John Petrucci explains lyrics writing process

Whenever we're writing the music, the melodies are usually constructed. *I find that many times the melodies will dictate some of the lyrical direction or at least help guide sounds, and words, and phrasing. *At any rate, for me it is essential to write a melody line and stick to it when constructing the lyric. * I usually decide upon a topic that is cohesive with the musical mood of the piece. *I then outline my key points or message and then start crafting the words. *I pay a lot of attention to the detail of the sounds of words, rhymes and the way phrases will sound when actually sung by a singer. *I'll go through many pages of notes and loosely jotted down ideas before coming up with the final lyrics.