Author: Marty Dodson

Here are some ways to judge whether you are writing “better” commercial songs. No one of these measures alone determines “writing better,” but putting all of them together gives you a pretty good sense of your progress: Are you writing more unique ideas? Look at the songs you wrote a...

                One of the most popular questions we get at SongTown is "how many songs should I send to a producer or publisher?"  The prevailing myth for aspiring songwriters is that “more shots equals a better chance of something great happening”. I want to dispel that myth and to explain...

One of the frequent questions we get in SongTown is "How do I write song lyrics?" Many people confuse song lyrics with poetry, but there are some subtle yet important differences. So, how are lyrics to a song different from poems? Poems are typically visual pieces and song lyrics are...

One of the most important components to reaching any songwriting goal is to know exactly what you'd like to achieve. Here is a songwriter goal-setting worksheet that I like to use to help me focus on where I am going... As you set your goals, be sure that each one...

  The more accurate you are in regard to that self-assessment, the better success you will have attracting co-writers who fill in the blanks for you. 1) Be the kind of co-writer you hope to find. If you are organized and professional, then you will be more likely to attract that kind...

  Even those who have written thousands of songs could benefit from reviewing the basics of what a beginning writer does when writing their first song. Every now and then, someone joins SongTown who is just trying to learn how to write that first song - to turn their own...

Many of our SongTown members put songwriting aside for years while they raised a family.  The dreams from their 20's only really started to get a chance in their 40's or 50's or beyond because life got in the way. So, they come to us and ask "Did I...

  There are a lot of songwriting sites out there. We appreciate you stopping by our "town". If you are new to us, we want to let you know a little bit about who we are and the SongTown difference. The SongTown Difference begins with walking the walk... SongTown was founded by...

  The Songwriter's Code From the Brill Building in New York, to Music Row in Nashville, songwriters have been operating under this "code" for many years. If you hope to join the professional ranks, you MUST learn the code and go by it. If you are just wanting to co-write in...

Several people have asked about the different ways songwriters get paid. So, here's the 5 minute overview: Publishing Draws for songwriters. This is a monthly amount a publisher pays to a writer that is on a staff publishing deal. These are really advances on royalties that have to be repaid out of incoming royalties....