I know this is probably a tough question, but do you have any tips on writing melodies? If you give me a melody, I can arrange it (figure out harmonies, bass line, drum beats etc)... but I always hear people say that melodies just 'come to them', like they just appear out of nowhere in their heads like magic... but this has never been the case for me. I usually write a chord pattern that I think sounds interesting, then I try to build a melody from the notes in the chords. Sometimes I can do it, sometimes I can't. But I know I'm doing it backwards. Melody should come first. Melody is the most important part of a song.
when writing a melody, it's sometimes hard to know 'why' you're writing the melody if there's no lyric with it. like, who cares if the notes go here or there? what's it for? what is this even about? but when you are delivering a message, through words (musical words) then all of a sudden everything has meaning. i'm not suggesting you do lyrics first, that route seems bland as hell to me. i'm suggesting you do lyric and melody at the same time. perhaps other people do it differently but that's the only way it goes for me