Tag Archives: Rare Spark Media

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Congrats To Our September 2019 “Play For A Publisher” Winners!

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Congratulations to our newest “Play For Publisher” Top Ten songs and songwriters!

First of all, thank you to each of you who took a chance, took positive action, and submitted one or more songs to the “Play For Publisher” event with Matt Lindsey of Matt Lindsey Music.  Ya’ll are just plain awesome.

Out of about 200 songs, it took a while to whittle it down to just 10.

There were a lot of worthy songs sent in, and I felt bad about leaving so many out.  If your song wasn’t chosen this time doesn’t mean that it isn’t a good song.

You know, one time I turned a song in to my publisher, and they didn’t know what to do with it, so they didn’t want to do anything with it.  My cowriters wanted to demo it, and the publisher said they wouldn’t pay for a demo.

The song was called, “Crickets,” and we got it cut by Joe Nichols.  It’s the title track to one of his recent albums.

joe-nichols-crickets

That’s right.  The song my publisher wouldn’t even pay to demo got cut anyway.  (My cowriters did an out-of-pocket guitar/vocal, and we pitched it ourselves.)

Welcome to Nashville.  So while I listened to each and every song and did my best to pick the ones that have the best chance of catching Scot’s ear… I could be wrong.  That’s just the way the music biz works.  So if your song wasn’t selected, it doesn’t mean you should give up on it.

Okay, here are the Top Ten (in no particular order):

“Fun Lovin’ Drunk” by Alexsi Mallory

“To The Moon And Back” by Kay Mott, Mark Anthony Dolin

“Luckiest Man Alive” by Andrew Cavanagh, Benn Gunn, Kevin Rowe

“Songs I Wish I’d Written” by Jason Goolesby, Daniel Leathersich

“She’s All Over” by Steve Smentek, Brad McKinney, Mikey Meiers

“Hand Me Down Halos” by Selby Copeland, Brittany Brant, Claire Bunnik

“Shootin’ Stars” by Matt Tucker, Nick Columbia, Russell Sutton

“On Her Bedside Table” by Jeanne Freer

“Shady Behavior” by Jim Edwards, Donna Fant

“24 Clement Street” by Ted Hadzi-Antich

(The Songwriting Pro community would LOVE to hear your songs, so if you have a link you’d like to post to your “Top 10” song, please post it in the comments below!  You can also listen to all the Top 10 songs with a CLICK HERE.)

Congratulations!  Matt and I look forward to hanging out with you on September 23.  (In the days before the event, I’ll email the winners the instructions about the online meeting.)

Like I said, the 10 songs above aren’t the only good ones I had the pleasure of hearing.  There are several more that were put “on hold” for the top 10 songs.  This list could be quite a bit longer, but I’d like to spotlight a few of them, too.  (Ya’ll feel free to link up your songs in the comments, too!)

“ON HOLD” songs…

“Hot Water”  by Marla Rubenstein, Buttrey, Clagg

“Older, Budweiser Man” by Terry Cranert

“That’s What I’m Talking About” by Steve Christopher

“Two Dollar Bill” by Annie Havey

“I Hope You Don’t Fall In Love” by Cody Coggins

“You’re The One That’s Crazy” by Christian Devlin

“My Phone Got Drunk Last Night” by Doug Brisco

“Old Tattoos” by Curtis Cameron

“In My Rearview” by Joel Holman, Danny Mann

“Give Up” by Claire Bunnik, Brittany Brant, Selby Copeland

These songs, along with others, were in there battling it out with the top 10, so be encouraged!  You can hear all the “On Hold” songs with a CLICK HERE.

If you want to enter a song in the next round of “Play For A Publisher,” the best way to stay in the loop is to join the Songwriting Pro Insider’s List.  You can do this by downloading my FREE ebook, “Think Like A Pro Songwriter.”  Not only is this ebook full of helpful information, you’ll stay up to date on future opportunities like this one.  Here’s the link:

________________________________

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

_________________________________

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 top 10 in Texas, and a #1 in Canada… 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. SWP 4

P4P, Write Like A Pro

Songwriting: If You Can’t W.R.A.P. It, You Should SCRAP It.

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Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your songwriting career is to NOT write.  Sometimes, writing a song actually hurts your chances for songwriting success more than it helps.  

Wanna know why?  Read on below.

_______________________________

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

_________________________________

There are only so many hours in the day, and you’re chasing a BIG dream with a ton of competition and a low chance of success.  So you sure better be spending your time on the right things.  But are you?  How do you know?

Here’s what I used to focus my time wisely:  “W.R.A.P.”

You know how I like acronyms, and it just so happens that the four cornerstones of professional songwriting success happen to fall neatly into “W.R.A.P.”  This makes my heart so happy.  Let’s dive in.

1. Writing

This one’s pretty obvious. We’re songwriters, aren’t we? If you’re a writer… write. If you don’t write, there’s nothing to get recorded. And it’s not enough to just write every once in a while. Write hard, write consistently.

Of course, that’s easier said than done.  There are so many distractions and doubts that want to creep in.  But you MUST protect your writing time if you ever want it to be your profession.  Schedule it, then show up.  Hold yourself accountable.

“But wait a second,” you might be thinking. “Didn’t this blog post start out by warning me that writing songs might be HURTING my chances of success?  What’s the deal?”

That’s true.  While the actual writing is an unconditional part of songwriting success, it’s not the ONLY part of that success.  You must also do the other parts of W.R.A.P.  Writing is the fun part. (That’s why we got into this thing, right?)  But it can also become a hiding place where we avoid the more uncertain, less fun parts of turning pro.

So that’s what I mean.  Writing is a very important part of songwriting success, but it’s not the only part of it.

2. Recording

It’s not enough to have scratchy worktapes if you want someone else to cut and release your song. You have to get a good recording of your song- one that presents it in a good light. This could be a guitar/vocal, a full demo, or something in between.

And it’s worth noting that not every song is worth demoing.  Some songs only serve to get you to the next song.  Be honest with yourself.  Will this song really take you closer to your goals?  If not, be thankful for it as practice, and move on.  Don’t hide in the studio because it’s more comfortable than doing other, more scary or uncomfortable elements of W.R.A.P.

3. Accessing

A great song and demo does you no good if you can’t get it into the hands of someone who can do something with it. Accessing is building relationships and otherwise gaining access to singers, publishers, labels, producers, etc.

If you want cuts, you MUST gain access.  This may be through gaining access to a publisher who can take your song further than you can, or it may be building direct pitch relationships.  Or both.  And don’t leave Accessing to chance.  Make a plan to connect with others.  Schedule it.  Hold yourself accountable.

4. Pitching

Having access doesn’t mean anything if you don’t actually pitch your song.  You have to ask for the cut, as simple as that. You have to give publishers, artists, etc. the opportunity to say “yes” to your song.  This and Accessing are usually the scariest, most uncomfortable parts of W.R.A.P., but they are vital.  Again, you have to hold yourself accountable to pitching your best songs.  If you don’t, you know what’ll happen?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  And when nothing happens, nothing changes.  You’ll stay right where you are now.  Do you want that?

Note that each of these are cornerstones – you won’t have a stable, well-functioning career if you neglect one or more of them. I’m not saying you should spend equal hours on each of these areas, but you should give them the proper amount of time based on your particular situation.

W.R.A.P. is good for helping you focus on what’s important. If an opportunity comes up, compare it to W.R.A.P. If that activity doesn’t fall into one of those categories, it might not be a wise use of your time.  Perhaps you should replace that activity with W.R.A.P.

If it’s not W.R.A.P., maybe you should scrap it.

Hey, if you’re ready to work on Accessing, I have a great opportunity coming up.

Songwriting Pro’s next “Play For A Publisher” event is accepting songs NOW, and our guest is Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director of Daywind Music Publishing & Billy Blue Publishing!  Joe Dan works in the Country, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass and CCM/Worship markets.  If YOU have the songs, HE knows what to do with them!  Play for a publisher.  Get his professional feedback.  Make a connection.  Overcome your fear.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEND IN YOUR SONG!

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 Single of the Year in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.  He  also  co-hosts  a 5-star podcast,  “The  C.L.I.M.B.”  on  iTunes,  Stitcher  & HERE.SWP 4

P4P, Write Like A Pro

10 Reasons Songwriters Should Pitch Their Own Songs

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When I signed my first publishing deal with Major Bob Music, I thought, “This is great!  I can just sit in my writer’s room, write every day, and let our three songpluggers pitch my songs and get ‘em cut.”  This was a big mistake. 

Wanna know why?  Read on below.

_______________________________

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

_________________________________

My mistake didn’t have to do with my songpluggers.  Scot, Mike, and Jesse were all smart, hardworking guys who wanted me to succeed.  Those guys worked busted their backsides for all of their writers.  It was a mistake because I spent the first couple years of that deal missing out on the benefits of pitching my own songs.

Here are ten benefits of pitching your own songs.

1. Your odds improve.

It’s HARD to get cuts, so you want all hands on deck.  Simply put, the more songs of yours that are getting pitched, the better the chance of the right song hitting the right ears at the right time.

2. Your back catalog stays active.

When you leave a publishing deal, it’s natural for your pluggers to back-burner your old songs and focus on their current writers and their newest songs.  Pitching your own songs helps keep your best old songs in circulation.

3. You hear your songs more honestly.

Sitting across the desk from a producer or A&R rep makes you hear your songs differently.  Little flaws which you might’ve ignored before become more obvious, especially if they pass on the song.  Over time, this kind of listening makes your “flaw-detector” more sensitive when you’re writing.

4. You demo songs more wisely.

On a related note, the experience and feedback you get from pitching helps you demo only your best-chance songs.  Your flaw-detector is more sensitive, and you ask yourself important questions like, “Do I ever pitch this type of song?  Does this type of song ever get kept or cut?  Is this song going to replace one of the songs I’m currently pitching?  Am I excited about playing this song for so-and-so?”

5. Nobody knows your catalog better than you do.

Sometimes, a song may sit around for years before the right pitch comes along.  A plugger probably won’t remember it if it’s not in the regular pitching rotation.  But you might.  For example, when I heard that comedy legend, Ray Stevens, was doing a political album, I dusted off an old, never-before-pitched song called “Fly Over Country,” which had reverted back to me from my Major Bob deal.  I pitched it myself, and Ray cut it.

6. It builds your personal brand.

An A&R rep may hear five of your songs in a day from five different sources.  That’s great, but they might never know those are YOUR songs.  They might associate the songs with your cowriters or the publishers who brought them.  If it’s YOU in the room, though, the rep hears several of your songs in a row and get to put your face to the name on the CD.  And you get to do the same, which is handy if you see them out at an industry function.  Oh,and you hopefully get them to like you as a person, which never hurts.

7. It can lead to cowrites.

When an A&R or producer associates your amazing songs with you- an amazing person – and you happen to be in the room with them… they might just decide to hook you up for a cowrite with another writer they dig or (even better) one of their artists.  It’s a beautiful thing.

8. You get the inside scoop.

The A&R/producer  can tell you what they need, and you can ask followup questions.  That may bring to mind another song from your catalog (from any publisher you’ve had) which you can play right then or send later.  And this info won’t have the chance of getting mis-relayed or not relayed at all to you by your plugger.

9. Your songs are the focus of the pitch meeting.

Your plugger goes into meetings representing several writers, all of whom are really good.  So while you might land a couple of songs in the meeting, there are others that won’t be yours.  But in your meetings, you’re on all the songs.  More pitches, more chances to win.

10. You develop your own contacts.

What happens if your songplugger gets hit by a bus?  Or if you lose your publishing deal?  If you’re only relying on your plugger’s contacts and don’t have any of your own, your songs aren’t gonna get heard as often.  I’ve been between deals, and it felt good knowing (and not just hoping) that my songs were still getting pitched.

So, there you go.  My top ten reasons songwriters should pitch their own songs.  But, like I said in point #1, I’m an all-hands-on-deck kind of guy.  So I like working with publishers when it makes sense.  If you’re interesting in working with a publisher, too, I have a great opportunity coming up.

Songwriting Pro’s next “Play For A Publisher” event is coming right up, and our guest is Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director of Daywind Music Publishing & Billy Blue Publishing!  Joe Dan works in the Country, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass and CCM/Worship markets.  If YOU have the songs, HE knows what to do with them!  Play for a publisher.  Get his professional feedback.  Make a connection.  Overcome your fear.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEND IN YOUR SONG!

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 Single of the Year in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.  He  also  co-hosts  a 5-star podcast,  “The  C.L.I.M.B.”  on  iTunes,  Stitcher  & HERE.SWP 4

P4P, Write Like A Pro

Here’s Why YOu Don’t Need A Music Publisher.

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With the number of available publishing deals shrinking (along with royalty income), with more and more artists writing their own songs in “camps,” and with home recording getting better and cheaper… do songwriters still need publishers?

The answer is “NO… IF…”

Want more?  Read on below.

_______________________________

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

_________________________________

Here’s why you DON’T need a publisher.

1. You aren’t trying to get other artists to record your songs.

You write for yourself, family and friends.  You aren’t actively pursuing commercial success.  If somehow someone gets ahold of your song and records it… whatever.  But you aren’t chasing it.  Or you’re the artist and record your own songs.

2. You have your own pitch relationships.

You can get meetings with artists, A&R reps, and/or music producers.  Even if you can’t get meetings, you can at least email them songs- and you KNOW they’ll listen.  Or you are your own (signed) artist and write for yourself.  The point is, you can get your songs to someone who can say “yes.”

3. You’re self-funded.

You can cover your own demo expenses.  And you are in a financial situation that allows you the flexibility to write a lot.  In other words, you don’t need an advance (or draw) from a publisher.

4. You can do your own publishing administration.

You either outsource your publishing admin, or you’re able to do the business side yourself.  You know how to copyright, register, and license your songs that do get cut.

5. You have your own cowriter relationships.

Publishers often help hook their writers up with high-level cowriters- or even artists.  If your networking and people skills are strong enough, you can do this yourself.

So there you go.  Five reasons you might not need a publisher.  Sound like you?  Awesome!  But if that doesn’t sound like you, I have a great opportunity coming up!

Songwriting Pro’s next “Play For A Publisher” event is coming right up, and our guest is Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director of Daywind Music Publishing & Billy Blue Publishing!  Joe Dan works in the Country, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass and CCM/Worship markets.  If YOU have the songs, HE knows what to do with them!  Play for a publisher.  Get his professional feedback.  Make a connection.  Overcome your fear.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEND IN YOUR SONG!

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 Single of the Year in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.  He  also  co-hosts  a 5-star podcast,  “The  C.L.I.M.B.”  on  iTunes,  Stitcher  & HERE.SWP 4

P4P, Write Like A Pro

Great advice from our March 2019 “Play For A Publisher” event!

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Want to get inside the mind of a hit music publisher?  Read on!

We had a great “Play For A Publisher” event in March with Scot Sherrod of Rare Spark Media in Nashville.  The Songwriting Pro community brought some strong songs, and Scot brought some great advice.  Let’s dive into some of his advice (paraphrased)!

It’s not a publisher’s job to tell you exactly HOW to “fix” or change your song.  That’s up to you- you’re the creative one.  But part of their job is to raise red flags when necessary.

Want more?  Read on below.

_______________________________

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

_________________________________

When you want to be a songwriter in a corporate environment, it’s hard not to me married to each song you write.  After all, you have to be close to a song to write a life-changer.  But you also have to have perspective to see the song for what it really is.

I don’t listen to a lot of outside songs (songs that my staff writers didn’t write).  I try to have a well-rounded roster of writers, and I go to their stuff first.  With outside songs, it’s all about who’s looking RIGHT NOW.

Think about how to demo a song where it’s a wide pitch- where it can be presented to many different artists.  The more “specific” a demo is (when it sounds so much like a particular artist), the less places you can pitch it.

Make sure your lyric, melody and demo all match as far as mood.

These days, the ability to make tracks is a plus.  That can expand who a publisher can put you in a writing room with.

Don’t be afraid to write an alternate version of your song to see if a different direction can make it better.  You can always go back to the original version.

Songwriting Pro’s next Play For A Publisher event is coming right up, and our guest is Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director of Daywind Music Publishing & Billy Blue Publishing!  Joe Dan works in the Country, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass and CCM/Worship markets.  If YOU have the songs, HE knows what to do with them!  Play for a publisher.  Get his professional feedback.  Make a connection.  Overcome your fear.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEND IN YOUR SONG!

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 Single of the Year in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.  He  also  co-hosts  a 5-star podcast,  “The  C.L.I.M.B.”  on  iTunes,  Stitcher  & HERE.SWP 4

P4P, Uncategorized

Congrats To Our March 2019 “Play For A Publisher” Winners!

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Congratulations to our newest “Play For Publisher” Top Ten songs and songwriters!

First of all, thank you to each of you who took a chance, took positive action, and submitted one or more songs to the “Play For Publisher” event with Scot Sherrod of Rare Spark Media.  Ya’ll are just plain awesome.

Out of about 250 songs, it took a while to whittle it down to just 10.  We have country, pop & gospel songs, solo writes and co-writes!

There were a lot of worthy songs sent in, and I felt bad about leaving so many out.  If your song wasn’t chosen this time doesn’t mean that it isn’t a good song.

You know, one time I turned a song in to my publisher, and they didn’t know what to do with it, so they didn’t want to do anything with it.  My cowriters wanted to demo it, and the publisher said they wouldn’t pay for a demo.

The song was called, “Crickets,” and we got it cut by Joe Nichols.  It’s the title track to one of his recent albums.

joe-nichols-crickets

That’s right.  The song my publisher wouldn’t even pay to demo got cut anyway.  (My cowriters did an out-of-pocket guitar/vocal, and we pitched it ourselves.)

Welcome to Nashville.  So while I listened to each and every song and did my best to pick the ones that have the best chance of catching Scot’s ear… I could be wrong.  That’s just the way the music biz works.  So if your song wasn’t selected, it doesn’t mean you should give up on it.

Okay, here are the Top Ten (in no particular order):

“Be Your Bartender” by Brittany Brant, Selby Copeland, Susan Simonson

“Gonna Stay With Me” by Kevan Kirk

“Blocked” by Mikalyn Hay, Chris Graham

“Musical Beds” by Blaine Younger, Emily Kroll, Jonathan Olivares

“Coming Clean” by Brooke McBride

“Behind My Back” by Claire Bunnik, Carrie DeMaeyer

“Whiskey In My Eyes” by Zebb Rogers, Clay M., Mathew P.

“Got That Fire” by Stacy Clearman

“Mind Of It’s Own” by David Hill, Jeffrey East, Shelby Lee Lowe

“Tractor Time” by Dave Quirk, Chris Garner

(The Songwriting Pro community would LOVE to hear your songs, so if you have a link you’d like to post to your “Top 10” song, please post it in the comments below!)

Congratulations!  Scot and I look forward to hanging out with you on March 28.  (In the days before the event, I’ll email the winners the instructions about the online meeting.)

Like I said, the 10 songs above aren’t the only good ones I had the pleasure of hearing.  There are several more that were put “on hold” for the top 10 songs.  This list could be quite a bit longer, but I’d like to spotlight a few of them, too.  (Ya’ll feel free to link up your songs in the comments, too!)

“ON HOLD” songs…

“Boomerang”  by Zebb Rogers, Ceri Usmar, Steve Smentek

“Tattoos And Scars” by Troy Castellano, Andrew Rollins

“Cocktails And Beach Chairs” by Penelope Lane,  Buck Wild

“24/7 365” by Tim Svedlund

“Still Shine” by Colleen Francis, Nigel Wheeler, Ryan Lorensen

“Slow Down And Live” by Mark Skinner, Aaron Clafton

“Something About Me” by Erinn Bates

“Dying Within” by Colin Clyne, Terry McDermott

“Kill Switch” by Sandra DeVault, Keesy Timmer

“Life Is Good” by Jason Street, J. Spears

These songs, along with others, were in there battling it out with the top 10, so be encouraged!

If you want to enter a song in the next round of “Play For A Publisher,” the best way to stay in the loop is to join the Songwriting Pro Insider’s List.  You can do this by downloading my FREE ebook, “Think Like A Pro Songwriter.”  Not only is this ebook full of helpful information, you’ll stay up to date on future opportunities like this one.  Here’s the link:

________________________________

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

_________________________________

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 top 10 in Texas, and a #1 in Canada… so far.SWP 4

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

How To Win Your Next Publisher Meeting… After It’s Over

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Let’s assume you’ve just walked out of a meeting with a music publisher.  Congratulations!  But don’t go thinking the meeting is over just because it’s over.  Today, I want to help you keep winning the meeting even after it ends.

Here are 5 things you MUST do if you want to really get the most out of every publisher meeting.  Read on.

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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

_________________________________

Last week, I discussed 6 Ways Rock Your Publisher Meeting.  You can read that with a CLICK HERE.  Today, let’s talk about how to turn that meeting into an even bigger win- after it’s over.  And away we go…

1. Don’t freak out.

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 the publisher didn’t do backflips doesn’t mean it’s time to feed your guitar to a woodchipper.  And just because your publisher DID to backflips doesn’t mean it’s time to give your boss the ‘ol Johnny Paycheck.  Just take a deep breath.

2. Thoughtfully consider any 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 publisher make some valid points?  Maybe you brought in a rodeo song and your publisher 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.

3. Seek out additional educated feedback.

Nobody’s opinion is gospel.  Nobody has perfect understanding.  If you disagreed with everything the publisher said, get another opinion.  If you agreed with everything the publisher said, get additional opinions.  If you hear the same point made by two or more music business professionals, really give it a lot of consideration. 

And 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.  Just because one publisher has taken some time with you, don’t act like they’re the only game in town.  It’s important to reach out to others.

4. Express appreciation.

Let the publisher know you appreciate his or her time.  A quick email or (even more noticeable) a handwritten thank-you card gets your name in front of the publisher in a positive way.  Even if they didn’t like your songs, everyone likes being appreciated, so this is a good way to put a positive spin on the meeting.  And, of course, if they loved your songs, it’s also a good reminder of that.

5. Follow up.

Don’t expect the publisher to keep thinking about you and call you up out of the blue a month later like “Hey, man… how ya been?  I miss you…”  Not gonna happen.  There’s no need for a meeting one week later (unless THEY ask YOU back that soon).  But in another couple months, after you’ve applied some of their advice to your newest songs, you can reach out to them again.  This is a relationship business, and it takes time to build them.  So reach back out.

Okay, those are 5 ways you win after your publisher meeting.  You may want to bookmark this page or print it out for future reference.

But what if you’re not sure how to get that publisher meeting in the first place?

Let me introduce you to a legit music publisher.

If you’re ready to connect with a publisher, I have a path for YOU and your great song to get to a real, legit, successful music publisher.

On Thursday, March 28, I’m hosting the next round of Songwriting Pro’s “Play For A Publisher.” Our guest is Scot Sherrod of Rare Spark Media.  Scot has had his hand in a bunch of hits, but the deadline to submit your song is coming up quickly!  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 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 10 in Texas, a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

how to Rock Your Next Publisher Meeting

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Let’s assume you’ve finally landed a meeting with a music publisher.  Woo-hoo!  I’m proud of you!  Now, PLEASE don’t mess up this opportunity.  Today, I want to help you make the most of your meeting.

Here are 6 things you can do to maximize your next publisher meeting.  Read on.

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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

_________________________________

Last week, I discussed 5 Ways To Prepare For Your Publisher Meeting.  You can read that with a CLICK HERE.  Today, let’s talk about how to slay your next publisher meeting while you’re IN the room.  And away we go…

1.  Be on time or early.

In a world where writers and creative types are habitually late, it’s refreshing to have someone show up on time or (gasp) a few minutes early.  Seriously, this is a simple way to show respect for the publisher and his or her time. It matters. Be professional.

Plus, a publisher’s day is FULL.  If you don’t show up on time, you’re either going to get a shorter meeting, or you’re messing up their schedule for the day.  Being the reason for a scheduling logjam is NOT the impression you want to make on a publisher.

2.  Dress like you care.

Seriously.  If you’re meeting in person, you want to appear professional.  No, you don’t have to wear kakis, but you want to be presentable. No, it doesn’t make your song sound better.

However, if you hope to build a relationship with this publisher and hopefully get some cowrites or eventually land a staff deal, you want to make the publisher feel like you know what you’re doing and won’t embarrass him later.  No, you don’t have to be handsome or beautiful, just don’t let your outfit be a negative.

3.  Seek to get better, not just to get discovered.

Maybe your songs are impressive.  Maybe they’re not.  But a humble, teachable attitude is always impressive.  You want the publisher to be a fan of YOU, not just your songs.

If they get the sense that a songwriter is not there to learn and connect but just wants to be told how great they are (and they aren’t great), they’re just going to try and get through the session with as little headache as possible.  Because if you’re not willing to learn or connect, you’re probably just waisting their time.

4. Take notes.

Or record the session (but ask before you hit the red button).  First of all, if you have a memory like mine, you won’t remember everything you want to.  Secondly, if you look like you’re taking it seriously and are fired up about the opportunity, it encourages the publisher to give even better info. 

Also, a publisher might be a little less likely to suggest a potential cowriter or industry contact if you look like you don’t have a pen within five miles.

5. Don’t argue.

It’s okay to ask clarifying questions and explore a topic more.  But it should be to learn, not to win.  Again, if a publisher doesn’t think they CAN work with you, they WON’T work with you. If the publisher is wrong on a point, it’s your job to go out and PROVE them wrong.  If you irritate them with your attitude, you can lose the relationship.  And relationships in this business are HUGE.

6.  Express gratitude.

You’re not doing them a favor by gracing them with your presence.  They’re doing YOU the favor.  So act like it.  Be thankful, and let them know you are.  Everyone likes to be appreciated, and publishers are no different.  Don’t overdo it, but let them know you value their time and attention.

Okay, those are 6 ways you can get the most out of  your publisher meeting.  You may want to bookmark this page or print it out for when the big day comes.

Next time, I’ll discuss what to do AFTER the publisher meeting.  Stay tuned, you don’t want to miss it.  In the meantime…

Let me introduce you to a legit music publisher.

If you’re ready to connect with a publisher, I have a path for YOU and YOUR great song to get to a real, legit, successful music publisher.

On Thursday, March 28, I’m hosting the next round of Songwriting Pro’s “Play For A Publisher.” Our guest is Scot Sherrod of Rare Spark Media.  Scot has had his hand in a bunch of hits, but the deadline to submit your song is coming up quickly!  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 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 10 in Texas, a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

how to prepare for your meeting with a music publisher

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Alright, you’ve tracked down a music publisher, and you’ve finally gotten that meeting you’ve been hoping for.  But now what?  How do you make it a success?  How do you avoid blowing this opportunity?

Here are five things you should do to effectively prepare for your publisher meeting.  Good luck!

________________________________

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

_________________________________

1. Define your goal(s) for the meeting and beyond.

Do you want to write hits for other artists or for yourself as an artist?  Do you want a publishing deal or to get cowrites with the publisher’s writers?  Or both?  Are you writing for yourself or for the radio?  How can a publisher help you get where you want to go if you don’t know where that is?

2. Write down a list of questions and/or topics you want to cover.

Don’t just make a mental note- write it down.  By the way, write it down- and have it in front of you during the meeting.  When you get into it, when you get nervous or happy or frustrated or whatever, you’re likely to forget something you wanted to talk about.  Prioritize the list to make sure it’s as easy as possible to get to the important ones.  Did I mention you should write it down?

3. Choose your songs.

Decide on your songs based on which are most relevant to your goals.  If your goal is to be a hit country songwriter, but you bring in a novelty gospel song to show your range, it’s kind of a waste of time.  Bring songs that are aiming in the direction of your goals.  Order your songs in order of importance.  You might not get to them all, so play your “must-play” song first.

Burn a CD, even if you plan on playing live.  What if you break a string or a finger in the middle of your first song?  What if the publisher wants to play the song for an artist later that day?  Be prepared.  Also, have the labeling on the CD clear and professional with all your contact info on it.

Also, prepare for the fact that the publisher may not have a CD player on their computer.  (Sounds crazy, I know.)  It may be wise to have your songs and lyrics in an email folder where you can send them over from your phone right in their office.  Or to have them somewhere online where you can pull them up.  Be prepared.

4. Type your lyrics.

Make two copies of your typed lyrics- one for you (in case you get nervous and forget them in the middle of your song) and one for the publisher.  Some publishers don’t look at lyrics, but others do.  Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

And I don’t care how much you like your own handwriting- a typed lyric is more professional and makes a better impression.  Also, put all your contact info on every page of every lyric.  It doesn’t matter how awesome your song is if the publisher can’t find you later or remember who wrote it.

5. Research your publisher.

I’m not talking about hiding in the bushes outside their office.  But who is going to be sitting across the desk from you?  Have they published a hit?  Who are their current staff songwriters?

Knowing some of their cuts and writers 1) makes you look more prepared and professional 2) can spur relevant, helpful conversation (“How did you get ‘Happy In Love’ to George Urban?”).  Also, nothing is worse than badmouthing an artist, song or songwriter to your publisher and then seeing that artist’s album hanging on the publisher’s wall.  Oops.

Okay, those are 5 ways you can prepare for your publisher meeting.  You may want to bookmark this page or print it out for when the big day comes.

Next time, I’ll discuss how to handle the publisher meeting itself.  Stay tuned, you don’t want to miss it.  In the meantime…

Let me introduce you to a legit music publisher.

If you’re ready to connect with a publisher, I have a path for YOU and YOUR great song to get to a real, legit, successful music publisher.

On Thursday, March 28, I’m hosting the next round of Songwriting Pro’s “Play For A Publisher.” Our guest is Scot Sherrod of Rare Spark Media.  Scot has had his hand in a bunch of hits, but the deadline to submit your song is coming up quickly!  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 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 10 in Texas, a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

WHY A Music Publisher Won’t Meet With You… And 1 Thing You Can Do About It

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For many songwriters (and possibly you), trying to get a publisher meeting is like trying to get a date with a supermodel.  You know they exist, you cyber-stalk them as best you can… but you can’t find one who will give you the time of day.

Why is it so dang hard to get a publisher meeting?

Here are 4 reasons a publisher won’t meet with you- and one thing you can do to change that.

________________________________

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

_________________________________

1. Knock, knock… Math.

Publishers simply don’t have enough time to meet with every songwriter who wants some of their time.  Math just dictates that there aren’t enough hours in the workday for every “quick 15 minute meeting” that is asked of them.

Unfortunately, publishers just can’t get to everyone.

Oh, and math also says that the vast majority of songwriters just aren’t good enough to solve the publisher’s problems.  The odds are actually better that you’ll either be needy or crazy and add to their problems.

2. You made a bad (personal) 1st impression.

Maybe the publisher met you out at an event… or the grocery store… and you gave off a creepy vibe when you shoved your CD into her cart alongside her avocados.  Or maybe you reached out through social media and she saw that post where you ranted about how much radio sucks and the songs suck and the artists suck.  Now the publisher has no desire to give you a 2nd chance to make a worse impression.

Yes, unpleasant people might still have a great song.  But a publisher is looking for something more valuable than just one great song.  She’s looking for a great songwriter she can have hits with for years to come.

If the publisher doesn’t like being around you for 5 minutes, she’s sure not excited about being around you for 5 years.

3. You made a bad (musical) 1st impression.

Let’s say a publisher was out at the Bluebird Cafe or The Listening Room to hear one of his writers, and you were in the early round.  If your songs just aren’t exciting to him (too slow, too cliche, too boring, whatever), he’s not going to be in a hurry to sit down with you for a half-hour.

There’s just not a compelling business interest for him to NOT meet with someone else so he CAN meet with you.  After all, publishers know writers tend to play their best stuff out.  So if that’s your best, he doesn’t need to hear any more- at least not until after you’ve worked on your craft for a few more years.

4. The publisher doesn’t know you exist.

Literally.  How can a publisher agree to meet with you if you’ve never stepped into her awareness?  If you and your songs never leave your bedroom in Boise, that publisher meeting is simply NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.  You have to get over your fear or whatever and DO SOMETHING.

Or maybe you’re ready to do something, but you just don’t know the steps to take.  How do you approach a real-deal music publisher in a way that gets his or her attention in a positive way?  Do you have to belong to some sort of private club?  Is there a secret handshake?

Let me introduce you to a legit music publisher.

If you’re ready to connect with a publisher, I have a path for YOU and YOUR great song to get to a real, legit, successful music publisher.

On Thursday, March 28, I’m hosting the next round of Songwriting Pro’s “Play For A Publisher.” Our guest is Scot Sherrod of Rare Spark Media.  Scot has had his hand in a bunch of hits, but the deadline to submit your song is coming up quickly!  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 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 10 in Texas, a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.