Buckle up, songwriters.  I’m about to throw a bunch of songwriting advice at you.  Gather ’round, y’all.

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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!

Click Here For The Book

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Opportunity is attracted to activity.  If you only write songs every now and then and you never leave your bedroom, you are not going to get many opportunities.  But if you’re writing a lot of songs and building relationships, more opportunity will find you.

Nothing is sadder than writing songs you don’t even like because you’re aiming for a hit – and then failing, anyway.  Write something you love.  If you fail, at least you still have songs you’re proud of.

Write with people you can be honest with.  How can your song be honest and deep if you and your cowriter can’t even be honest and deep with each other?

Keep writing.  Your best songs are ahead of you.

If an unsigned artist isn’t working hard, working with them is probably a waste of time.

Songs are about communication.  If you aren’t clear about what you want to communicate in your song, you will probably only communicate confusion.

One quality of a great lyric is that it is SINGABLE.  A singer should enjoy singing your words – they should feel natural.  In short, if it won’t sing, it won’t get sung.

There is no one path to songwriting success.  Everyone’s path has its own twists and turns.  Don’t worry if your path isn’t like everybody else’s.  Make a new way!

Whether you write for hits or for personal enjoyment, be sure and have fun along the way.  You can have self-enjoyment without hits, but you probably won’t write hits if you don’t enjoy yourself along the way.  So have fun!

Each of your songs has value – even the so-called “bad” ones.  After all, without the bad ones, how do you ever get to the good ones?  You have to write THROUGH the bad songs to get TO the good songs.

It is vital that you have a positive attitude – protect it like a mama bear protects her cubs.  A positive attitude helps get you through the inevitable discouragement, heartbreak, and long periods when it feels like nothing is happening for you.

Avoid “work for work’s sake.”  For example, checking your email 50 times a day might make you busy, but it won’t make you productive or successful as a songwriter.  It is better to do something effective for one hour than to do something busy for eight hours.

Before spending your hard-earned money on a demo, ask yourself: “Does this song beat out what I’m already pitching?  Is it something I don’t already have available to pitch?  Honestly, will I pitch it enough to justify the financial investment?”

The first line of your song is extremely important.  If the first line is a boring cliche’, you’re in danger of losing the listener right off the bat.   But if your first line is fresh and interesting, odds are the listener will stick around a while.

If you’d like to sit down with me (online from anywhere in the world), I have some coaching slots available.  This is your chance to ask me YOUR questions, work on your songs, pick my brain, etc.  Basically, it’s my time to serve you however I can, on a comfortable one-to-one basis.

You can learn more or sign up for a helpful coaching session 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.

Songwriters are storytellers.  We love to tell our listeners about the world as we see it- what makes us laugh, what makes us cry, what we believe in, etc.  But the most important story you will ever tell as a songwriter… is the story you tell YOURSELF.

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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!

Click Here For The Book

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The story we choose to tell ourselves will have a huge impact on our growth, creativity and success as songwriters.  I know they have in my career.

I figured out early in my songwriting that I wasn’t any good at writing melodies.  I’ve never been a good singer, and melodies are frustrating.  But the words?  Words have always been my thing.  I’ve always loved playing with them- and I have a knack for it.  Along with this realization of my strengths and weaknesses came a choice.

What story will I tell myself- about myself?

Will I tell myself that I’m “only half a songwriter?”  That I’m “not a real songwriter?”  Will I tell myself it’s not fair that life didn’t hand me all the talents I’d like to have?  Will I tell myself that no “real” songwriter would want to write with “just a lyricist?”

As you can probably guess, that’s NOT the story I told myself.  I told myself, “I’m a lyricist.  I’m  a specialist.”  I told myself myself that country music loves great lyrics – so I do something valuable.  I told myself I don’t have to be great at everything.  I told myself that as long as I’m great at one thing, I’d have a seat at the table.

This self-story has made an incredible difference.

It has allowed me to act from a position of confidence instead of doubt.  Instead of approaching potential cowriters almost apologetically like “I’m sorry, but will you please write with me?  I’m only a lyricist,” I could look them in the eye without shame and say, “I’m a lyricist, and I have some ideas I think you’re gonna love.”

What story do you tell yourself?

Do you tell yourself that it doesn’t matter how good your songs are because “you gotta know somebody?” Or do you say “I’m GOING to make it- and the better my songs are, the easier it’s going to be to get to know somebody?”

Do you tell yourself that publishers are stupid for not liking your songs?  Or do you tell yourself that publishers NEED great songs and you just have to write better ones?

Is your story that you were born in the wrong PLACE to be a songwriter because you’re hundreds of miles from New York, LA or Nashville?  Or is your story that you were born at a great TIME to be a songwriter because you can use the internet to connect with the music business from anywhere in the world?

The story you CHOOSE to tell will either help or hurt your chances for success.

Is your story “you gotta be lucky to make it, so it doesn’t matter how hard I work?”  Or is your story “luck loves songwriters that are serious and work hard, so I’m gonna work harder?”

Your story matters.

It’s time to do a check up from your neck up.  Be honest with yourself about your story.  Are your stories helping you or holding you back?

Does your story tell you why you CAN, or does it tell you why you CAN’T?

Listen, I’m not into fru-fru ya-ya mumbo jumbo.  I don’t believe success is attracted to me just because I tell myself I’ll be successful. No, if I believe I’ll be successful, I’m more willing to put in the work and take the chances that make success more likely.  My story doesn’t change the universe.  My story changes me.

If your story is that music publishers don’t know what good music is so they won’t like your music, you know what will probably happen?  You’ll probably play songs for one or two publishers – just enough to prove yourself “right” – and then just quit calling publishers.

However, if your story after one or two rejections is that you just haven’t found the right publisher yet, you’ll keep trying.  And that alone increases your odds of success.  Or if your story is that you just need to write better songs, you’ll stay in the game, writing, getting better, and building publisher relationships.  And then you might just get that big hit.

And THAT will be a great story.

If you’d like to sit down with me (online from anywhere in the world), I have some coaching slots available.  This is your chance to ask me YOUR questions, work on your songs, etc.  Basically, it’s my time to serve you however I can, on a comfortable one-to-one basis.

You can learn more or sign up for a helpful coaching session HERE.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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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!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________
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.

Confession time: I’m a below-average guitar player, I couldn’t write a hit melody to save my life, and I sing like a horse.  But you know what?  Choosing to stay awful at those things has helped me become a successful songwriter.  

Choosing to be terrible just might help you, too.

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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!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

I’m not kidding when I say I’m not good at singing, playing or writing melody.  It isn’t false humility- it’s the truth.  I’m not naturally gifted at any of those things.  And that’s okay.  I’ve still been able to write some cuts and get a song or two on the radio.  As a matter of fact, choosing to stay awful at those things has been one of my wisest business decisions.

Choosing to be terrible at most things has helped me be great at a few things.

I’m a word guy.  Words and ideas are my thing.  I’ve always played with words and made up stories.  That’s my natural gift.  so early in my songwriting journey, I decided that my best chance for success was to be great at one thing- at least ONE thing.  I didn’t have to be great at everything.

I went all-in on my natural strengths.

I could’ve wasted a lot of time just trying to get my singing, playing and melodies up to average.  And the time spent on those skills (or lack thereof) is time I could’ve been using to sharpen my lyrical skills.  I could’ve ended up being average at everything.

Nobody turns pro by being average.

I figured if I got great at lyrics and ideas, I’d earn a seat at the table.  While nobody is dying for a mediocre lyricist, a lot of songwriters value what a highly skilled lyricist can bring to a cowrite.  That’s where I’ve made my value and created opportunities.

Of course, I’d love to be great at everything.  But, like most writers… everything ain’t my thing.

You’re probably not good at everything, either.

I mean… if you ARE outstanding at several skills… God bless you.  Run with them.  That’s awesome.  But if you’re like most of us, you have some strengths and you have some weaknesses.

Is it time to go ALL-IN on your strengths?

Are you missing the chance to be remarkable at something- to have a calling card as a songwriter- in an effort to be great at everything?  If you have one really valuable skill that people need, you’ll have the opportunity to be successful.  You don’t have to be great at everything.

After all, that’s why God made cowriters.

What do YOU think about this?  Are you equally skilled at several things, or do you have one “songwriting superpower?”  Do you think you’ve focused too much on your weaknesses and not enough on your strengths?  Leave a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

By the way, I’m blessed to be the new owner of a cool site called Frettie.com!  It’s a place for songwriters to share our songs, get creative kickstarters, and a bunch of other cool stuff.   Check it out if you get a chance.

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.

There are so many distractions in a songwriter’s life – both inside and outside of the writing room.  They sneak up on us and steal our best work right out from under us.  But if YOU want to consistently move toward success, you must keep focused on your big W.I.N.

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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!

Click Here For The Book

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Every day, every hour, every minute, you need to be focused on your W.I.N. Your W.I.N. will help you beat back distraction, drama, and derailment.  Focusing on your W.I.N. will help you keep moving in the direction of your dreams in spite of disappointment.  Because, let’s face it… there WILL be disappointment.

W.I.N. = What’s Important Now?

You win when you W.I.N.

Yeah, I know it sounds simple.  But simple isn’t always easy.  There are so many things that keep us from writing, for example.

How many times do you check email during a cowrite?  That’s not W.I.N.ing.

Whatever MIGHT be waiting in your inbox is probably not more important than the song you’re working on.  Dreaming about your someday #1 party isn’t as important as the song you’re writing now.  Complaining about the music biz isn’t as important as that next song.  Playing your newest demos for your cowriter isn’t as important as the song you’re writing right now.

Sometimes, writing a new song won’t be your W.I.N.

Sometimes, your W.I.N. is to search for an idea worth writing.  And eventually, you’ll need to record your best songs so you can play them for people.  Sometimes, the W.I.N. will be pitching a song – and tracking down who to pitch it to.  Sometimes the W.I.N. will be a songwriting workshop or class so your future songs will be better, faster.

And sometimes your W.I.N. is to shut everything down for the day and be fully present with your family – so you’ll have people who will celebrate your eventual success with you (instead of resenting your songwriting).

Sometimes, the W.I.N. is to put down the guitar and spend time with your Creator, getting yourself in tune so you define success correctly.  “What’s Important Now” might be finding out what’s most important in your life.

“What’s Important Now” will be different at different times, so you’ll want to ask that question several times a day.  As a matter of fact, you might want to grab the image below and keep it where you’ll see it often.  (If you’re like me, you need frequent reminders to do the BEST thing, not just a good thing or the next thing.)

I hope this reminder will help YOU win in your songwriting- and in life.  I’d love to hear from you.  What are some of the things that distract you from your W.I.N.?  How do you stay focused or get back on track?  Leave a comment!

If your W.I.N. is to really dig in to what it means to write commercial, “cut/able” songs, then you should definitely check out my new, expanded and upgraded version of “Cut/able: Lessons In Market Smart Songwriting.” Its five powerful lessons will help you write songs that artists want to sing, radio wants to play, and listeners want to hear! CLICK HERE TO WRITE CUT/ABLE SONGS.

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.