Taylor Swift sees each of her records as updates in her diary.

The ‘Love Story’ singer has always written about her own life and experiences, and sees new album as an update on how her life has developed.

Speaking at the American Music Awards (AMAs), yesterday (20.11.11) she said: “Writing my own songs was a way for me to create what I wanted to create and music about my life.

“In that way it kind of became a diary put to music every time I put out a new record.”

Taylor also admitted she has a habit of breaking down her feelings and putting them into different categories to help her write her songs, mostly based around her feelings about love.

Speaking on US TV show ’60 Minutes Overtime’ she said: “I break down emotions into like 50 million categories. There’s the missing him kind of sadness. There’s the frustrated and confused, don’t know why it ended kind of sadness, there’s the sadness tinged with anger.”

Taylor – who won three awards at the AMAs, including the night’s top award, Artist of the Year – also gave her advice to budding young singers, who want to grow up and perform like her.

She said: “Learn an instrument because it just makes everything easier. If you’re going to go play out – it helps if you have a guitar and can accompany yourself.”