D' 'Cats,

Some things have occurred to me as I've been reading these posts.

A Would-be Songwriter should:(in no particular order)
Read/Listen to Old Stuff
Write down ideas on awaking
Read/Listen to New Stuff
Not be alarmed when nothing happens for awhile
Not be ecstatic when a lot happens suddenly
Write, rewrite, and revise until it feels right
Be ready at any moment to get the ideas on paper
Write a lot anyway just to keep the idea machine/writing machine connected (you might get a song too)
Don't Worry. Sometimes the song will arrive complete, sometimes it will arrive piecemeal (at least it arrives!)
Don't Worry. Sometimes the idea you start with disappears in the final version.

Or, as my (now retired) mentor used to say..."Trust The Process!"

FWIW,
V