Why We Write with Kim Ruehl, Eps. 17: Janis Ian

It has been 56 years since Janis Ian released her debut song, “Society’s Child,” when she was just 15 years old. She has long since weathered every evolution of the music industry, written innumerable songs, plus a memoir and a novel she’s been working on.

To boot, Ian is a frequent and beloved songwriting instructor. So it was with great relish that we joined her on Zoom for an in-depth discussion on writing. From her office in Florida, she dug into process, form, and why no topic is off-limits for a song.

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