What a blessing it is to create something once and receive residual (passive, or recurring) income from it for years to come--even while I am sleeping! If you can score a song on a record, or even better, a hit record, you can make money sitting at home. You may need to keep your day job for a while, but if you have true writing talent (no, your mother's opinion doesn't count!), patience, willingness to network with other writers, can live lean and have a little faith, you, too, may someday make a living...making stuff up! I have so much to be thankful for, including my more than 20 years as a professional songwriter. I want to explore the residual income sources available to folks like me!
Broken down into three main sub-categories, here is an example of my own income stream:
BMI (ASCAP ; SESAC)
Each writer (or administrative agent, if contracted to do so) must register his/her works with one of these three U.S. performance rights organizations. It's their job to keep track of performances throughout the world, and to distribute income quarterly on behalf of the writer and publisher (separate entities), from radio, TV, movies, etc.. BMI says it best about themselves:
BMI is committed to protecting copyright to ensure that its songwriters, composers and music publishers are fairly compensated for the use of their work. BMI also values its relationships with those businesses that use music, offering access to the world’s most popular music for hundreds of thousands of licensees throughout the United States.
Record Companies/ Independent Projects
When I establish my own publishing company--in my case through BMI--I either manage the work by myself, or work with an administrative person or company to take care of that on my behalf. As my self-published songs are recorded by record companies or individuals, they come to me or my "admin" person for a use license. All subsequent income from those sales are funneled through my publishing company and paid to me quarterly. If I sign my publishing over to another publishing company, in whole or in part (forfeiting all or a portion of the ownership of my songs), I will receive only my publisher's and writer's share--divisible by how many publishers and writers are on the song. The publishers of the song are responsible to collect the monies related to the song's usage and to send a royalty check to me each quarter.
CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing International)
As a writer of Christian songs used in worship services and various religious events throughout the world, I give consent to my copyright administrator to register each of those applicable songs with CCLI. CCLI (similar to what BMI does for me with radio, TV and movies, etc.) keeps track of the world-wide song performances of my songs through the reporting of thousands of licensed users. When I sign-over my songs to another publishing company, they are responsible to register, administrate, receive and distribute CCLI royalties on my behalf (CCLI royalties are distributed twice per year). CCLI can be quite beneficial since a song, especially in the worship music genre, can potentially amass greater income through live church-service performances, increasing revenue beyond the normal shelf-life and commercial sale of a recorded song.
I don't pretend to qualify as a one-stop information source for songwriters and residual income. This list is, by no means, a complete one. I have only delved into the more general aspects of earning income as a songwriter. However, I do have friends (believe it or not!) who have extensive practical, legal, procedural knowledge and information. These experts can help you--as an individual writer, church, or organization--to find answers to your particular copyright query.
Copyright Solver
ICS Law Group
Remember, each small tributary, or even trickle of income, can together flow into a combined income stream that, even in my case, adds up to a sizable, significant living. The secret is to have many songs working for you. Keep writing, keep the faith and keep in the game--even when it seems that the stream is running dry. Pray for rain!
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