If you want to make a living as a writer, it’s important to remember that songwriting is a business—not a hobby. That means you have to get your act together and be as well-organized, focused and professional as anyone else who is running their own business.
Unfortunately, getting organized is often a significant weak spot for writers—and it’s a failing that could affect your chances of success.
The need for ‘good organization’ may seem to have little to do with your ability to write great songs. Nevertheless, it is a key part of building a successful and productive songwriting process. A messy writing space, for example, can clutter your mind and hamper your creativity.
That’s why it’s important to have a system that enables all your new song ideas and unfinished melodies and lyrics to be stored in one place (either digitally or physically) so you won’t lose them. Otherwise, you run the risk of a potential future hit song remaining unwritten!
It is equally important to have a good digital or physical filing system for the songs and demos that you have completed so you can access them quickly.
Nobody likes doing all that boring paperwork and filing. But it is important to be clutter-free by keeping all of your correspondence and important documents (such as contracts and royalty statements) in separate folders—ideally with a different color code for each folder category so you can find them easily. And make sure you keep your physical folders in a good old fashioned filing system, including a filing cabinet if you have space for one.
Timing is often a key factor when it comes to getting your songs heard by the right people in the music industry.
What if you make a new publishing contact who is willing to listen to your songs, but you have to send a demo or an online link today because he or she is about to fly out of the country? What if you get a tip about an artist or a producer who urgently needs a particular type of song that perfectly matches one you’ve written? Are you sufficiently well-organized to be able to react quickly?
You could miss a golden opportunity if you find you can’t instantly lay your hands on the relevant demo recording—or provide web links and lyric sheets—because you’re filing system is in a mess!
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