Setting Songwriting Goals And Paths

[GARY25302]

You might find it helpful to think about your songwriting goals and paths.

 

I write songs. Being creative & being able to finish projects requires that I decide on this "main goal." I spend most of my time, money & resources to reach this goal. Next I have another more long term goal. It is my "need to do goal" but I don't let it interfere with my main goal of writing songs. Playing gigs, recording videos, CD's & mp3s of my songs to post on my web sites & to sell is my long term goal. I work at a day job to finance my life. Sometimes this has to come before my other goals. Could I find a way to still have enough income, eliminate the day job & still survive? My final goal was to find outside passions that are totally unrelated to the other three goals & do them to have balance in my life.

 

To decide on my paths to reach the goals I wrote out the story of my life thus far. I focused this writing on the key factors that brought me to where I am today. Next I wrote about my future dreams. What did I have to do to survive? What would I like to do but don't need to do? What did I really want to do? By answering these questions I identified experiences I wanted to have in my life. Once I had identified the things I have to do & the things I need to do, then I could finally work toward my real goals. In doing this I gained a clear direction I wanted to take with my life & music career. I feel in doing this I moved ahead of where I was before I took steps to make plans. Now comes the hard part of finding out how to reach all these goals & when the goals will occur.

 

Try a similar process and you may find yourself writing more songs.

[Rudolf von Hagenwil]

 

Try a similar process and you may find yourself writing more songs.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the tip, but I often have to write thirty or more songs per month for all the production we make, of course there are many songwriters who also write songs for all the production we make, as well the artist also write their songs of course.

 

I don't think making any plans how to write more songs makes much sense for people who make music that by the side for fun and enjoyment.

[blue2blue]

 

You might find it helpful to think about your songwriting goals and paths. I write songs. Being creative & being able to finish projects requires that I decide on this "main goal." I spend most of my time, money & resources to reach this goal. Next I have another more long term goal. It is my "need to do goal" but I don't let it interfere with my main goal of writing songs. Playing gigs, recording videos, CD's & mp3s of my songs to post on my web sites & to sell is my long term goal. I work at a day job to finance my life. Sometimes this has to come before my other goals. Could I find a way to still have enough income, eliminate the day job & still survive? My final goal was to find outside passions that are totally unrelated to the other three goals & do them to have balance in my life. To decide on my paths to reach the goals I wrote out the story of my life thus far. I focused this writing on the key factors that brought me to where I am today. Next I wrote about my future dreams. What did I have to do to survive? What would I like to do but don't need to do? What did I really want to do? By answering these questions I identified experiences I wanted to have in my life. Once I had identified the things I have to do & the things I need to do, then I could finally work toward my real goals. In doing this I gained a clear direction I wanted to take with my life & music career. I feel in doing this I moved ahead of where I was before I took steps to make plans. Now comes the hard part of finding out how to reach all these goals & when the goals will occur. Try a similar process and you may find yourself writing more songs.

The unexamined life is not worth living, to paraphrase Socrates.

 

Such a personal inventory can really help one sort out one's history so far and one's priorities going into the future. And what better way for a writer to address the issue than a sort of autobiography? For others, a spreadsheet with numeric quantifiers might work, but for us wordsy types, such a literary exploration makes a lot of sense.

[blue2blue]

 

Thanks for the tip, but I often have to write thirty or more songs per month for all the production we make, of course there are many songwriters who also write songs for all the production we make, as well the artist also write their songs of course. I don't think making any plans how to write more songs makes much sense for people who make music that by the side for fun and enjoyment.

You're a fairly unique individual, Rudy, even among hardworking professional composers, I suspect.

 

I've settled into the role of making music outside the music biz, after having worked as a freelance engineer and small project studio owner for some time. (I never tried selling my music if for no other reason than that very few of the people I know who've become wrapped up with publishers and labels have had happy experiences and more than a couple have seen their careers trashed and put on hold for 5-7 years at a time.)

 

So, I guess you could say I do it for fun and enjoyment.

 

But I can see a lot of value in setting goals for oneself in songwriting/composition -- just as one might set goals for oneself in approaching their golf or tennis games.

 

Not everyone works the same, of course, but, for many folks, setting goals and making plans is not just a productivity enhancer, it can actually increase the pleasure and satisfaction they receive from their efforts.

 

And... look at all the people who one frequently sees writing sheepishly about how they always mean to get back to playing guitar or writing songs (or whatever) but never seem to get around to it. Setting goals and making plans will not automatically assure progress -- one still has to follow through -- but such goal-setting can really help some folks focus and 'keep their eye on the ball.'

[LeonardScaper]

I often have to write thirty or more songs per month for all the production we make, of course there are many songwriters who also write songs for all the production we make

 

That said.....I need not be as proficient as RvH. These discussions sometimes have different import for pros versus hobbyists like myself.

[Oswlek]

If anything, I feel too much of a compulsion to write. More often than I'd like to admit, I can barey even follow a conversation because ideas are swirling around in my head.

[DWD Guitar]

thats awesome Oswlek...what style of music you write?

[Cliftonb]

I've always had problems with planning. I found out that there were too many factors at play to extrapolate a plausible future scenario based on present circumstances. I notice what I believe are constants and try to make wise observations and act accordingly.

 

Musically, every time I make a conscious effort to achieve a certain feel, mood, style or concept I always fail at it. So I just kind of wing it. I found out that through my long history of failing at everything I attempted to do with my songs, that I always end up with something waaaay cooler than anything I could have planned.

 

I tried writing a piano ballad and ended up with a baroque classical number with heavy traditional Japanese and underground hip hop elements.

 

I tried writing a love song but ended up with a glitchy dubstep and Tuvan throat-singing infused anti-war song.

 

I honestly don't even try anymore and let whatever happens happen.