[DASmusic]

Hi, I'm new to this website but I hope someone can help me with what I'm struggling with as a musician.
I've been playing guitar for a while now and I really want to start writing my own music as a solo musician. I know the basics of theory and scales and stuff. And when you sing over a chord progression you can sing any note from whatever key you're in.

But when I play a chord progression and sing, I don't sound in key unless I sing just the few notes in each chord. For example if I play an A major. It only sounds right if I sing A E or C#. And so on for other chords.
I'm a huge fan of Bob Dylan and Neil Young and I noticed a lot of their singing melodies are just the few notes in the chords they play. But when i write my own stuff in that same style it sounds emotionless and boring. What am I doing wrong? I want to write songs like those artists but I can't figure it out.
Thanks to anyone who can help. Much appreciated.