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Songwriters dream of making their living by writing, and sometimes performing, their songs. But until that day comes they’ve got to make a living somehow! Sound familiar?

With a little imagination, you can probably find a way to convert your love for music and songwriting into a means of making money. To help you get started, here is a list of ideas worth looking into:

1. Sell your tapes and/or CD’s online.

It is really remarkably easy (and pretty darn inexpensive) to set up your own web site and begin selling your tapes, CD’s, and whatever else you have to offer. And, although it’s beyond the scope of this article to tell you in detail how to do this, as a minimum you will need: a website; a web host; a means of collecting money (you can get a merchant account or use a service such as PayPal); and, of course, visitors to your website.

2. Write and sell an eBook about your music expertise.

An eBook, or electronic book, is extremely popular these days on the Internet. The benefits to you include ease of production and very low delivery cost. Customers benefit
from the instant gratification of downloading the book immediately after purchasing it.

Don’t forget, information is the hot product for today, especially on the Internet. With a little effort, you can surely come up with special information that others would be willing to pay for.

3. Organize contests.

Why not organize a songwriting contest for all the songwriters in your area? Or, better yet, use the Internet and start one on a national basis! Let’s say you collected 250 entries at $10 a pop… that’s $2,500. Even if you offered up $500 in prizes, you still walk away with $2,000! You might also get local songwriting clubs, music stores, etc., to help with the advertising and even contribute to the prize offerings.

4. Publish an online newsletter.

Publishing your own newsletter, or “ezine”, can be an excellent way to earn some extra money. And, although some folks have succeeded at offering a fee-based newsletter, it’s much easier to publish a free one.

Three of the most common ways to make money with your free newsletter are: sell advertising space, promote affiliate programs, and advertise the sale of your own products, such as your tapes and CD’s.

5. Start your own jingle business.

There is alot of money to be made in writing jingles. And, as a songwriter, you probably already have all the equipment you will need to get started. It’s also good training because it helps you learn to “write on demand”.

Brian Cook is a freelance writer whose articles on music and songwriting have appeared on many websites. You can find more of these at http://www.songwritersguide.com

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What is songwriting? What is composing? Do you really compose when you write songs or are you just copying?

If song writers make a living on their writing it will put a lot of pressure on them. Some song writers are constantly listening for what’s popular and are trying to imitate hooks in songs.

I can see two ways to go as a song writer:

1. Listening to a lot of hit songs and trying to write similar songs. By listening to songs and reading a lot on what’s up trying to feel what type of songs will be popular in the near future.

2. Trying to be yourself and just work on creating songs you like yourself in the hope that others will feel the same.

The last method is for me the most rewarding way to go as far as personal growth is concerned. I feel good and happy when I am creative as a song writer and feel that the process involves something about knowing myself better.

In the long run it might also create the best hit songs too. The song Yesterday is just one example of a different hit song.

Writing songs can be a very rewarding activity and the level of originality depends on how you write your music. You can help the creative parts of your brain to be activated or use the more calculating parts or a combination of both.

May I share a few tips from my own song writing experience:

1. Sit down with your guitar or at your piano singing or humming without expecting to create something brilliant. When you allow yourself to wander away a bit from your calculating parts of the brain and into the exciting forests of imagination and creativity you can come up with fantastic things.

2. Limitations can help your creativity. Give yourself some limitations by for example using a chord progression like G Em Am D7. Many songs use this progression but there will be room for more. You can of course use a more odd one like E C C#m G#m.

3. Record yourself playing around humming with your guitar or piano. Listening to what you have come up with a few days later can help you find interesting melodies or hooks to use in your songs.

Sometimes you can feel that you are not able to write songs like the song writers you like but they can’t write songs that is you. A comforting thought, isn,t it!

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com

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Sure, “art for art’s sake” is cool… but what if you’re pursuing a career as a
songwriter? This article is full of suggestions for how you can tailor your songs to
suit the requirements of music business professionals.

Many of us bemoan the state of commercial music today, but what are you doing to
improve things in your own microcosmic corner of the universe? Are you working to
create the next wave of great material songs that have a lifespan of more than a
few weeks or months? How can you use your talents to actually make a powerful
contribution… and make a living while you’re at it?

The first step is to take a good look inside and explore what you as a unique
individual have to say, lyrically and musically. What do you think about, believe in,
stand for? What makes you tick? These precious truths that bubble up from the soul
provide the driving force behind great songwriting. These sparks of inspiration,
these “aha! moments,” are what listeners crave when they play a song. They’re also
what People Behind Desks are desparate to find. Do you have the courage to lay
bare your personal truth in public? I firmly believe that’s what it takes to achieve
success with your songs.

The cynical among us will say, “no, you just need the right equipment, a catchy
hook and a whole lot of money behind you.” Sure, those things help, but if you’re
trying to break into the business, your song has to simultaneously grab people by
the guts, tickle their ears, and slam them over the head like a 2-by-4. Strive to write
songs that take risks, tap into the universal via the personal, and motivate people to
laugh, cry, feel, dance or take action. Make an effort to innovate, not imitate what’s
already out there. In other words, write your passion. Songs miraculously translate
to listeners the exact emotion you felt while you were writing them. Do your best to
work that magic!

Another quality that professionals look for in a song is strong dynamic flow. Skillful
use of the many conventions of songwriting can manipulate listeners in the most
enjoyable way. Don’t be afraid to push those emotional buttons! Here are some
ways to go about it:

Suck listeners in with lyrical, melodic and chordal tension.
Create a question in their minds: how will this turn out in the end?
Throw their bodies off balance with chords or melodies that are unexpected or
quirky.
Take a strong point of view that’s boldly provocative, unique or intensely
felt.
Paint a vivid picture in the mind’s eye.
Set a palpable mood.
Construct an entire sonic and/or lyrical environment.

Once you have piqued people’s interest, crank up their involvement using all the
techniques in your lyrical toolbox, i.e. rhyme, meter, imagery, metaphor,
alliteration… you name it. Avoid clich

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