Posts by Marty Dodson
How To Write Great Lyrics Every Time (5 Pro Tips)
Writing great lyrics isn’t about waiting for inspiration to strike—it’s about consistently honing your craft and approaching songwriting with intention and strategy. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to co-write with some of the best in the business, and I’ve learned a few truths that can make the difference between an okay song and a…
Read MorePeople To Thank This Thanksgiving: A Songwriter’s Perspective
Being grateful and giving thanks is a discipline that I try to practice daily. 🙏 From a songwriting perspective, here are some things I believe all of us creative types need to be thankful for: The Believers My mom was a huge believer in me and my music. When everyone else was telling me…
Read MoreOur Top 5 Setup Lines (Pro Songwriting Tips)
In this week’s episode of the SongTown Podcast, Multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson reveal their all-time top 5 setup lines for lyric writing. Set-up lines are an underused songwriting technique used by top-level writers that will instantly level up the emotional punch of your songs. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video…
Read More10 Mistakes that Peg You as an Amateur Songwriter
In this week’s SongTown Podcast episode, multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson, who’ve critiqued thousands of songs at SongTown, break down the 10 most common mistakes that peg a songwriter as an amateur. Correct these 10 simple things and you will be quickly writing your best songs! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This…
Read MoreAfter Co-Writing with Dozens of Hit Artists (Top 5 Things We Learned)
In this week’s episode of the SongTown Podcast, multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson, who’ve collaborated with dozens of hit artists, reveal the top 5 lessons they learned the hard way-so you don’t have to! Write on! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will help you level-up your songs and finish…
Read MoreWe Co-Wrote Songs with 4,000 People (Here’s What We Learned)
In this episode of the SongTown Podcast: Multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson have co-written with 4,000 plus people in their careers. These are the most common co-writing mistakes and best advice on how to avoid bad sessions. Write On.. or better yet, Co-Write On! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series…
Read MoreCommercial Vs. Creative Music: The Debate Goes On
One of the big questions we get over and over is whether writing commercial music requires you to sell your soul, abandon creativity, and forsake all that is good in this world. As if there are two sides at war with each other … Commercial Vs. Creative Music Any time this debate arises, there are…
Read MoreBad Songwriting Advice That HURTS Aspiring Writers
In this episode of the SongTown Podcast, Multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson BAD songwriting advice floating around that you’l have to un-learn if you want to be a great writer. C & M will help you cut through the noise and focus on what is important on your songwriting journey. Transcript: Bad Songwriting…
Read MoreMy Tribe: A Songwriter’s Sanctuary
As a songwriter, I have always felt like I was a little bit “different”. I have never seen things the way other people see them. I related to the story of the “Emperor’s New Clothes” because I think I’m that guy. When everyone else is saying things are clearly “white”, I’m seeing “black”. When things are logically…
Read MoreIt’s Never Too Late When It Comes To Your Songwriting Dreams
I believe that it’s never too late to be what you might have been and to chase your songwriting dreams. In my case, I was in my mid-thirties when I started trying to write professionally. I got a much later start than some others who pursued their songwriting passion right out of high school. But,…
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