| I've been hearing a lot lately from
songwriters
who want to find easier ways to bust open the
doors at publishers. As my friends from
Nashville point out, the song plugging system
isn't what it used to be. Consolidation is doing to pub
lishing what it did to the record labels five years ago.If
you want to make a living writing songs for other peo
ple to see, it's time to think about bypassing the old
guard. Here are some effective ways to get your
material to a broader audience:
* STOP WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED
There's a passive streak that runs among all of us.
That desire to be "found." We have plenty of urban
legends to assure us that "fate" or "luck"
will put us
in the right place at the right time. In reality, success
ful songwriters have a work ethic that's so engrained
into their bodies that it only SEEMS effortless. On its
own, no book or magazine or trade sheet will give you
the silver bullet that will get your work past all the
gatekeepers. It's what you write that really counts,
and how you leverage what you've learned about the
industry that puts your song on the charts.
* CLOCK IN AT THE SONG FACTORY
The best songwriters in the world acknowledge two
things. First, they approach their craft with the same
discipline as a factory worker. They punch the clock at
nine and punch out at five or six. Maybe, in your case,
it might be a night job - punch in at seven and out at
two. Either way, professional songwriters give them
selves a chunk of time every day to create new
songs.Second, a good songwriter acknowledges the
existence of factory rejects. Not every song you start
is worth finishing. Unless you're freakishly talented
(and/or saleable) like Diane Warren, maybe one out of
a hundred songs is something that's REALLY capable
of grabbing hold of your audience. Bottom line: the
more you write, the more gems you'll produce. When
you have enough gems, you'll find plenty of miners on
your doorstep.
* WORK OUT IN THE OPEN
Too many artists I speak with are afraid of collaborat
ing with other songwriters. Some newbies feel like
they'll be called out as a fraud. If you feel this way,
remember that the other folks feel (or felt) the same,
and shake it off. Some folks are wary of losing royal
ties down the road. Wouldn't you rather have 50% of
a hit song than 100% of nothing? Some folks worry
that they'll be cheated. This is why we have the
Copyright Office and the Harry Fox Agency. Few
industries invest as much time and energy tracking
creative work as the American songwriting community.
By striking up casual relationships with other songwrit
ers, you can plug yourself and your work into wider
networks. When you're doing really good work, the
songs will travel to the people who can help you make
things happen. If you're still a little shy about working
face-to-face, visit Lulu, a site where you can collabo
rate in the open with other emerging artists :
http://www.lulu.com
* GO ON A SUBMISSION DIET
Many beginning songwriters flood the market with
unsolicited lyrics and demos, hoping to catch some
one's attention. All of that effort COULD have been
put into writing more great songs! There are a few
times when it's totally appropriate to send material,
and good tip sheets can give you a heads up when
there are professionals who REALLY want to hear
from you. Two of our favorites are :KR Tip Sheet
http://www.krtipsheet.com
Bandit A&R http://www.banditnewsletter.com
* USE THE "BATTLESHIP" METHOD
Remember the kids' game, Battleship, where you
guessed the location of a secret target? Remember
how that stupid little boat would always be one or two
pegs away from where you aimed? Publishing is a lot
like that. Everybody's aiming his or her submission
missiles at the same target. The slush pile overflows.
Instead, move a few pegs over. Find someone who
works in the same office but doesn't handle submis
sions. Ask them for their OPINION of your work, not
whether they can get you a deal. They'll be flattered,
and if your work has chops, they may even give you
some inside pointers about getting what you want.
* LEARN MORE FROM YOUR PEERS
Of course, I'm not a songwriter, so I wouldn't expect
you to take my word for
it. Find out more secrets of successful songwriters
from sites like these:
http://www.songwritersresourcenetwork.com/
http://www.bmi.com
http://www.ascap.com
Visit Joe Taylor Jr’s website,
at :
www.indiemusicclub.com
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