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I believe that if you try to compose a melody over a chord progression then chances are the melody is not going to be that good(for most people). Sure there are techniques to do so but it in my experience they all sound blocky(which you can fix but I think its harder).
If you compose the melody first then you have a great foundation and the rest is just icing. Sure you can ruin a melody with a poor accompaniment but it will come more natural because when you tend to write melodies over chords you use block chords and so the melody is starting off blocky(so its a bad start).
Try just to create little motives... little ideas that are short. This is the start. Then you look at them and figure out if what you can do(repeat, sequence, modify, use new one, etc...) and how to accompany them(alberti bass, block chords, arpeggio's, counter melody, etc...).
Its true that homophonic music is derived from harmony but melodies are what makes it interesting. All tonal melodies are derived from harmonies implicitly or explicitly but starting just tends to be the hard way IMO. (unless your writing chorals)
My suggestion is to sit at a keyboard and just doodle with the right hand to find little motivic like melodies. They can be pretty simple but you should strive for them to be interesting and logical. Then once you get one you can base your whole composition off it if you want. Then you worry about presenting that melody to the listener.
Technically I wouldn't even think in terms of harmonizing the melody(technically, of course, this is what you are doing but if you think about it in those terms then it sounds contrived). Think of what other melodies or accompaniment you want to use with the idea and try it. If it doesn't work then try something else.
Although if your a beginner maybe you should learn well how to harmonize and derive melodies so that it will be in your subconscious... but realize this is not how the greats composed. There music was about ideas and melodies and not a technical exercise. (but it might have started out that way when the were starting out) Just be aware that chances are if you use those methods your results will most likely sound sterile. I suppose if you are diligent about it eventually they won't but I do not know about that.
Again, if your just starting then go ahead and do it some but keep in the back of your mind that its about musical ideas rather than harmonies and melodies(which are the tools that those ideas use to express themselfs).
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