Introduction

Making your way through the maze of a musical career is a complicated endeavor to say the least.  It’s doubly so given that you’ll have to make not only the musical decisions but also the critical business decisions along the way.  I heard an expression a few years ago that really stuck with me as it outlines the reality of the choices we have to make time and time again.  That expression is simply “good, fast, cheap - pick any two.”

Essentially, what’s being said here is that if you’re willing to invest the money, you can move more quickly towards the end goal of musical success - good and fast but not cheap - but what it also says that I find more encouraging is that if you don’t have the money, you can still achieve “good” by slowing down and being resourceful - good and cheap but not fast.  That leaves the one combination that we need to guard against - fast and cheap but not good.

In this article, we’ll look at all three of these scenarios and see how they play out daily in the music industry.

Good & Fast (Not Cheap)

“Good, fast and not cheap” is best illustrated in the approach taken by the big record labels and publishing companies.  When making albums for their artists, labels use the best studios, the most talented session musicians and employ whole marketing and promotion departments to spread the word about their artists.  This has the effect of bringing their music to the eyes and ears of the public in relatively short order but it comes at a huge price.  A price that the artists, themselves, often spend years paying back before they see any real financial success of their own.

When it comes to the major publishers, they invest significant capital in high-quality demos for their writers and hire song pluggers whose sole purpose is to get the songs in their catalog recorded. The end result is that these companies get their songs recorded much more often than the independent writers out there trying to go it alone.  But, again, songwriters who are signed to these companies - like the artists above - have to wait until many of these expenses are recouped before they see any income from their songwriting successes.

Good & Cheap (Not Fast)

Fortunately, for the majority of us, there is a more accessible option. While “good, cheap but not fast” requires patience (an asset in very short supply for most of us eager to have musical success), the dividends can be rewarding on both a spiritual and financial level.  Independent artists who finance their projects themselves, call in favors, wait for off-hours in studios or even take the significant time necessary to learn to the art of recording often end up with beautiful sounding projects at a fraction of the cost of their major label counterparts.  The trade off is the time (lots of it) it takes to put a project like this together and the additional hours of work (more than you can imagine) required to get the news out about their release.  The rewards are great, however.  Ownership of the master recording and creative freedom are just two of the many rewards waiting for those who are willing to make the effort.  Go to www.HeatherRigdon.com to hear what some friends and I were able to do on a shoestring budget over a period of about five years.

As songwriters, we face a similar struggle.  Without the budgets for full-band recordings of every song we write, we’re forced to be creative in order to put together a catalog of high-quality demos of our songs that we can then pitch ourselves.  Whether we have to barter for studio time and session musicians, learn to become experienced engineers/producers/session musicians in our own right or simply create great-sounding guitar/vocals or piano/vocals instead of going the full-band route, the goal is the same.  That goal - quality recordings for less money - can lead to a catalog of songs where significant upside awaits.  For example, by acting as your own publisher and owning your own master recordings, you’ll be free to pitch your songs for placement in film and TV and receive double the income when you eventually do have success.  And, speaking of pitching your songs, there are countless resources to help get our songs out there for those of us willing to look.  One that comes to mind right away is www.SongQuarters.com.  The thing to remember, however, is that all of this takes time and that’s the tradeoff that most of us have to make.

Fast & Cheap (Not Good)

“Fast, cheap and not good” is where things can get a bit ugly.  As long as there have been established methods of how to get ahead in the music business, there have been people willing to cut corners in an attempt to get ahead more quickly.  Buying a bunch of recording equipment before you know how to use it in an attempt to save money on your album project generally results in a sub-par recording that will do much more harm than good to your sound and reputation as an artist.

Similarly, choosing the lowest bidder who advertises full-band demos for songwriters often leaves you with a demo that is not only low quality but also instantly brands you as an amateur in the eyes of the industry professionals you play it for…an impression, by the way, that is very difficult to reverse once it’s been made. Also, spending less money on a demo that is unusable is the same thing as throwing that money away.  All this to say, when in doubt, take your time and do things correctly even if it means more time, money or both. As I’ve said before, as long as you’re not planning on having a career in music for this week only, it pays to take your time.  Fast and cheap is, without a doubt, the combination that has the most potential for disappointment or worse.  And, often, doing things this way actually leads to more money being spent which leads me to another one of my favorite expressions, “Cheap can be expensive.”

Conclusion

I understand that it’s a constant struggle to do what’s best for your music while trying to manage your patience and your budget.  That being said, simply paying attention to what you’re doing and keeping your eye on the big picture will serve you well as you continue to figure it all out.

Good luck!

Introduction

Looking back on twenty-plus years of writing songs, it’s a lot easier for me to connect the dots now and see that the things I was doing years ago would eventually bear fruit. I can safely say that nothing ever moved as quickly as I thought it would and, yet, I’m constantly surprised at the ways that my long-forgotten efforts have come around to generate royalty income. All that to say, it would have saved me a lot of frustration knowing that getting up every day and working on my craft would end up paying off…on its own schedule, not mine.  Here are a few specific reasons to stay patient in the pursuit of success in your songwriting.

1. You’ll enjoy the process more

There is nothing more frustrating than waiting for something to happen that’s beyond your control.  For example, you’ve read a listing on a pitch sheet looking for songs for a “last-minute” opportunity and they have to have them right away.  The reality is that nothing actually happens “right away” and everything is “last minute.” So after submitting your song, instead of constantly scanning your emails and sleeping with your phone, simply put a note in your calendar to follow up with an email in a week or two (not before) and forget about it.  I know this is easier said than done but it will keep you sane.  By the way, the easiest way to forget about one thing is to be working on something else.

In other words, you should have as many irons in the fire as possible so that you’re not waiting on any one thing to happen.  By irons in the fire, I mean looking for other pitch opportunities, new co-writers and any one of a million things that you can be doing to have success in the music business. If you’re patient, your day to day will be a series of small steps and tasks that will keep you focused and productive without allowing you to linger on any one thing for too long.  Also, that way when something does come through you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

2. You’ll keep your perspective

Given that there is absolutely no such thing as a “quick buck” in the music industry, your best bet is to think about why you’re writing songs in the first place.  If it’s only for the money, you’re in for a rough road.  Even the most successful songwriters have put in years of unpaid work before the money began to flow.  If, on the other hand, you write because you can’t help it and you love the feeling of putting something uniquely your own into the world AND you also hope to be financially successful, then your day to day will be the pursuit of something meaningful to you that also has the potential to generate income. If you’re patient, you have a much better chance of keeping that perspective while you’re pursuing your dream of success.

3. You’ll build better industry relationships

We all know that relationships with industry insiders (publishers, managers, record label execs, etc.) are highly prized for the connections and potential opportunities they bring.  However, just like any relationship, it’s extremely difficult to build something of substance quickly.  If you’re patient and don’t try to force feed your music to every person in the industry at every opportunity, you stand a much better chance of developing the kinds of contacts that move you ahead in your career.  These relationships take years to develop (not five minutes at the bar of the hotel at an industry conference).  What if instead of launching into a ten-minute, spoken-word bio the next time you meet someone in the music industry, you tried asking them what they’re working on?  Learn a little more about them and, in time, if you’re doing great work, they’ll get to know about you, too.

By not treating every interaction with someone in the industry as a do or die situation, you’ll feel less pressure to make something happen immediately and enjoy getting to know them. Then, in time, you’ll have someone receptive to your music when there’s an opportunity.  Here’s a small tip. It’s the administrative assistants and receptionists of today that will be the heads of film/TV departments tomorrow.  Don’t ignore these folks in your search for someone more powerful who can help you. Take your time, build your industry relationships slowly and organically and watch what happens.

4. It’s out of your hands anyway

While there is a lot you can (and should) do on your own behalf every day, the music business goes at it’s own speed no matter what you do.  Songs, even “undeniable” hits, routinely take years to find a home after they’ve been written. The journey from the creation of a song to a royalty generating copyright is as mysterious to me now as it was when I wrote my first song.  So, given that it’s out of your hands once you’ve written, demoed and pitched your song, why not be patient and keep filling the pipeline with new songs and pitches. Develop your craft, write as much as you can and one day you’ll look back to see you’ve got a catalog of great songs where some of the older ones are actually generating income.

I once heard a hit songwriter say that he wrote one of his hits in “three hours and twenty-five years.”  In other words, while the song took three hours to write, it was his twenty-five years of patiently refining his craft and developing his career that made it happen.

Conclusion

As long as you’re not planning on being a songwriter for this week only, take a deep breath, work on your songs and your career a little every day and enjoy the ride.  You’ll be amazed in a few years when you look back and see how far you’ve come.

Good luck!

It’s A Business

Where to begin? Well, that was the question I asked myself when I quit my job at thirty-three to pursue a full-time career in songwriting. I figured if there were only one way to do it, everyone would have followed that path and we’d all be living large.  The truth is it didn’t take long for me to find out it is called the “music business” for a reason. That’s “music” and “business.” It does all begin with the song as they say and if you want to be a successful songwriter, it’s funny how you have a much better chance by showing up with amazing songs. Although that is the most important part, it is not the only part of the equation. I learned that quickly. So it was time to roll up my sleeves and come up with a game plan in addition to writing songs.  In other words, it was time to work. I had to put in the hours when no one was watching, to practice my craft and think of how to best utilize my time.

Do The Work

Since I did not want to be an artist at the time, my goal was to be a professional songwriter. I wanted to find one artist to record all my songs and/or I needed to shop my songs for different artists to cover. Without a track record of success as a writer, I chose the following course. First, I made a CD of what I thought were my ten best songs (all self-penned) and used it as a calling card giving it to anyone who would listen. Also, I told them to pass it on.  I chose to not pursue a publishing deal because I felt I wanted to try and hustle up some momentum to put myself in a better position for a better deal if I chose to one day go that route. Publishing deals can be great for some and the right champion can be invaluable. But even with a publishing deal, a writer will still end up getting a good amount of work through their own connections and work ethic. Don’t wait around for someone else to do all the heavy lifting. Ever.

Co-Writing

Another avenue I chose was what is commonly known in our business as co-writing. Since I hadn’t earned the right to work with major established artists or songwriters yet, I decided to scout young upcoming talent and work with them. That way we would have more than one force getting the songs out into the world. My attitude has always been “just give me a chance to get in the room and good things will happen.” I think you have to believe that or why else would you be doing this? I also believe a lot of co-writing has to do with chemistry. Just because someone has a whole bunch of credits doesn’t mean you are going to click and write a masterpiece. You might write a better song with some guy or girl you met at a local open mic. Having said that, when you get the opportunity to write with a writer who has had a great career, pay attention. When I enter a co-write,  everyone is an equal partner in my eyes and ears but I’ll admit I am constantly learning and inspired by those more experienced than me. There’s usually a reason people are consistently successful.

Travel

Another aspect of my career has been international. I can sum this up simply. There is a whole wide world of opportunity and talent out there. Plus, I have  a major travel bug. I love different cultures and meeting new people. But how does one go about integrating into music scenes in other countries? Well, first off it’s an investment. And not just of your money (which is not to be dismissed lightly) but of your time. I slept on a lot of couches and started from the back of the line. You can’t just walk in flying your flag and expect to take over (the same can be said about arriving in any new city even here in The States, by the way). There is a way to be respectful yet confident. You would be surprised at how many great writers are up for giving a writer from another country a chance even though they are unknown. Once again, you have to back it up once you get your chance. I’ve seen too many people talk themselves into situations too early in their careers then not come through. Word gets around quickly about who can really write and who is all talk.

They’re Not All Hits

Another thing I’ve learned is that not every song we write is amazing. All great writers learn to deal with that. The really great writers learn which songs not to let out of the house!  Sometimes it takes writing through some average ideas to get to the gems. Keep writing for what moves you and makes you happy. It is easy to get caught up in what we think everyone wants to hear and what “sells.” As full-time writers, we have all trespassed across that line at some point - even if only momentarily - though some will try to make you believe otherwise. Of course if you can be happy and moved and still write accessible songs, that’s great. I find I’m in a better place and have more success when I’m not trying to write like somebody else.

Anyway, there is room out there for all of us. There is also a fine line between being organized and active and being annoying. Here’s a hint. If you think you are being annoying in a situation, you probably are! Trust your instincts, establish sincere relationships and, when given the opportunity, deliver the goods. If I can be lucky enough to make a career of this why not you? Though I will say, the harder I work, the luckier I get. Good luck!!!

So you’ve written a great song, made a fabulous demo and now you’ll live happily ever after, right?  Well, kind of…  This article is the official “chapter after” you’ve written and recorded your song.  There’s no doubt that being a great songwriter and having beautifully recorded versions of your songs is an admirable goal in and of itself.  However, if you’re interested in having your songs see the light of day then your work is really just beginning.  While organizations like Tunecore do a beautiful job of helping you get your music out in the world, it’s still entirely up to you to make sure your songs get in the right music industry hands.  Until the people who can actually do something with your song (i.e. record labels, producers, managers and publishers) have heard it, it might as well not exist.  I know this sounds obvious but I think you’d be amazed at the number of songwriters out there who have great song demos that very few, if any, music business people have ever heard.  Creating the music is one thing but getting your music out in the world requires an entirely different set of skills.  The skills I’m going to focus on are networking, professionalism, persistence, persistence (yes, I know I wrote it twice…) courtesy and patience.

Networking

Like any business, it’s not only “what” you know but “who” you know that gets you ahead.  What this means in the music world is getting yourself out there to open mics, writer’s nights and any industry events you can find.  For those of you in music cities like New York, Nashville and Los Angeles there are an almost endless stream of opportunities.  For everyone else, you might have to look a little harder or travel from time to time to one of the cities I just mentioned.  I think it’s a universal truth that this kind of stuff isn’t always that much fun but especially when you’re starting out, it’s essential.  Let’s put it this way, all things being equal, if you’ve met someone from a record label or publishing company in a social setting and assuming you’ve had a nice exchange, there’s a much greater likelihood that they’ll not only remember you when you call but will make more of an effort to help you out if they can.  The point is that the more you’re out there, the more people you’ll meet and the greater the chance it will pay dividends down the road.  I’d also recommend remembering a few basic social skills while you’re at it like not immediately launching into your 10-minute, spoken-word bio when you meet someone.  It’s a much better idea to find out a little something about the person you’re talking to by remembering to ask a few questions as well.

Professionalism

Did I mention we’re talking about the music business?  This means it’s in your best interest to be professional about how you approach people in the industry.  When reaching out to someone in the music industry, call or email first.  Make this first contact short and to the point.  In other words, let them know why you’re calling/emailing (i.e. to schedule a meeting, to see if they’re accepting CD’s, to ask whether you can submit an mp3, etc.).  This is not the time to have a long discussion.  If you’ve been referred by someone they know (see “networking” above) mention this as well. Also, while it’s great to be excited and even confident about your material, it rarely pays to tell someone that you’ve got a “great” song or you’re an “amazing” songwriter.  Let your music speak for itself.  Once you’ve gotten approval to do so, then submit your song or bring it to the meeting.  It really doesn’t make sense to send out CD’s or mp3’s without first getting approval as they usually end up at the bottom of a pile or even worse, the person who hasn’t asked for it considers it an intrusion. Don’t kill the messenger here, I’m simply saying that the odds are that if someone isn’t expecting your material, there’s a good chance it won’t get heard.

By the way, if you’ve never seen the office of an A&R rep or music publisher, I’m here to tell you that it’s wall-to-wall CD’s.  We’re talking hundreds and hundreds if not thousands of them.  Make sure that your CD is clearly labeled with a few simple elements: Your name and contact information (phone and email), the name of the song or songs and possibly - if it’s a song for an artist - the name of the person you’re pitching it to. Also, make certain that every part of the package is labeled.  This means put your information on the CD and on the CD sleeve or jewel case.  Make sure that if the CD itself gets separated from the case, the information is the CD, too.  Also, if you’re using a jewel case, make sure there’s information on the spine.  Remember the part where I said there are thousands of CD’s in these folks’ offices?  When your CD ends up on a shelf with all the others, the spine of the CD will be the only way for them to identify it.

Finally, I can think of no good reason why any submission should be more than three songs.  If you’re pitching a song to an artist, they’re not hoping for a “bonus track.”  If you’re pitching to a publisher, three songs is a good way to show them you’ve got more than one good song without overdoing it.  If they want more, believe me, they’ll ask.  It all comes down to putting yourself in the position of the industry person.  If they’ve got a desk full of CD’s to listen to and have to choose between a CD with two songs on it or one with nineteen songs, which one do you think they’ll pick?

Persistence…Persistence

Let’s say you’re fortunate enough to reach someone by either phone or email and they’ve agreed to let you mail in a CD or email them an mp3.  Here’s what you should expect. Nothing.  In other words, it’s extremely rare that you’ll hear anything back quickly after you submit it.  (See “thousands of CD’s” above…).  As a matter of fact, you should put in your calendar to follow up two or three weeks after you’ve submitted something.  This follow up should be even shorter than your initial contact.  Email is probably best for this.  A simple email saying you wanted to make sure they’d received your submission is enough.  Also, don’t be surprised if the response you get back (if you’re lucky enough to get one) says they haven’t gotten it and would you mind resending it.  (See “persistence…persistence” in the above heading.)  Resending material is something that you should expect to do.  Following up every two to three weeks (unless you’re asked not to) is perfectly acceptable if you’re polite and to the point.  I’m not a cynic and I don’t believe that anyone has an agenda to ignore submitted material.  I’m a realist and the sheer number of submissions makes it almost impossible for anyone to stay on top of things.  Anything you can do to help remind someone is in your best interest and generally appreciated.

Courtesy

I think it’s important to realize that no one in the industry owes you anything.  This may sound harsh but it’s an important point.  You may very well have great songs and it would be in the best interest of the industry professional you’re pursuing to listen to them, but there are a lot of great songs out there and only a limited number of opportunities for them.  All this to say, if your song isn’t listened to right away or even if it’s lost or ignored, don’t take it personally. I’m a songwriter myself so I know exactly how important your songs are to you.  It’s not easy to submit them for judgment and tougher still to wait around hoping someone will actually listen. However, you’ll only do yourself a disservice by being rude or impatient with someone and heaven help you if you get a reputation in the industry for being difficult or unpleasant.

Patience

Given that there are so many artists, songwriters and songs out there vying for a limited number of spots, it all comes down to patience.  Patience with yourself as you improve your musical skills and patience with the industry people you’re soliciting as they make their way through all of the material in line ahead of you.  My recommendation is to have as many irons in the fire as you possibly can at all times so that you’re not waiting for any one thing to happen or not to happen as is so often the case.  The more people you get to know, the more opportunities you explore and the more submissions you make, the less likely you are to get discouraged and the more likely you are to start having success.

Good luck!

For most songwriters in the early stages of their careers, the idea of being hired as a staff songwriter for a publishing company is close to the Holy Grail. It represents that most coveted prize of industry recognition and validation of your talent along with a gateway to cuts, movie placements and any one of a number of other exciting possibilities. However, keep in mind that wanting or entering into a relationship with a publisher in order to simply validate your talent is probably not the best approach. As with any business relationship, it’s essential that you, as the songwriter, understand what you’re giving up as well as what you stand to gain by signing over partial (or complete) ownership of your copyrights to a music publisher.

What is a Publishing Deal?

Let’s start at the top, in general terms, a typical publishing deal involves the assignment of some part of the ownership of your songs to a publishing company in exchange for a monthly payment known as a draw. The publisher can also provide co-writing opportunities based on their industry relationships and pitching opportunities by members of the publishing company’s staff called song pluggers.  I’m aware that there are many variations on this arrangement such as no draw in exchange for giving up less ownership of your copyrights to the publisher but for the sake of this article, I’m going to paint in broad strokes.

The Pros

Listing the advantages of a publishing deal is easy as most songwriters have heard (or dreamed) of these.

1.     A Draw - For a songwriter getting started in the business, it’s extremely difficult to write full time without having money to live on.  The monthly draw provided by a publisher can help ease that burden.  While some draws are enough to allow the writer to write full time, most are enough to, at least, make it so the writer only has to have a part-time job leaving more time for songwriting.

2.     Demo Budget - Making high quality recordings of your songs is not cheap and having a publisher to put up the money for these recordings can help out quite a bit.

3.     Song Pluggers - These are employees of the publishing company who are specifically charged with finding opportunities for your songs.  They pitch your songs relying on their relationships with record labels, producers and artists as well as a variety of other music business decision-makers.

4.     Networking/Connections - The credibility that comes from signing with established music publisher is a powerful thing.  It can open doors to meetings, co-writes and countless other relationships in the industry.  Also, publishers have industry-wide relationships that can provide great opportunities for a songwriter who hasn’t had the opportunity to network much on their own.

5.     Validation -The validation that comes from a publishing deal is what most beginning songwriters long for. In the early stages of most songwriters’ careers, they’ve most likely written songs in obscurity and with the exception of friends and family they’ve never received praise and recognition from anyone in the industry.  It can even act as a motivator to improve a writer’s work ethic and even inspiration.

The Cons

This is where I’d recommend paying close attention.  I know the idea of being able to write songs and have your publisher take care of all the details is an appealing thought…but the reality is a bit less simple. Don’t kill the messenger here, but as a friend of mine once said, “They don’t call it the music ‘friend’ or the music ‘nice.’”  This is a business and it helps to remember that a publisher is giving you something in order to get something.

1.     Your draw & demo budget are essentially loans - The money that makes up your draw and your demo budget is money that the publisher will take back from your share as soon as your songs start generating income.  More importantly, unlike a loan paid back to a bank, even after you’ve made back the money to pay the publisher for the money they’ve invested in you, they will continue to own the publishing on your song and make income from it.  In most cases, this is an arrangement that lasts for the rest of your life and then some.  Also, in most cases that recording that the publisher split with you or loaned you money to make is their property entirely. This translates into no master fee payment for you, the songwriter, if that recording ends up in a film or on TV.

2.     You and your songs aren’t always the priority - Even though the idea of a song plugger getting your songs heard is comforting, the reality is that in most publishing companies, there are many more signed writers than there are pluggers.  In other words, your songs, while the most important songs to you, are among the hundreds (actually thousands if you count the back catalogs of most publishing companies) that the overworked song pluggers have to consider for every pitch opportunity.

3.     Validation is NOT enough - As a songwriter, I understand how good it feels when someone in the industry tells you they love your songs.  In and of itself, this is not enough of a reason to give away your publishing.  To me, the analogy would be of a guy going up to a girl in a bar and saying “You’re beautiful and you should sleep with me.”  In other words, as a writer, you should work every day until you’re confident your songs are good.  Use resources like song critiques, songwriting organizations and your songwriting peers to get good, constructive feedback on your material.  Don’t just sign with a publisher because they tell you you’re good.

Your Options

My intention is not to discourage but rather to empower you.  By not looking at a publishing deal as the only answer to your songwriting prayers, you’ll put yourself in a position to do for yourself which, ultimately, will be the most consistent and rewarding way of having a sustainable career as a songwriter. In other words, you don’t have to have a publishing deal in order to act like you have a publishing deal every single day.  Here’s what I mean…

1.     Be your own publisher - You don’t need an established publisher to publish your songs. It’s a relatively simple proposition to start your own publishing company through one of the performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI and SESAC). A simple phone call to one of these three organizations can get you started.

2.     Put yourself on a regular writing schedule - If you want to be a professional songwriter, act like one.  Set aside regular times to write and treat it like a job. Folks in the working world don’t skip work because they “don’t feel like it” and neither should you.

3.     Demo your songs - Develop a relationship with a professional recording studio and when you’re absolutely certain you’ve got a song that’s ready for prime time, spend the money to make a broadcast-quality version suitable for a variety of uses from pitching to artists to placement in film and TV. And speaking of pitching…

4.     Pitch your songs - Actively look for opportunities for your songs.  It’s one thing to write a good song and have a great demo but if no one hears it, then it can’t possibly generate any income for you.  This isn’t the glamorous, romantic part of the business but I promise you, the overwhelming majority of successful songwriters - even those with publishing deals and song pluggers - spend a lot of time pitching their own material. It’s tough out there and you need to do everything in your power to get your songs heard.  Also, as I mentioned above, no one will make your songs a priority more than you will.

5.     Network - Another less-than-pleasant reality for the gifted, introverted songwriter is that there is no substitute for the relationships you make in the industry.  Get out there and meet people.  This doesn’t mean you have to be fake or stay up until 3am drinking every night (unless you like that kind of thing).  It does mean, however, that you have to find opportunities to interact with the decision-makers in the music industry.  A few suggestions of ways to do this might be attending music conferences, songwriter festivals and some of the events sponsored by organizations like the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) or the Songwriter’s Guild of America (SGA).

6.     Sign an admin deal - If you’re starting to get some cuts and placements for your songs and the subtleties of copyright law, royalty statements and licensing feel like too much to keep track of or negotiate, then consider signing with a publisher to administer your copyrights.  In other words, instead of giving away ownership of 50%-100% of your copyright, give a copyright administrator 15%-25% to “mind the store” while you’re taking care of the other stuff.  I promise you, if you’re making money from your songs, you’ll have no trouble at all finding an experienced publisher to administer your copyrights.

Conclusion

For the sake of simplicity, I’ve kept this article and the terms of a publishing deal very general. There are all manner of publishing deals from copyright administration all the way to full ownership of your publishing and there are reasons for and against all of these. Music publishers provide a valuable service in our industry but I think it’s important to realize that signing a publishing deal isn’t always your best option.  Be absolutely certain you understand what you stand to gain (beyond the simple validation of your talent) and what you’re giving up to get it.  In the world of professional songwriting, there is no one way to achieve success and, no matter what, the more you understand and can do on your own, the better off you’ll be.  Good luck!

Spencer Day on playing “Mary Lincoln’s Last Night Out” on KPSP Channel 2 in Palm Springs.

As a transplanted songwriter from Nashville to New York City, I’ve had the chance to observe, up close, the approaches to songwriting and the songwriting communities in both cities. While there are of course many similarities, there are also quite a few differences.

Read the full article here.