requires no discipline at all.
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