How many times have you heard it said that one must "Fake it to make it" or "Act as if you've already achieved your goal." Nice comforting quotes but not a smart strategy for chasing your songwriting goals. I remember starting out years ago, landing my first publishing deal as...
Eight years ago, fellow pro songwriter Marty Dodson and I made a pact to do all we could to keep the craft of songwriting alive. We were chatting at a local coffee shop in Nashville, Tennessee. We discussed how we'd learned early on in our careers from master songwriters...
The number one question that fills our email inbox is “How do I get a song cut by a major artist if I'm an out-of-town songwriter?” "I don't live in a big music city" is the challenge. This strikes at the very core of why Marty Dodson and I created...
Songwriters, like any craftsmen, rely on skill. But skill is largely based on your ability to consistently add tools to your songwriter's toolbox. Here are 4 steps to get you on the path to adding new tools, break out of old ruts, and level-up your writing. Practice Active...
One of the hardest things to come to grips with as a songwriter is other peoples opinions on your songs. Here is a story that can help you navigate those waters. I wrote with a writer last week who is actively looking for a publishing deal. He is a super...
One of the biggest lessons I've learned over my songwriting career is that my songwriting focus constantly needs tweaking. It's easy to lose sight of the important foundational things and veer off into the worlds of negativity or procrastination. So I have a short checklist of things I remind myself...
When I first started writing songs I was obsessed with listening to records. Songs and sound just turned me on. I was thoroughly engrossed with my favorite artist. I read books about Bob Dylan, I read liner notes and interviews with the Eagles. Deep down, I felt I was...
Often songwriters in our SongTown classes ask, "How do I write commercial songs without selling out?" They are writers who would like to have commercial success and hear one of their songs on the radio or an album. But they want to know how to accomplish this and still be...
This is one of the most common questions Marty and I get in the SongTown Mailbox. It seems a common myth exists that says in order to have a record company or artist pick up your songs, you have to produce a song demo that...
One of the hardest things a songwriter has to learn to level-up their writing is learning how to avoid or pull themselves out of a songwriting rut. Here are 5 things I've learned over my 25-year career that have me avoid songwriting ruts and stay inspired... Switch instruments to spark...