OneGreyStone

It depends on the song. Sometimes I've wanted to write about a person who is in a situation. I asked myself what would they be saying (usually to another person) and I'd come up with a hook. Something like "Hey brother, give me what I need". Then I'd write a melody for it and that would usually become the chorus. Sometimes it's the other way around. I'd have a general story to tell and I'd write a melody for it. If it sounded like a verse - it became the verse and then I'd think about the overall message of the song and try to write that into a chorus. And think about a prechors and middle section afterwards. I did write one song once and began with a section that became the middle 8, but that's rare for me. I'd put my biggest hooks in the chorus, but sometimes they will come in the verses - either lyrically or melodic Or both. As a general rule, I'd use chorus for the overall message (repeated) and the verses to build the 'story'. Neil