I once interviewed my creative manager at Universal Music Publishing for the truth about what publishers look for when signing new writers. I assumed his answers would include ‘talent’, ‘personality’, the ‘ability to write incredible melodies and lyrics’, etc. Though those elements were part of his answer, surprisingly several other factors were significantly more important. Skill and talent were part of the equation, but personality, productivity, and the ability to receive and apply critique were key qualities that came up over and over again.
He went on to explain that every afternoon around 4pm he begins his meetings with new writers. Many are new to Nashville, having moved with a guitar and a dream of writing songs for other artists. Each week he meets anywhere from 5 to 10 new writers and listens to 2 or 3 of their songs. Out of these 10 writers, on average, only 1 calls back or emails him for a follow-up meeting. Months later he runs into the other 9 around town, at a show, in the grocery store, etc, and asks how their writing has been going. They often respond with, “I’ve been working a lot and haven’t had the chance to write much lately,” or “I’ve got some songs but I wanted to wait until I got good demos done.” What this says to a publisher is that you aren’t yet ready for the job of a staff writer. A publisher is in the business of pitching songs to commercial artists. Without product, without songs, the publisher can’t do their job. The more prolific the writer, the more pitching power a publisher has. A publisher wants to be sure that after signing the writer, that writer will continue to produce song material that is viable in the market.
This is why just writing 2 or 3 good songs isn’t enough. If you consider that a company like Universal Music Publishing has 50 staff writers in Nashville alone, each writing and demoing at a minimum 3 songs per month. That translates into 36 songs a year per writer, and 1800 songs per year company-wide. Finishing just a few songs isn’t enough. A publisher wants to know that you can consistently write solid material.
Another factor in deciding whether a writer would be a good addition to the publishing company is personality. Would the writer fit well with the other writers on the roster? Can the writer co-write? Does the writer bring something unique to the roster, or is he/she similar to a writer we already have? The publisher is also interested in signing writers who will continue to network and push his/her own material instead of relying solely on the publisher. The publisher can certainly widen the network of contacts and co-writers for the writer, but a writer who works to form and sustain relationships within the industry only boosts his/her potential for success and therefore benefits the publisher.
Talent does matter, and great songs will initially capture the attention of industry folks and consumer listeners alike. But managing our own careers with integrity and persistence are immutable qualities that will sustain our futures as career-musicians. Write what you love, and don’t allow yourself to get stuck polishing just a few songs until they’re perfect. Get out there and promote yourself with what you have, and continue to improve your craft by listening and practicing your art of writing.
