How Does A Pro Songwriter Balance Passion & Profit?

June 27, 2016 Brent Baxter 7 Comments

Today, I want to tackle a question I got from a Songwriting Pro reader…

QUESTION:

“As a pro songwriter, do you write each song with the goal of profit, or (in the beginning) did you just write out of passion- and success naturally flowed from that passion?”

ANSWER:

YES and NO.

Okay, you’re probably looking for a little something more, so here goes. I wrote – and still write- for BOTH passion and profit. I’ve always loved creating. It started with making up my own comic books, then moved to short stories, poetry, and now songwriting. Creating something new has always given me a buzz. I get off on it, pure and simple.

And that passion for songwriting led me to write for profit. Why? So I could spend more time writing! If I can make a living writing songs, it means I can spend a lot more time on my passion. I don’t have to jam songwriting into the cracks between a day job, family time, laundry and sleep. If I can replace a day job with songwriting- I get to just focus on songwriting, family, friends and sleep (haven’t figured out a way to avoid laundry yet).

I love getting cuts. It’s validating and encouraging. And not many feelings are better than hearing my own song on the radio. And the money from a hit single is fantastic, no doubt. But I would trade cuts for just being able to sit in a room with a buddy every day and make up songs. Unfortunately, that’s not how the world works. I need money to keep a roof over my head. So I aim for cuts and hits because it allows me to write more songs. Money feeds my habit.

No, success definitely didn’t “just happen” as a byproduct of writing for passion. A lot of my songwriting success is due to things out of my control, but it was never unintentional. I was intentional about writing often, intentional about learning the craft, intentional about networking. I wasn’t always very good at it, but I was purposeful. My intention to get cuts affected what kind of songs I wrote, how I chose cowriters, even moving to Nashville was a result of this intention.

I can’t say, “I made success pick me,” but I can say, “I raised my hand as high as I could as often as I could. I made it easy for success to find me.” It was definitely no accident.

Does this mean that every song I’ve ever written – or will ever write – is ONLY with an eye for profit? Does this mean I never write a song “just for fun” or just because it was something I “had to say?” No, that’s not what it means at all! But those times are the exception, not the rule. Because even when I write those songs, I usually try to craft them into a commercially relevant form. (Best of both worlds, right?) Even with “passion” songs, it’s wise to write them in a way that leaves the door open for profit.

What about you? How do you balance passion and profit? Do you even bother trying to balance them? And if YOU have a question you’d like me to address in a future blog post, email me at brent@songwritingpro.com. (I can’t get to them all, but I’ll answer your question here on the blog if I think it’ll help the Songwriting Pro community. Oh, and I’ll leave your name out, so you’ll keep your privacy.)

If you want to become a songwriting pro (in how you think, write songs or do business), then a great place to start is RIGHT HERE. I want to help you on your songwriting journey. I’ve been in the music business for years, and I’m here to help you get the cuts – and avoid the bruises. CLICK HERE TO START HERE.

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, The C.L.I.M.B.

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 19: 8 Questions To Ask Before You Demo That Song (part 2)

June 25, 2016 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 19 is live and ready for download!

Ever get a demo back and realize you just wasted a few hundred bucks? I know- it hurts. Well, we’re here to help you avoid that! On today’s episode, Brent leads as we finish up the questions you should ask yourself before demoing a song. This episode will help YOU spend your money and time wisely.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

The C.L.I.M.B. stands for “Creating Leverage In The Music Business,” and that’s the goal of this podcast- to help singers, indie artists and songwriters like YOU to create leverage in the music business. What is leverage? It’s “strategic advantage; the power to act effectively.” We want to help YOU make stuff happen in the music biz.

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

It’s been exciting to see how folks are digging the show- and being helped on their CLIMB. If YOU like it, we’d really appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave a rating or review on iTunes. Positive ratings and reviews help us to climb the iTunes rankings so more people become aware of the show and we can help more singers, songwriters, and indie artists like you make The CLIMB!

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

WordPlay, Write Like A Pro

Wordplay Thursday #147

June 23, 2016 Brent Baxter 16 Comments

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

“I felt as ridiculous as _____.”

Here’s a writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.

And try to get IMAGERY in at least one of your plays.

“I felt as ridiculous as _____.”

I’ll give you an example to get you started:

“I felt as ridiculous as a donkey in a bathtub.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

And thanks to everyone for your great additions to Wordplay Thursday #146 (read it here)! Great job!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Think Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

Set Your Cowriters Up For Success

June 20, 2016 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

I regretted the words as soon as they spilled out of my blabbermouth. “Yeah, I have this funny idea…” I didn’t regret sharing the idea because my cowriters hated it. No, I regretted sharing the idea because my cowriters LOVED it.

You see, we were jawboning at the front end of a cowrite, chit chatting and talking music. Well, my inner “Mr. Entertainer” got the best of me and (for a laugh) I shared this whacky song idea. Well, it got the laugh, but it also got a “we GOTTA write that!”

Well… shoot.

I wasn’t pitching the idea. I was just going for a laugh. My cowriters that day were both talented songwriters with cuts to their credit. So it wasn’t a matter of them being lousy songwriters. They’re good at what they do, but their wheelhouse is at one end of the country spectrum. And this idea, unfortunately, was on the OTHER end of the spectrum. Truth be told, the idea wasn’t in my wheelhouse, either. If anything, I needed cowriters to make up for MY lack of strength in that type of song.

Me and my big mouth.

We ended up with a song that was pretty well written, and pretty good (we even demoed it). But it just didn’t sparkle. I’m not saying that I would’ve gotten the song cut with any of my other cowriters (it still would’ve been a long shot), but I’ll never know.

Hopefully, I’ve learned my lesson. Ever since then, I try to be more disciplined about bringing the best appropriate ideas to each cowrite.

I want my cowriters to do what they’re great at.

Here’s a time I got it right. Some years ago, I found out comedy legend Ray Stevens (“Mississippi Squirrel Revival,” “The Streak,” “It’s Me Again, Margaret”) was working on a political comedy album. Just so happened, I had a silly title called, “Caribou Barbie” about Sarah Palin (no, really). Did I throw this idea out in my next cowrite? Uh-uh. I called up Matt Cline and Max T. Barnes.

Matt and Max both wrote for Ray at the time, so I knew our song would get a good listen. But even more importantly, I knew those two guys would write it right up Ray’s alley. Max already had a couple songs on the project, and Matt is just plain great at country comedy songs. I basically just had to throw that T-bone of a hook in between those two Rottweilers and get out of the way. The result?

Ray recorded the song for his album. There’s even a silly video… (it’s political comedy, ya’ll… don’t take it too seriously, and don’t get too uptight).

Of course, I can’t guarantee that simply pairing the right idea with the right cowriter will result in a cut. There are just so many things that go into landing a cut that I’ll never make that promise. But bringing the right idea into a cowriter who is great at that kinda thing will probably result in a better song and a more enjoyable cowrite.

And you sure won’t regret that.

What about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you have any stories about bringing in an idea to just the right cowriter? Or to the wrong one? How’d it work out? Please leave a comment!

Also, if you think this post might be helpful for your songwriting friends, please share it through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email, however you want. I want to help as many songwriters as possible!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

WordPlay, Write Like A Pro

Wordplay Thursday #146

June 16, 2016 Brent Baxter 29 Comments

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

“Helpless is _____.”

And try to get IMAGERY in at least one of your plays.

“Helpless is _____.”

I’ll give you an example to get you started:

“Helpless is watching her taillights disappear.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

And thanks to Barney Coulter, Ed, George Tselios, Shane Tripod, Debbie Convoy, Ron Lovett, Brad Yunek, David Ayers, Ty Devine, Eric Tingstad, Kim Kondrashoff, Nick S, Shoshaunna Hoover Gragg, McD, Ronnie Glenn, Joe MacKinnon, Rick Nolan, Joe Slyzelia and everyone else for your great additions to Wordplay Thursday #145 (read it here)! Great job!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Do Business Like A Pro, The C.L.I.M.B.

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 18: 20 Biggest Indie Artist Marketing Mistakes

June 14, 2016 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 18 is live and ready for download!

In this week’s episode, Johnny leads as we dive into part one of the 20 biggest indie artist marketing mistakes. If you’re an independent artist doing your own marketing/promo, I hope you aren’t wasting your money and spinning your wheels making these mistakes. To make sure you aren’t, give this episode a listen!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

Think Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

Write Better Songs By Accounting For Your Cowriter’s Writing Style

June 13, 2016 Brent Baxter 8 Comments

About an hour into the cowrite, I knew I’d made a mistake. This song was gonna be good, but it probably wasn’t going to be great. And it was my fault. I shouldn’t have brought this idea to this guy on this day.

Guess I should give you some back story. “This guy” was not some 2nd rate hack songwriter who was destroying my wonderful song idea. Actually, this guy, (let’s call him “Chris”) had written multiple #1 hits and a ton of album cuts. In fact, he and I had already written several songs together.

So, since Chris is so good, why was it a mistake to bring this certain idea to him? Because Chris is not a “grinder,” and I knew this idea still needed some grinding. The idea wasn’t completely clear in my mind. It needed to be fleshed out and explored more. But Chris wasn’t the guy for this. You see, Chris is a successful writer, a great writer, and a very FAST writer. I’ve never had a cowrite with him stretch over two sessions. Heck, I’ve rarely had them stretch past lunch!

I’m not as fast as Chris, at least not until I really have the idea clearly focused in my mind. You see, I’m not really ever “off to the races” until I have a good idea of what the racetrack looks like. Chris isn’t one to really dig and explore to mine the very best stuff out of a concept or title. And, hey, it’s worked out for him- he has a lot of gold and platinums on the wall.

But for ME to get my best work with Chris, I need to bring in a very clear idea, concept and direction. Maybe even a full scratch lyric. I call it “pre-writing,” and it’s kinda like getting a head start on the cowrite. Chris loves it since he can just focus on melody (his strength) and I don’t slow him down too much. Since I know the idea clearly, I can make lyrical adjustments quickly and with confidence. When I do my prep, I have a better experience- and the song ends up being a lot tighter, too.

So that was my mistake on this particular day. I suggested an idea that wasn’t ready- not for this particular cowriter, at least.

The lesson in this, for me anyway, is to account for your cowriter’s strengths and writing style when bringing in song ideas.

For example, I have another cowriter, “Dave,” who is much more of a grinder. I’m comfortable bringing in vague or uncertain ideas because I know Dave will work until the song sparkles. Dave even grinds on ideas that I feel are really fleshed out already – just to make sure we write it as well as we can. And I love that. Because I don’t need good songs. I need great songs.

Writing average songs won’t change my life. (And they probably won’t change yours, either.)

Chris and Dave are both hit songwriters, and I have a ton of respect for each of them. Each of us just has our own way of working. And I can work well with either one of those guys- as long as I respect each of their writing styles.

I could really frustrate Chris by constantly hitting the brakes and making him grind out an idea. Likewise, I could really frustrate Dave by slamming the gas and flying through a song he isn’t sure is the best it can be. But, instead, I want to respect each of their styles, and adjust accordingly. Sometimes this means I do more “pre-writing.” Sometimes not. But either way, when I respect my cowriters’ writing styles, I get better songs.

And maybe there’s a lesson in there for you. If you’re not getting the results you’d like with one of your cowriters, maybe you just need to adjust your songwriting process if possible. A few adjustments might just save your cowriting relationship- and save a lot of your song ideas!

What about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you have any stories about adjusting or NOT adjusting to your cowriter’s writing style? How’d it work out? Please leave a comment!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Do Business Like A Pro, The C.L.I.M.B.

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 17: 8 Questions To Ask Before You Demo That Song

June 10, 2016 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 17 is live and ready for download!

In this week’s episode, Brent leads as we dive into the questions you should ask yourself before demoing a song. This episode will help YOU spend your money and time wisely. It’s frustrating to get a demo back and within a month realize you just wasted $800. We’re here to help you avoid that!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

WordPlay, Write Like A Pro

Wordplay Thursday #145

June 9, 2016 Brent Baxter 21 Comments

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

“City is _____.”

And try to get IMAGERY in at least one of your plays.

“City is _____.”

I’ll give you an example to get you started:

“City is a $10 pay-to-park receipt on your dashboard.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

And thanks to Tommy Kib, Ken Matthiesen, Joe MacKennon, Earl Keith, Debbie Convoy, Ronnie Glenn, Brandon Russ, Susie Strange, Linda Keser, Kim, Larry M Clark, Ty Devine, Brett McGill, McD, Nicole O, Joe Slyzelia, Todd Dickinson and everyone else for your great additions to Wordplay Thursday #144 (read it here)! Great job!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Think Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

Should You Save Your Best Stuff For ONLY Hit Songwriters & Artists?

June 6, 2016 Brent Baxter 5 Comments

Are you sitting on your A-list song ideas, waiting for someday when you might get in the room with a hit songwriter or an artist?

Are you intentionally NOT writing these titles/ideas with your current cowriters because they’re unknown, unproven, or don’t have publishing deals?

That can be tempting. After all, you don’t want to “waste” your brilliant idea with anyone less than a hit songwriter or an artist. It’s tempting. But it’s also a mistake.

Here are four reasons you should NOT save your best ideas for “someday.” This is why you should bring your best stuff to EVERY cowrite.

1. Today’s unknown cowriter might be tomorrow’s hit writer.

Erin Enderlin was definitely higher up the Nashville ladder than I as when we started writing together (she still is, by the way). But back then, she was still a college student with no cuts to her credit. It’s a good thing I decided to pitch her the idea of “Monday Morning Church” instead of waiting till “someday when I get to Nashville and get to write with a hit songwriter.” ‘Cuz you know what? Erin WAS a hit songwriter. And so was I. It just so happened that we’d write our first hit… with each other. If an unknown writer is talented and hardworking, don’t hold back your best stuff. I’m certainly glad I didn’t.

2. Your best work creates better opportunities.

Simply put, your B-list work isn’t going to open A-list doors. Always bring your best. And as your best gets better, you’ll start to get noticed by folks higher up the ladder. If nothing else, think of your best stuff as bait for better cowrites. Here’s an example. You’re a lyricist, but you’ve only written with “B-list” melody people. Opportunity might happen when a publisher says, “Wow- what a great lyric and idea. Let me get you with some of my melody writers.”

3. There’s more where that came from.

If you keep writing, you’ll have more ideas. You’ll get better ideas. You’ll write better grooves, better guitar licks. Your creativity is a renewable resource. Trust that your current “best stuff” is not the only “best stuff” you’ll ever have.

4. The clock is ticking.

For one thing, your current best stuff might not even be relevant in a year or two. The market may change. Trends may shift. Strike now, while the iron’s hot. Also, you are (or at least, you should be) growing as a songwriter. Most of your A-list stuff today will become your B-list stuff tomorrow. But the clock slows down for really good work. A great song stands the test of time, and you can only write one if you’re writing the very best you can, not holding back for “someday.” So do your best work as often as you can.

Does this mean that EVERY best idea is right for EVERY cowriter? No. And that’s something we’ll discuss soon. But the point is that you want to do your very best work, regardless of who else is in the room. Your songwriting skill is like a sport- you play like you practice. If you don’t make it a habit to always do your best (acting like some cowrites are just “practice”), your best may not be there when you need it- when you finally do get in the room with that hit songwriter or artist.

What about you? Have you held back on presenting your best stuff to cowriters. How’d that work out? Have you presented your best stuff to an unproven cowriter only to be happily surprised by the results? I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment.

If you enjoyed this post and think it might help others, I’d appreciate a share on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn… wherever. Thanks!

Also, if you want to become a songwriting pro (in how you think, write songs or do business), then a great place to start is RIGHT HERE. I want to help you on your songwriting journey. I’ve been in the music business for years, and I’m here to help you get the cuts – and avoid the bruises. CLICK HERE TO START HERE.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

QUESTION:

ANSWER:

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 19 is live and ready for download!

I regretted the words as soon as they spilled out of my blabbermouth. “Yeah, I have this funny idea…” I didn’t regret sharing the idea because my cowriters hated it. No, I regretted sharing the idea because my cowriters LOVED it.

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 18 is live and ready for download!

About an hour into the cowrite, I knew I’d made a mistake. This song was gonna be good, but it probably wasn’t going to be great. And it was my fault. I shouldn’t have brought this idea to this guy on this day.

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 17 is live and ready for download!

Are you sitting on your A-list song ideas, waiting for someday when you might get in the room with a hit songwriter or an artist?

1. Today’s unknown cowriter might be tomorrow’s hit writer.

2. Your best work creates better opportunities.

3. There’s more where that came from.

4. The clock is ticking.

Helping songwriters turn pro.