Trav bro,

I personally just get really worked up about something, and then play a random chord progression and sing over the top of it. Usually there are a lot of nonsense words I have to decode but I trust my unconscious mind had something it was "trying" to say, and even if there wasn't, I just make the nonsense into something poetic. And doing it this way, the melodies tend to suit the words.

I've never enjoyed writing lyrics and melody separately but if I was to try it, I'd write the melody first and then write lyrics without the melody in mind! And then change the rhythm of the melody to match the words (one syllable into two notes, etc - i'm sure there's a word for that). Composing the other way round, I think i'd end up plagiarising. I'd hear the melody which suits the words based on my memories of how those phrases have been sung.

BUT THATS JUST ME!