Posts by Marty Dodson

Music has the power to move us, to stir our emotions, and to compel us to take action. Yet, many songwriters struggle with a common challenge: creating songs that are technically sound but fail to resonate emotionally with listeners. In today’s digital age, where streaming platforms dominate and 100,000+ songs a day are uploaded, the…

I’m a big believer in positive thinking. Here are some positive thoughts for songwriters that can help keep you moving forward and help you enjoy the journey. 1) The only person I have to beat is me. If I continually work at writing a better song than I wrote yesterday, then I will someday be…

Songwriting mentors can help you avoid huge mistakes… I am a huge believer in finding a songwriting mentor.  My songwriting mentors helped me avoid so many mistakes and they cut years off the learning curve I would have experienced if I had to figure out everything on my own.  Little statements from my mentors still…

I spent the first 2/3 of my life to date living in fear. Fear of failure. Fear of risk. Fear of conflict. Fear of performing or speaking in public. Fear of God striking me down if I misbehaved. The list goes on an on. And, around that 2/3 mark, I noticed that those fears began…

Most songwriters find themselves in a complacent songwriting “comfort zone” from time to time.  Personally, I find myself at times resting on a little plateau of my own making.  I work really hard for a stretch and then I coast for a bit.  When I find myself coasting, here are some things I do to…

One of the questions I get most often when I mentor songwriters is “Why does everyone tell me I need to write more conversational lyrics?” While there is no “one size fits all” answer to how your lyrics “should” be written, there is a reason that people give you that advice. When I’m having that…

I look at the songs I write as footprints. They are what remain of me after I pass through a place. Yesterday, I passed through another day of writing and I left behind a song that represents ME. Two songs, actually. I poured my heart and soul into them and I’m proud of what I…