Break it into 4‑beat phrases, treat each as a mini‑sentence. Map the melody to the chord changes and keep the beat on the first and third beats for stability. If you want a groove, push the second beat with a light syncopated lift—like a subtle ghost note on the snare. Make sure each melodic line has a clear start and finish point so the listener knows where to hang. Keep the emotional core in the hook’s last bar; let it resolve on the tonic or a satisfying cadence. That way you’re tightening the groove without strangling the feel.