All You Need to Know to Be a Successful Songwriter
No career in the creative arts is easy to achieve and once gotten, easy to maintain. This is especially true for songwriting. But the one thing all successful songwriters have in common is that songwriting isn’t what they do; it’s who they are. They didn’t simply want to write words to music; they had to. It’s as necessary as sleep. So if you don’t have that compulsion to create, you may not achieve the level of success you dream of.
But desire is only the foundation for a successful songwriting career. You need to be prepared in every way. Even if you have a natural talent for writing lyrics or poetry, you still need to learn how to write and read music. Writing lyrics and music greatly increases your chances for success.
You need to be a student of all kinds of music, not just the genre you gravitate toward. For example, many country artists say they were greatly influenced by rock bands. Likewise, bands like Aerosmith were inspired by blues and jazz musicians. The more immersed you are in music, the bigger your musical repertoire which translates into more sophisticated songwriting.
Collaboration is a vital skill so work with other songwriters whenever you get the chance. Many songwriters’ first break comes from working with an established songwriter.
Write what you know. There are no better two examples than Sheryl Crow and Taylor Swift. Although they write in different genres, their songs resonate because they put their life experience into the lyrics. That makes the songs relatable to listeners. It also nurtures and establishes your “voice.” Not the one you sing with but the individuality that comes across in your music.
Don’t ignore the business of music. You need the skill to craft songs suitable for radio play, meaning three to four minutes long.
Rejection is part of the process so persistence and resiliency are vital. Do not take the rejection of your work personally. Record labels have their own agenda based on the trends, their client list and other factors. So believe in yourself and in your talent. You have to be able to visualize your success in order for it to happen so stay positive and never stop writing.
But desire is only the foundation for a successful songwriting career. You need to be prepared in every way. Even if you have a natural talent for writing lyrics or poetry, you still need to learn how to write and read music. Writing lyrics and music greatly increases your chances for success.
You need to be a student of all kinds of music, not just the genre you gravitate toward. For example, many country artists say they were greatly influenced by rock bands. Likewise, bands like Aerosmith were inspired by blues and jazz musicians. The more immersed you are in music, the bigger your musical repertoire which translates into more sophisticated songwriting.
Collaboration is a vital skill so work with other songwriters whenever you get the chance. Many songwriters’ first break comes from working with an established songwriter.
Write what you know. There are no better two examples than Sheryl Crow and Taylor Swift. Although they write in different genres, their songs resonate because they put their life experience into the lyrics. That makes the songs relatable to listeners. It also nurtures and establishes your “voice.” Not the one you sing with but the individuality that comes across in your music.
Don’t ignore the business of music. You need the skill to craft songs suitable for radio play, meaning three to four minutes long.
Rejection is part of the process so persistence and resiliency are vital. Do not take the rejection of your work personally. Record labels have their own agenda based on the trends, their client list and other factors. So believe in yourself and in your talent. You have to be able to visualize your success in order for it to happen so stay positive and never stop writing.