Songwriting Books: Tear 'Em Up!

Don't be alarmed by the title of this post — I'm not suggesting that you destroy your songwriting books. Quite to the contrary, in fact. Books are one of the best tools available for aspiring songwriters who want to hone their craft. What I want to do with this post is share a technique I've discovered — one that helps me get more out of the books I buy, and which I'm sure would do the same for anyone who tries it.