If you want to start preparing for a songwriting career, start writing, now, today – if you haven’t already. If you’re totally brand new to it, write songs for yourself in the style of your favourite artists and songwriters, and share them with your friends and family. Once you hit your stride, start sharing your work online. Build an online presence on social media, and make use of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts to promote your work. Even established songwriters continue to use distribution platforms like DistroKid or TuneCore to get your music uploaded to streaming services. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t have many listeners right away – It’s all about the slow burn. Establishing a songwriting presence and developing your career portfolio is important, and you’ll steadily build your fanbase as you go! As I mentioned earlier, keep an eye on songwriting opportunities on websites like Fiverr and Mandy, where you can find paid gigs to write songs or soundtracks for plays or short films. Many of these will be student productions, so there might not be much money in it, but it will give you plenty of experience.
Listen to music, all the time, and listen eclectically. Don’t just stick to the artists and genres you know – branch out! Go to gigs. Learn how to play or sing other artists’ songs. Read music theory books. Practice an instrument. Watch channels on YouTube like Adam Neely, David Bruce, or Rick Beato. They’re goldmines of information! Join a band. Ask your friends if anyone’s interested in collaborating and write some songs together! Study Music at school, college, and university. Attend open mic nights and try out your new ideas. Being a songwriter is a lifestyle and an art form as much as it is a career. You need to love it and live it on a daily basis. Yearn to learn and create on a daily basis. Don’t be scared to daydream about the next big idea. You can do this!
