Career Songwriter

Craft:
As I describe in my book, Popular Lyric Writing: 10 Steps to Effective Storytelling, there are two kinds of language – external, and internal. Internal language is thoughts and feelings, (basically comprising most of the lyrics we heard in the 80’s.) But external language is derived from the senses of touch, taste, feel, sight, sound, and movement. It creates a picture in our minds, and increases our ability to remember and experience the song ourselves. This kind of language yields much more original lyrics and forms a great foundation for the lyric idea itself. A great project for this week would be to look for these two types of language within some of your favorite songs. Some great artists who use these two types of language very effectively are Sting, Sheryl Crow, Billy Joel, Avril Lavigne, Tom Petty, John Mayer, and pretty much any contemporary country artist you can think of. Or sift through the lyrics of your favorite artist and consider what lyrics you really love within those songs. Are those lyrics external or internal?

Business:
Don’t be a LONER. Many have tried it, and it doesn’t pay. To be successful in this industry, you need to rely on the talents of others. Production houses are formed by engineers who have partnered with producers to record bands and artists they feel are worth their time and effort. Publishers rely on their relationships to get songs into the hands of those who need them. Songwriters need outside material and perspectives to influence and inspire them, and independent artists need fans to receive their material. There may not be one person out there who fits your musical needs perfectly, but keep an open mind. I personally have a small group of writers I enjoy collaborating with, and each for a different reason. With some writers I focus on writing killer chorus melodies and with others I take the musical lead and together we focus on lyrics. Still with others I take a back seat when it comes to writing a rhythmic guitar lick. In this situation I’m able to bring the melodic and content ideas to what would otherwise be a song I would never have written. Form relationships and look at each as an opportunity to connect down the road with others through that relationship. In this industry, you can not plan how one meeting will lead to another. The only control you have is how often you put yourself out there to be found.