How to write songs...?

After I started actually learning the stuff I write, I realized, yes, they are great riffs and solos, but they are arranged terribly, now, how do you arrange songs? Riff structures and all that... I have really really good riffs, but I have no idea on how to link them up, it just sounds like a random change... And how do I structure riffs for a verse, a chorus, interlude bridge and stuff?

And, how do you arrange them yourself? Also, this is more for Metal/ Prog stuff...

Start with a chord progression. Then, just riff along to a recorded rhythm guitar section. Not really that hard.

Generally, I write the lyrics, then add a progression that I think suits, add the kind of rhythm I want, write a riff or two, than throw everyting together.

Also, I, like many other musicians, take bits and parts of sections of other songs that I think is similar to what I want, and try to emulate (sp?) that.

Regarding that... How do you actually make a riff over a chord progression? I know you can play the actually chord, and then just ride the muted root and simple stuff like that, but how do you make all those awesome riffs? Like, what chord would Over the wall be? Generally my riffs just stay in the same scale... :/

Thinking about it, thats a big problem... So how do you make a chord progression into a good metal riff?

I do like the progressing to a section that happens in another song with a similar riff though. :)

I'm pretty sure that Veqq plays instrumental rock though, so I would have a main riff or a main theme, which would act as the chorus, and then seperate solos for the verses. You could start off with a few bars of sweeping as an intro, and then play the main riff.

To be honest, a lot of decent metal riffs just stay on one chord, and then maybe add another palm muted chord here and there.

There are no rules.

Writing riffs over chords?

I normally already have the riff in my head, and then I just try and find the notes that make the riff on my guitar.

Come to think of it, you can make a riff simply by Arpeggiating a chord, and then picking out random notes within the chord.