Nicholas Tozier wrote a post about 13 questions a songwriter should ask at the start of this new year. Thought it would be fun to answer. Here is my “State of Songwriting” from 2011:
1. Did I achieve the resolutions I set for myself in 2011?
No. The previous year 2011 was one of my darkest years, because things happened that made me aware I was only growing farther from my dreams. After the initial shock of that subsided, I started to figure out how I can take more personal control in the hopes of moving forward again towards my dreams.
Nevertheless, the story remains that it was a very bitter year (but not without its highlights).
2. How many songs did I finish? Don’t list any fragments or half-finished works here. They don’t count.
Nineteen. But I produced only less than half of it I think.
3. Could I have finished more songs than I did? Have I been procrastinating?
I could have, but I slowed down because I didn’t want to write new songs per se – I wanted to finish the old songs that I had already started to write. I also wanted to see what I could do with the bank of melodies I’ve gathered over the past few years, and combine them with lyric only fragments. I want to wrap up these old notes so I can start with a new direction.
4. How happy am I with the quality of the lyrics, melody, etc.?
I’m always heading to a new direction, so the moment the song is finished I like it but it fades fast. I do like the fact that 2011 was the year I started remixing, introducing me to a whole new world of musical styles.
5. In what ways did I get my songs heard by others this past year?
I launched an album! Played live shows. Did radio interviews. And of course uploaded them to Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and Noisetrade.
6. When I did sit down to write, did impatience and lack of focus scatter my energy?
No. I use the Pomodoro technique!
7. In what ways did I upgrade my skills in composing melodies, arrangement, and lyric writing during 2011?
I bought 2 songwriting books: “The Songwriter’s Workshop” series by Jimmy Kachulis. I also bought Gary Ewer’s “Essential Secrets of Songwriting”. Subscribed to 2 blogs and made a Twitter list of songwriting resources to follow.
8. Have I taken time to listen to new music and learn from the strengths of musicians and lyricists I admire?
Yes! My favorite source is Noisetrade for singer-songwriter or band type music, and Junodownload for electronica and dance type music.
9. Have any bad habits or addictions held me back?
Probably – mostly because I still need to take a break now and then, especially using up creative energy. So I’m not on my high 24/7. I do want to be more efficient with my time.
10. How much time did I spend on the web, watching TV, playing video games, or otherwise consuming idle entertainments? How does that compare to the amount of time I spent writing songs and honing my craft?
I spent time on the web a lot, but that also accounts for listening to new music, reading songwriting blogs, writing blogs about songwriting, discussions, etc. Didn’t play any video games this year. Watching movies can sometimes be a source of inspiration.
11. Did I schedule and manage my time to make sure I could devote time to songwriting?
Yes! About 4 times each week learning songwriting in the morning, and the whole day Friday for writing and producing new songs (applying what I learned all week long).
12. How badly do I really want to write songs? Is it my true artistic calling?
As bad as I want to make money (preferably from my music).
13. Am I holding myself back with fears of commercial or artistic failure?
No. I actually need more commercial success. Don’t we all?
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What about you? How was your 2011?
