Just when I thought I was so drained of ideas that I was going to have to write about my 4th grade crush on Ms. Kowalski along comes some suggestions by YOU… my Muse Enthusiasts.
One of you asked about co-writing. IN particular…
“Can you talk about how working with songwriting partners have made or broke songs, and/or opened up your songwriting capacity.”
In response…
No.
Just kidding.
I was weak in many areas of writing until I started co-writing with writers down here in Nashville. I specify “down here in Nashville” because this is where the writers were professionals and better than me and I was able to learn tips from every one of them. I did not start co-writing down here till I had a few hits so I was a good candidate to be set up with some great people right off the bat. Always shoot for collaborating with people at your level, or even better than you, so you can watch their fingers.
These days I write with someone new for the following reasons.
1. They are great. I hear about writers and I check on them; if what I hear on iTunes or the cloud blows me away… I sign up.
2. They are signed to a good publisher. That way I know that what we write is going to get pushed all over town (if it’s worth it) by a top notch plugger, and make the day worth it.
3. They write in a style that I do NOT write in, but it intrigues me. This includes some of the younger kids that are doing demos on their laptops while you are writing the song.
4. I respect them, and think there might be a few tricks left that I can learn at my age.
I have certainly had my share of hits due to the efforts of my co-writer. My Garth single happened because my co-writer wrote for the same company as Garth, who heard the demo playing in the tape room. Some of the co-writers I write with have great writing relationships elsewhere and someday they might say “Hey you wanna get in on my next co-write with ______?”
I love writing alone. I can write several songs at the same time and work on one while I’m thinking about another. The songs I write by myself tend to be more adventurous because I don’t have to expose my wacky ideas to another human.
I love writing with some one else (sometimes) because some of them are my dear friends… some have great stories to share… some bring snacks (Victoria comes to mind) and some let me put my name at the top of a page of a song that I had very little to do with. Those are my favorites.