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Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
Knowing why you write will make you a happier, more successful songwriter. Whoa. That’s a pretty bold statement, isn’t it? Well, today, I’m going to give you five reasons I believe this is true. So let’s get to it.
1. It provides direction.
If you know why you write, it’s a lot easier to figure out what to do next. For example, if you write as a way to preserve family stories and history, then your next step might be to pull out the family photo albums to find ideas. Or you might want to record some songs as Christmas presents for your family. On the other hand, if you write songs about fishing that you hope fishermen will buy, you can focus on writing fishing songs and figuring out how to market them to fishermen.
2. It clears the clutter.
Knowing why you write not only provides direction to your writing, it helps you identify what you SHOULDN’T be doing. For example, if you write songs to get them recorded by others, why are you spending so much time booking your own shows and shopping for stage clothes? Just go to shows of people that might record your songs and get to know them. If you write to see kids light up and dance in the living room, you know you can stop making videos and trying to get views on YouTube. Just find some kids and a living room.
3. It helps you find your tribe.
Or maybe it means you don’t need to find a tribe. Your tribe is that group of folks who care about what you care about and share similar interests, passions, and goals. If you write to express your love of beer, maybe you shouldn’t be looking for cowrites at a church choir convention. Find a band playing in a honky tonk.
If you’re writing to hear your song on the radio, you don’t have to spend money demoing that novelty song written in Russian. You also know you don’t have to watch hours of YouTube videos on “how to write hit songs” if you know you really just want to write songs to cheer up sick children in the hospital.
You post a song online and some bonehead rants about how your song, “This Is How You Milk A Cow,” will never get on today’s country radio. Since you know you write to entertain and educate kids about farming and country life, you can just laugh and go on with your day. But if they say they were confused because for the whole first verse, they thought you were talking about being an astronaut, then you know you might need a rewrite.
So, yes, I believe you’ll be a happier and more successful songwriter if you can define why you write. Irrelevant criticism won’t drag you down, and you’ll spend your time and money on things that get you closer to what was important to you deep down anyway. You’ll have a better idea of which opportunities to pursue and which to ignore. And you’ll have a better chance of finding like-minded folks with which to share your journey.
So, why do YOU write? Spend some time thinking about it if you haven’t before. If you’re feeling really froggy, post it in the comments. There are no wrong reasons. Just honest or dishonest ones.
FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG
If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
The music business is a tough, tough business, and the path to success travels through setbacks, failure, and doubt. The journey requires you to have patience, and it requires you to do difficult, challenging things. I don’t know of any hacks or tricks which avoid hard work.
However, it is important to remember that not all difficult things are necessary, and not all necessary things are difficult. To maximize your efforts, you want to avoid the unnecessary and do the necessary, whether difficult or not. Doing the easy, unnecessary thing is sometimes inefficient, sometimes just lazy. Doing the unnecessary, difficult thing is sometimes inexperience, and sometimes just self-sabatoge. Try to spend the vast majority of your time on only the necessary things. Wisdom, experience, and the advice of the wise and experienced is vital to knowing which things those are. Good luck and God bless!
-Brent
FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG
If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
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.
“Grandmas are _____________________.”
I’ll give you one example to get you started:
“Grandmas are homegrown tomato sandwiches.”
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!
-Brent
Thanks to Jessica Stewart and Phil Grigg for their great additions to Wordplay Thursday #9 (read it here)! Great job!
Hey, ya’ll. If you like this blog, then make sure you don’t miss a single post. Subscribe by entering your email address in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” box either in the top righthand corner or down below. And I appreciate it when you share MvR on Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else. Thanks!
If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
Nobody can provide you with an exact roadmap on how to get from being an amateur songwriter to being a professional songwriter. But here are five things you must know – and act upon – if you want to go pro.
You have to build a network. Songs move from hand to hand (or inbox to inbox) and into the right hands based on relationships. These relationships can range anywhere from business acquaintances to best friends. You MUST get to know people, and they must get to know your music.
In order to earn money, your songs have to have value in the market- somebody wants to record them, and a bunch of somebodies want to buy them. To live off your royalties or to get and keep a pub deal, you songs have to earn significant income. Your job is NOT to write songs. Your job is to write songs that make money.
If you treat it like a hobby, that’s all songwriting will ever be for you. And that’s fine. But if you want it to be a business, you have to act like a professional. The serious writers make the serious money (sometimes).
To break into the biz, your songs can’t be “just as good as” the worst stuff on records and radio. If an artist wants to cut mediocre, they’ll cut THEIR OWN mediocre song, or their buddy’s or their producer’s. Your song has to compete against everybody else’s BEST songs.
The professional songwriters are the ones who have been willing to sacrifice. They came home from their day jobs and picked up the guitar instead of the tv remote. They spent their Spring Break in Nashville instead of at the beach. They left family to move to Nashville. They waited tables – even though they had a masters degree – just to be there.
Thanks for hanging in there with me- I know this post is more about perspiration than inspiration. Work hard, good luck, and God bless!
-Brent
What did I miss? Anything you’d like to add or ask? I’d love to hear your thoughts – leave a comment!
FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG
If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
I’ve run into some aspiring songwriters who believe they have “the song,” and if they can just get “the song” to Kenny Chesney or Carrie Underwood, that it’ll be a surefire hit. The hard truth is that it’s foolish to put all your hopes on one song. So much timing, luck, and networking goes into getting a cut, much less a hit, that you need a CATALOG of great, commercially-viable songs. If you have a bunch of great songs working their way through the system, MAYBE one will get cut. If you can write one great song, that’s great. Now focus on writing more great songs. Good luck and God bless!
-Brent
If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
For the past two weeks, I’ve discussed how songwriters can maximize mentoring sessions. You can read part one HERE and part two HERE. Today, let’s talk about how to maximize your mentoring AFTER the session. And away we go…
Chances are, you’re feeling a little kicked around. Don’t worry- we’ve all been kicked around. This is an opportunity to build your getting-back-on-the-horse muscles. Believe me, you’ll need them over the years to come. It’s important not to swing too far in either direction- “I’ve arrived” or “I’ll never get there.” Just because your mentor didn’t do backflips doesn’t mean it’s time to feed your guitar to a woodchipper. And just because your mentor DID to backflips doesn’t mean it’s time to give your boss the ‘ol Johnny Paycheck. Just take a deep breath.
Thoughtfully consider the feedback you received.
Put away the voice of pride which says, “they don’t know what they’re talking about- just ignore ‘em.” Also put away the voice of fear and laziness that doesn’t want to admit you may have a lot of work ahead of you. Honestly, did the mentor make some valid points? Maybe you brought in a rodeo song and your mentor told you rodeo songs aren’t in demand right now. Well, get on iTunes or Billboard and do the research. It’s not about seeing the world as you want it to be. See the world as it is.
Seek out additional educated feedback.
Nobody’s opinion is gospel. Nobody has perfect understanding. If you disagreed with everything your mentor said, get another opinion. If you agreed with everything your mentor said, get additional opinions. If you hear the same point made by two or more pros, really give it a lot of consideration. But there’s another reason to seek additional opinions- it will help you grow your network and increase the chance that you’ll find your champion.
Don’t let one meeting determine the validity of your dreams. That is a decision for you, your family, and the Good Lord. Well, it’s actually HIS decision alone, but it sure is a lot easier on everyone if you and your family get on the same page with Him.
Well, there we have it: how to maximize a mentoring session. I hope this series has been helpful.
What did I miss? Anything you’d like to add or ask? Leave a comment!
Right now, the next Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert aren’t famous yet. They don’t have gatekeepers, and they still write with unknown writers. But that will probably change in three years when they get a record deal. You might want to find them and write with them starting… now.
-Brent
If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
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.
“That boy’s stronger than _____________________.”
I’ll give you one example to get you started:
“That boy’s stronger than a garlic milkshake.”
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!
Thanks to Andrew Clayton, Nila Kay, Mark, Patrick Beck, Steve, and Jessica Stewart for their great additions to Wordplay Thursday #7 (read it here)! Great job!
Hey, ya’ll. If you like this blog, then make sure you don’t miss a single post. Subscribe by entering your email address in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” box either in the top righthand corner or down below. And I love it when you share this blog through facebook, Twitter, and wherever! Thanks!
