I agree with Gargoyle, most, if not all melodies are stolen in whole or (more likely) in part from existing songs.

* One of the tricks I use in my meager attempt at writing original melody is to compose without my guitar. I sing the melody over and over until I have it the way I want it, then I pull out my guitar and try to figure out which chords to use. This helps me to be free of my instrumental limitations.

* When I want inspiration for a new melody, I will sometimes use a deck of cards. Each card corresponds with one of the 12 notes in the chromatic scale. Ace=A, Duece=Bb, Tray=B, etc. with the King being a wild card (any note you want). Shuffle the deck and deal out 8 cards. Once you determine which notes they represent, play them in various orders until you find an interesting start to your melody. This can be the beginning of your song or some other part. You decide. If it doesn't work, deal out 8 more cards and try again.

* My last suggestion is to take a piece of sheet music that you enjoy the melody to and re-write the notes exactly backwards. Do this for several bars and then play what you have written and see if it gives you a starting place for your melody. If not try a different piece of music.

These are just a few ideas that many song writers use when their particular "muse" ain't working well. Inspiration is a wonderful thing to have and I appreciate those who can call upon it with ease. But perspiration works for all the rest of us. Keep trying different methods until you come up with a melody that suits the lyrics of your song. I hope this helps.

Best wishes from Dutch Harbor, Alaska in the Aleutian Islands,

Mike