If you have the dream of being a full-time songwriter, singer/songwriter, or other type of creative, it’s easy to think of your day job as a prison.
You feel chained to your desk or the sales floor or the job site all day. You feel imprisoned by the 8-to-5 because you aren’t free to do what you love all day. Your commute feels more like a long walk in hand cuffs and leg-irons. Seeing your day job as a prison understandably breeds resentment and despair. I know- I’ve been there.
But what if there’s another way to look at it?
What if, instead of being your prison, you day job is your patron? Read on!
________________________________
To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!
_________________________________
It’s never been easy making a living from art. Way back when, artists used to find a rich person to provide financial backing so they could work on their art. This person was known as a “patron.” (Maybe you’ve heard the term “patron of the arts.”)
Of course, these days I wouldn’t expect to find someone to give you room and board just so you can write songs. (Of course, there are a few publishing deals out there, but they don’t usually pay enough to feed a family.) So, instead, I offer up a more obtainable solution.
Let your day job be your patron.
I know, I know… that’s not very sexy. But so much of songwriting is a mental game. Amazing things happen when you switch the story in your head from, “this job sucks! It’s keeping me from living my dream” to “this job is going to help make my dreams come true.” For one thing, your resentment and stress level decreases, as does your need to Netflix-and-ice-cream the night away when you get home. Instead, you know you’ve spent all day funding your dream, so it feels even more important to spend your evenings chasing that dream.
Here are a couple ways your day job can help you reach your songwriting goals:
Let your day job pay for your art.
Let the company paycheck cover the roof over your writing room and the coffee in your mug. Let your job during the day fund your art on nights and weekends. Let your vacation time pay you while you spend time in Nashville or another major music center. Let a percentage of your salary cover workshops and conferences (online or in person), while you build connections and learn the craft of songwriting.
You won’t mind rolling in on Monday morning (as much) when you realize your boss is paying for your demos- and he won’t even ask for your publishing!
Let your day job buy you time.
Believe me, it’s easy to resent that your day job doesn’t allow you time to write as much as you want. Years ago, I spent a lot of frustrated hours in my Alltel cubicle wishing I were writing songs instead of listening to them on my little desk radio.
But, in reality, my day job (call center… ugh) WAS buying me valuable time. And your day job DOES buy you more time, too. It buys you time to learn and get better while there’s very little to lose by failing.
I wasn’t ready to turn pro back in my Arkansas days. I wasn’t ready to quit my job and make that jump yet. I needed that time to grow as a person and as a writer. Sure, I could’ve grown faster as a writer if I’d been able to tackle it full-time… but how would I have paid for bread and lunch meat?
Relying completely on songwriting to feed yourself or your family is extremely difficult and stressful- I know from experience.
So use this time to improve your songwriting, to build relationships, and to grow your business.
Turn your prison into your patron.
If you want to use your time wisely- to use it improving your craft and learning about the music business, I have a great opportunity for you.
In the month of July, I’m hosting a transformative online songwriting event called, “Building A Hit: From Blank Page To Finished Lyric.” In this powerful 4-week online workshop, I reveal:
How to find great song ideas. Kill writers block and fill up that blank page again and again.
How to focus your ideas for maximum impact. Don’t waste any more great ideas by leaving them under-developed or confusing.
How to frame your idea for maximum commercial appeal. Having a great, compelling idea isn’t enough. You have to build your song in a way that an artist will want to sing it and an audience will want to hear it.
How to finish your song. Stop leaving your best ideas unfinished. Nobody loves a song they never hear, and a song that’s only 99% finished will never get recorded, never get on the radio, and never change your life.
If you want to join me on a journey that will help you think and write like a pro songwriter, click on the link below. Spots are limited for this event, and I only host it twice a year. Miss out, and it’s gone for another 6 months. Don’t delay. Transform your songwriting today..
DON’T MISS OUT- CLICK HERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,
Brent
Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far. He also hosts a top-rated songwriting and music business podcast called, “The C.L.I.M.B.” which can be found on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.
