Songwriting

I Do My Songwriting Best – Putting An End To The Comparison Game

by Marty Dodson
Jan 10, 2017

There is a lot of comparison that goes on in the songwriting world. Artists pick this song over the other song. Someone decides that song is better than this song.

We all tend to compare our songs to songs on the radio. Or we go to a writer’s night and compare our work to the work of others.

At the end of the day, I am going to be disappointed if I compare my work to Dianne Warren’s. She has had hundreds of songs cut and makes millions of dollars. Maybe my songs are just as good as hers. Maybe some of them are BETTER than some of hers. None of that matters.

All that really matters is that I do my best. If I’ve done that, then the rest is out of my hands.

So, I go into every co-write prepared. I have lots of ideas stored up. I do my best to get a good night’s sleep before each write. During the write, I give my co-writer the very best I have to offer. When the song is as good as I can make it, I go home satisfied.

If you can say “I do my best”, then you can be satisfied with your work. If your best is not getting the results you want, then you need to work at making your “best” better. As the days go by, you can improve and challenge yourself, but the goal for each individual day will remain the same. Do your best.

The next time you sit down to write, give it everything you’ve got. Then, allow yourself to enjoy your best work yet without comparisons or judgement. Tomorrow your best will be a little bit better.

Do your best and write on!

Marty Dodson

Marty Dodson

Marty Dodson

Marty Dodson is a multi #1 songwriter, co-founder of SongTown, and co-author of  The Songwriter’s Guide To Mastering Cowriting and Song Building: Mastering Lyric Writing

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