Category: PART 1 – GETTING STARTED

“Performing is the easiest part of what I do, and songwriting is the hardest.” 

—Neil Diamond 

If you see songwriting as an easy way to get rich quick, you’ll need to think again if you really want to achieve success. 

Let’s be clear, songwriting is not easy. And writing hit songs is even harder. As Jimmy Webb once observed: “Songwriting is hell on Earth. If it isn’t, then you’re doing it wrong.”

Sure, there are many hit songwriters who make it look easy. We’ve all heard about writers who finished a song in the time it takes to boil an egg and it went on to earn a fortune. Country legend Hank Williams used to say: “If a song can’t be written in 20 minutes, it ain’t worth writing”. Lady Gaga wrote her first single ‘Just Dance’ in 10 minutes—the same length of time it took the Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston to write the Barry Mani low classic ‘I Write the Songs’. 

The truly great songwriters just make it look easy. In reality, though, they have to put in hundreds of hours of hard work—making many mistakes along the way—in order to hone their talent and achieve their greatness. Diane Warren, one of the most successful female songwriters of all time, spent 20 years writing six days a week, 10-12 hours a day before she felt she could finally take the occasional weekend off! 

The legendary lyricist Sammy Cahn once explained: “Writing a song can be agony or ecstasy. It can take half an hour or half a year.” 

That’s why it’s important to understand that hit songwriting is a process. It’s an art and a craft. 

The initial spark that ignites your song idea is a gift. From then on, it’s all about hard work. 

With the majority of successful songs, the first draft is just the beginning— only the first of many in the evolution of the song. It took Janis Ian three months to write her classic track ‘At Seventeen’. 

Don’t forget, songwriting is also a business. Music publishers and record company A&R representatives are highly selective because they are there to make money and hang on to their jobs. So your songs must be commercially viable. They not only have to compete with what’s already out there in the marketplace, they have to be BETTER. 

All of which calls for an exceptional level of self-motivation and self-belief, as well as talent. The desire to create, excel, and be the best has to come from deep within you. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve the success you desire. 

As Diane Warren says: “You’ve got to believe, then work hard at it”. 

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“If you have faith in your ability, never give up. I was writing songs for eight years before I met with any success. Learn from your mistakes and keep trying” 

—Ellie Greenwich 

As a music publisher, one of the biggest mistakes I see talented new songwriters make is to expect something to happen with every song they write—and then get disillusioned and give up when it doesn’t happen. 

It’s important to recognize that, when you’re first starting out, each song you write is just a stepping-stone to the next one. It’s all part of an important learning process that gradually takes you closer to finding your own ‘voice’ and your own distinctive writing style. 

So be persistent. You may have to write 30 or more songs—and endure the heart- break of many failed demo submissions—before you come up with your first ‘breakthrough’ song capable of having a real chance of success. Many top song- writers admit that they ended up throwing away their first 50 or so songs because they just weren’t good enough. 

Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill—who wrote the classic ‘(You’ve Lost) That Loving Feeling’—admit that their earliest songs weren’t all great. As Barry Mann told the Huffing ton Post: “If we looked at a list of a hundred songs we wrote, going back even to the Sixties and Seventies, the first twenty-five weren’t so good, then all of a sudden number twenty-six, number twenty-seven, number twenty-eight and twenty- nine were really terrific songs. Not all of our songs were great songs, but at that point, we were learning.”

Some writers find it hard to get started on a new song because they’re afraid of failing or ending up with a really bad song. However, as Canadian poet and novelist Margaret Atwood once remarked: “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” 

To achieve your goals you need to have the courage to face rejection and the self- belief, passion and perseverance to keep going. Be ambitious and constantly challenge yourself in terms of song construction, genres, and the subjects you write about. But set realistic expectations. Don’t expect miracles. 

Award-winning country music songwriter Brett James believes in the so-called ‘10,000-Hour Rule’. He explains: “The rule says that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master anything. I feel this can apply to songwriting too. It takes about 10,000 hours of writing to become skilled at it.” 

As the legendary Brian Wilson once said: “No masterpiece ever came overnight. A person’s masterpiece is something that you nurture along.” 

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“Whenever I fill out the job description I put ‘songwriter’, never ‘singer’ or ‘artist’. Singers come and go”

— Brian McKnight 

When starting any new job, you are more likely to be successful if you are given a proper description of what you’re supposed to be doing … and what you’re expected to achieve. 

Songwriting is no different, except it is down to you to define your role.

—Are you a composer? Or a lyricist? Or a songwriter who writes both words and music? —Do you see yourself as a singer-songwriter? 

—Are you writing songs for your own self-contained band? 

—Do you want a career writing songs for other artists? 

—Are you offering your services as a ‘top liner’, writing the melody and lyrics (the top line) for backing tracks created by dance DJs and producers? 

—Do you aspire to co-write with writer/producers? (producers sometimes sign young writers to work with them in writing sessions)

 —Are you a budding writer/producer yourself? Are you creating and recording songs for a new singer or band that you’re nurturing? 

Whatever your role is, your job description will probably read something like this:

“Part creative genius, part tireless market researcher, and part ‘never take no for an answer’ salesperson”. 

SINGER-SONGWRITER OR BAND MEMBER 

Jimmy Webb once said: “The people who are making money are the ones who are writing and singing their own songs.” 

If you’re trying to sell yourself to record companies as a singer-songwriter—or as part of a band that performs its own material—you’ll have to put a much greater emphasis on style and originality to help you stand out from the crowd. A&R executives don’t usually like to chase trends (at least they don’t admit it!), so you’ll need to show that you can push the musical envelope and offer some longevity. If you’re doing the singing yourself, you need to be sure your voice is good enough (or distinctive enough). You’ll also have to focus on getting gigs and performing live—so that music publishers and A&R reps can come along and see you if they’re interested.

TOP LINER 

Talented top liners are in short supply. But if you want to add this form of song- writing to your ‘job description’, be aware that DJ/producers and dance labels often send the same track to a multitude of top line writers. They ask them all to come up with a melody, hook and lyrics which can be laid over the musical sound bed that they have created. The producer then selects the one that he or she likes best. 

If your top line isn’t chosen, your efforts (and the cost of your demo) may have been wasted. You might not be able to use your primary melody for anything else because the chord progressions, riffs, beats, and instrumental sounds on the track are all owned by the producer. You may, however, be able to re-work your lyrics for another song. 

SONG PROVIDER 

If you’re going to write for other artists, you’ll have to learn how to tailor your songs (melodically and by subject matter) to meet the requirements of each artist you’re targeting. 

“If you’re good at writing then you have to be able to do it in any genre,” Emeli Sandé believes. “And if the production changes, the song can still stand.” 

This means doing plenty of research—including studying other songs by the artist, analyzing their vocal range, and writing songs in their style. You’ll also have to find a way to get your song to the artist past ‘gatekeepers’ such as the artist’s producer, personal manager, or A&R manager (more research!). 

Be aware that it is common for major artists to demand songwriting credits on a track, even if the artist doesn’t make any contribution to the writing. Songwriting pros jokingly refer to this as “change a word, get a third”. 

Diane Warren believes tenacity is vital if you’re going to succeed as a song provider for other artists. “I’m the one who got my songs covered,” she once said. “My dad was a salesman who didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I’m kind of known as someone like that too. When I believe in something, I’m hardcore about it. You can’t really turn me away.” 

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“Every collaboration helps you grow” 

—Brian Eno  

As a music publisher, I have often urged solo songwriters to consider collaborating with someone else in order to strengthen persistent weaknesses in their songs. Naturally, some writers have felt offended by such a suggestion. 

You may feel that your creative process is so personal that you don’t want to open it up and share it with anyone else. But the fact is, not all songwriters can be great composers and great lyricists. Sometimes a co-writer with talents that complement your own can help to take you and your songs to a much higher level. 

Maybe you’re writing well-constructed songs with great melodies but they’re not being taken up because your lyrics are inferior. Without strong lyrics, you’re going to have a tough time selling your songs. Or maybe you’re great at coming up with catchy titles and imaginative lyrics but your musical abilities are limited. 

If you only write melodies or only lyrics, why not consider co-writing if it means an average song can be turned into a potential hit? 

A songwriting partner can help to keep you focused. He or she can question your lyrics when you’re under-achieving, and introduce fresh ideas and new chords that may take your songs to new places. 

And if you’ve got a great idea for a song but you just can’t seem to finish it, a co- writer may be able to listen objectively to what you’ve got and come up with the missing link. He or she may introduce lyrical or melodic ideas that would never have occurred to you.

As Robbie Shakespeare of long-time reggae duo Sly and Robbie once remarked: “You have two sets of ears, you can hear more…”. 

English boy band phenomenon One Direction had an average of five pairs of song- writing ears per track on their hit 2012 album Take Me Home. In recent years, producers of pop artists who aren’t also songwriters have found that the TV sit- com-style ‘writers room’ model is the best way to consistently generate hits. As a result, more pop writers now tend to work in teams.

Many top writers acknowledge that co-writing and building relationships with other writers is one of the best ways to grow as a songwriter. You may find that regular collaboration with various songwriters will help you to learn how to write better songs—faster. 

Collaboration also makes good business sense. The more songwriters there are on a song, the more the song gets played and heard within the music industry. Doors that were previously closed to you could soon start opening up if your co-writers already have publishing deals, or if they are record producers with a direct gateway to established artists.

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“In my early 20’s I used to sit down and force myself to write a song a day just to write something. They’re horrible, but they’re songs. Somewhere in your unconscious it’s going in that you’ve finished something.” 

—Janis Ian 

Some writers have the ambition and the talent to write hit songs, but they lack the determination and self-discipline to make it happen. It is important to challenge yourself to write something every day, even when you don’t feel like it. 

So don’t keep making excuses for yourself, start writing. Otherwise your potential hit songs will never get written. 

Establishing a consistent writing habit—making it part of your daily routine—will boost your creativity and productivity, and lead to better songs. 

If you want to earn your living as a writer, it’s important to remember that song- writing is a business—not a hobby. The professional songwriters you will be competing with write every day, turning out at least 100 new songs a year. So you need to do the same. 

As top country songwriter Brett James explains: “I tell young songwriters that they should write 100 songs per year, then get 30 of these songs put on hold, then get 10 cuts per year to hopefully get one hit a year.” 

Think of it as running your own store. If you only open your doors when you feel like it, your shop isn’t going to sell much. You need to be open for business every day. 

“I go into my office every day and work,” says Nick Cave. “Whether I feel like it or not is irrelevant.” 

PJ Harvey takes a similar view: “If you want to be good at anything, you have to work hard at it. It doesn’t just fall from the sky. I work every day at trying to improve my writing, and I really enjoy it.” 

It is also important to identify the most creative time of day for you. For example, some people like to write something as soon as they wake up in the morning, when their mind is full of ideas. Are you an early bird? Or an afternoon person? Or a night owl? 

Make your most fruitful hours your ‘writing time’, and get into the habit of sitting down and writing something at the same time every day (even if it’s just for half an hour). If you can find this prime time and get writing, you’ll be a lot more productive. You’ll be amazed how the quality and volume of your songs will improve as a result.

“Music breeds its own inspiration”, Burt Bacharach once remarked. “You can only do it by doing it. You may not feel like it, but you push yourself.” 

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To maintain a daily writing schedule, it’s important to find the ideal place at home where you can focus and be creative. 

It should be a clutter-free zone where you feel most comfortable—with no distractions. A special place where you can close the door, turn off your phone, and give your mind the focused time it needs to get your creative juices flowing. 

If you’re one of those people who are addicted to social media, switch it off for a while. You don’t have to check Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and all the other potential time wasters every five minutes. You won’t miss anything. But your songwriting could gain a lot from the time you save! 

You may also find it motivating to have a writing space that is big enough to allow you to keep your essential tools—such as your instrument, digital recorder, rhyming dictionary, thesaurus, notebook, and laptop or tablet—in plain sight all the time.

If, like me, you’re a guitarist, try keeping your guitar on a stand instead of hidden away in its case. Seeing the guitar may make you want to pick it up, play a few chords … and, hey presto, a new song idea may hit you as a result! 

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“Having a deadline sharpens you” 

—Robin Gibb 

Achieving success as a songwriter is about being highly focused and productive as well as having the necessary talent and ability to craft hit songs. That means giving yourself clear objectives—and sticking to them.

For example, try setting yourself monthly, weekly or daily songwriting targets— such as ‘finish four new songs this month’ … ‘complete one verse every day’ … or ‘write a song this week using a chord I haven’t tried before’. Write these goals down and pin them up in your writing room as a reminder of what you’re trying to achieve. 

The feeling of knowing that you’ve hit your target is a great motivator. But make sure your goals are achievable.

In an interview with Music Week magazine, the Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb emphasized the benefits of working to a deadline: “I know a lot of people don’t like pressure, but it works,” he said. “If you’ve only got a certain amount of time to write some- thing, you will come up with it. And it’s amazing how you focus and get inspired if you know there is a limited amount of time.” 

He pointed out that the Bee Gees were given a very tight deadline when they were asked to write the music for Saturday Night Fever. “We ended up writing ‘How Deep Is Your Love’, ‘Night Fever’, ‘Stayin’ Alive’ and ‘If I Can’t Have You’ all in one week,” he said. 

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“Very often, ideas come to me when I’m falling asleep—when the busy mind gets out of the way, and the intuitive, imaginative mind gets a shot at the steering wheel” 

—David Crosby 

Most songwriters have experienced the frustration of sitting down to write a new song, only to find that nothing comes, or what you do manage to write just isn’t good enough.

There can be many reasons for this. Your mind may be on something else or maybe you’re worried about something. Often, though, it’s simply because you haven’t prepared yourself properly for your writing session.

Experienced songwriters know that the creative process involves four key stages: (1) preparation; (2) incubation (where an idea takes shape in your subconscious, like a programme running in the background on your computer); (3) inspiration (where an idea floats up from your subconscious and you seem to pluck it out of the air); and (4) realization (where the idea becomes a reality as you turn it into the first draft of a new song). 

Preparation is the foundation stone of the entire creative process. But being ‘prepared’ to write a song doesn’t just mean keeping your instrument, laptop, digital recorder and rhyming dictionary ready in your writing room just in case. 

In songwriting, ‘creative preparation’ is a state of mind. It means being observant and keeping your mind constantly open for new ideas through your experiences, thoughts, feelings and observations. It means keeping your songwriter’s antenna switched on to the world around you at all times.

An idea for a title or a lyric line can come from overhearing a conversation on a train or in a café … or an event that you witness … or while you’re waiting at a traffic light. Similarly, a headline in a newspaper, on a website, or on a poster might spark an idea for a song. 

I remember sitting in a bar with one of my songwriters, Steve Thompson, and we were discussing how to generate new ideas for songs. We spotted a vintage 1930’s travel poster on the wall with the headline: Paris By Air. A few weeks later Steve had written a song called ‘Paris By Air’ which went on to be a hit for a leading British rock band!

One of the hardest things about songwriting is having to start with a blank page. But it is often easier to find inspiration if you have already laid the creative foundations by having a list of ‘ready-made’ ideas you can dip into—with many of the ideas based on your real-life experiences and observations. 

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“If I knew where the good songs came from I’d go there more often”

— Leonard Cohen 

Great song titles, topics and lyric lines can come from anything and everything around you. So always be prepared to grab them as they come up. 

In the same way that a photographer always needs to carry a camera, you should always keep a pen and a notebook with you. Or, like Taylor Swift, Max Martin and REM’s Michael Stipe, use the voice memo/notebook option on your phone to capture ideas for themes, lyrics or melody lines before you forget them.

As Paloma Faith told American Songwriter magazine: “I like going through life with a notebook in my pocket or a notebook on my phone. Sometimes I hear somebody say something on the street. I like to capture a sentence and it resonates and takes on a different meaning for me.”

Make a note of phrases that you hear or read in newspapers and magazines, and create sketches of these potential songs. 

And make sure you’re well organized. Maintain a list of ideas for titles and hooks. Keep them safe in a digital folder or a physical workbook or ‘Ideas’ file, along with other unfinished songs, melody lines and lyrics. 

It is important to keep all of these odds and ends in one place so you always know where to find them. Coming back to them at a later date—and looking at them from a fresh perspective—can often result in a spark of inspiration that helps you finish the song. Sometimes the best songs just need to gestate a little in your sub- conscious before all the pieces fit together. 

The Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb always believed in “keeping the tape running” during the writing process—even if a writing session doesn’t seem to be going well. “You never know when you’re going to come up with something and then if you’ll remember it completely,” he said. 

“All the ideas, everything, will be on tape and then you can always refer back at any time,” he added. “Melodies will be born for the first time during writing and unless you have it on tape you haven’t got any way of remembering them.” Don’t make the mistake of letting good song ideas get away just because you’re a little disorganized. 

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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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