Hi, I’m Jen.
I analyze Taylor Swift lyrics from a writer and English teacher’s point of view.
About Me
I’m a former English teacher, a current writer, and Swiftie since the beginning. I love that Taylor Swift is helping people fall in love with language and connect with writing in new ways.
I began the Swiftly Sung Stories website in 2022, and started the companion podcast and YouTube channel in 2025. I was featured in The Eras Tour documentary, The End of an Era, in 2025.
In creating Swiftly Sung Stories, my goal is to have a space where we explore Taylor Swift’s universe through the lens of storytelling, literary analysis, and songwriting craft. Using my academic and practical experience, I’ll help you dive into Taylor’s world to uncover layers of meaning.
Though I have credentials, I don’t pretend to be an expert. Taylor’s work – like all art – is subjective, and means different things to different people. Your interpretation of her work is just as valid as mine, so I hope you we can take this journey together, and leave space for layers of meaning.
Whether you’re a lifelong Swiftie, or just starting to pay closer attention to the lyrics, you’re welcome here. Swiftly Sung Stories is a space for curiosity, close reading, and connection, where we celebrate the magic of great writing and the way Taylor’s songs reflect, challenge, and shape the stories we tell about ourselves.
Let’s dig in, reflect deeply, and enjoy the ride together.
Connect With Me 🫶
Contact Me ✅
If you want to suggest a topic, have a question, or just want to say hi, you can email me at Swiftly Sung Stories (at) gmail (dot) com. I’d love to hear from you!
Don’t Contact Me ❌
Unfortunately, many, many emails slither their way into my inbox that are from men who insist that my personal opinions are incorrect. If you’re someone about to send one of those, my email address is youneedtocalmdown (at) madwoman (dot) com.
🚩 Running tally of men who have emailed me to tell me my opinions are wrong, or to tell me that Taylor Swift needs to have a baby: 113 🚩
Funny enough, exactly zero women have emailed me to “correct” my opinions…interesting.
Credentials
Here’s my credentials, if you care about that sort of thing:
- Bachelor’s Degree, Honors with Distinction: English Creative Writing, Minor in European History
- Masters Degree in Teaching, specializing in English reading, writing & creative writing
- (Lapsed) Certified Teacher: grades 6-12 English & Social Studies
- Published author to a YA book that’s probably terrible but I’m too afraid to go back and read.
- Being a mother of 3, which is harder and more educational than any degree.
Want to Work Together?
I take on freelance writing jobs from time to time if the fit is right. Please email me if you’d like to collaborate: Swiftly Sung Stories (at) gmail (dot) com.
- I’m not taking on guest posts at this point, but I will update this page if that changes.
- I do not accept payment for links. That goes against Google’s guidelines, and you know that.
Please Note:
Sometimes I talk about who Taylor was or wasn’t dating and/or feuding with in reference to understanding and making sense of lyrics. But what I don’t do is speculate on what isn’t public knowledge. Though Taylor is a public figure, her personal life is not ours to dissect.
What is ours to dissect is her music. And that’s what I try to focus on here.
Though wider context (like muses and timelines) is important, and I do pull in those elements when it’s vital to understanding the song, it’s impossible for me to note every reference in every line. Going through every possible interpretation for every line of every song would be a lifelong feat.
I also don’t dig into rumors that have not been addressed publicly. If the whole Swiftie community seems to think that the song is about one particular thing, I will address it (if it’s public knowledge).
I also do not claim Taylor to be a perfect person. I’m analyzing her storytelling, not her life and what she does or does not use her power for. Taylor is, unfortunately, a lightning rod for controversy and critique, but none of that conversation belongs here, where we discuss her art.
The most important takeaway: what her music means to YOU should be how you interpret it. What it makes you feel. What it reminds you of. And what the lyrics mean to you.
x Jen