Songwriter Wisdom, Part 1

I have been blessed for the past 20 years to make a living as a songwriter. I always felt I should be paying to write songs because its such a blast. Don't get me wrong, its hard work; its a skill. I've always said, and I'll say it again: "A great song isn't written, its re-written." Great songs with killer lyrics are not spit out in 15 minutes. Yes, the first draft may have taken a few minutes. But by the time you have shaped and re-shaped it, its kinda like making pasta the old fashioned way: you roll it out, fold it, run it through a "truth press", fold it again, run it through a "cut-the-fat press", fold it again, run it through a "just an acoustic guitar press", then cut it into the sumptuous strips that are the beginnings of a tasty Italian dish! Great songwriters don't settle!

I have been asked by many a first-time writer for some guidance in what to do if their song is chosen for a recording. Here are a few suggestions:

1) Jump for joy! You are about a fraction of a percentage of the population of the world who will ever have that opportunity. Treat the "first time" wisely and you will have a better chance at making songwriting your career. That leads me to...

2) There is no such thing as a "standard" publishing deal. The deal will be as good as you are valuable to the artist, producer, record company, etc. The "standard" spiel is given so you'll give up valuable income to others in the food chain. My feeling is that the writer should own as much of the publishing as possible and, of course, the full percentage of the writer's share, according to the number of writers on the song. There are times, however, when sharing is wise...

3) Sometimes giving up a percentage of publishing is wise when: a) its your fist cut and your willingness to share gives your song a fighting chance to stay on the song list; b) you are a new writer and have been invited by a producer or artist to write songs for a specific project; c) you're new and have a better chance of your song making more income with a major label and great distribution. (my first cut and my subsequent 8-years as a staff writer with Integrity Music meant I gave-up 100% of my publishing, but they sold a bunch of records...I still make a great living on those songs I signed 20 years ago. Since 2000, I've been independent and rarely split publishing).

4) Not all cuts are the same. In other words, just because your song gets on a record doesn't mean you'll make any money. In Christian music, from which I hail, a single CD may have the shelf-life of a year, maybe two. If a record doesn't fly, you may only get a few bucks out of it, if you are fortunate. Seasonal projects, like Christmas records, are only alive for a few months at a time. Choral music, or what the industry calls "print", doesn't always bring a windfall. If your song was previously recorded for another project and you get a "print" cut, then that's better. You have to be smart and know where the original song placement will be because, after you sign the publishing away, its next to impossible to adjust it, outside of a skilled lawyer and a bunch of legal fees So, decide the fate of your song and its future by the quality of the cut.

Everyone in the music business knows that everything rises and falls with the song. The song is what's valuable, not necessarily the artist or band. Remember, a song can be recorded an infinite amount of times, and the subsequent income streams can feed you and your loved-ones for years. This is all part of the wisdom a songwriter must apply in order to succeed.

Next time, I will discuss income streams and the many ways a song can potentially generate revenue. Remember: Not everybody can write songs--its a God-given skill; songs aren't written, they're re-written and you gotta know the business to make a living in it. Be wise, always be a learner, and stay humble!