Songwriting

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…

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 the waters of song feedback. I wrote with a writer last week who is actively looking for a publishing deal. He is a super talented writer…

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…

Perhaps the most common songwriting mistakes that I’ve seen kill a song… If I had to choose one songwriting mistake I’ve seen over and over in mentoring sessions through the years, it would be “writing clever instead of writing real.” Throughout the entire writing process I am asking myself, does this feel real? Could this have really happened?…

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…

It’s been said that we are what we eat. And if we eat healthier food, we will have healthier bodies! But what about your musical diet? Many songwriters write emails to Marty Dodson and I each week asking what they can do to become better writers and have artists to record their songs. When examining…