Songwriting and creating music are things that a lot of people dream about. And most people who actually pursue it don't just want to get by. They want to make it big. People who want to take advantage of that to make some money know that a lot of these dreamers are not as educated as they think they are.
Take myself for example. In terms of having pride in my work I am ready to pursue a songwriting career. And a few weeks ago I felt like I was ready despite a lack of knowledge of how the songwriting business works. It seemed like an acceptable approach to see where networking could take me and learn along the way. Fortunately an unplanned stop by Barnes and Noble made me realize how naive and unprofessional that was. I saw some books about songwriting and the music industry and decided to educate myself a little. I couldn't believe how much I had learned, things I had before thought I could go without knowing, after only a few chapters. One thing the books talked about was legal contracts with anyone who you write or record a song with. I hadn't put much thought into that. I realized as I continued that there were a lot of important things I hadn't considered much at all. And I realized that that put me at a serious disadvantage.
In terms of having completed songs and having pride in my work I am ready to pursue a songwriting career, but there are a lot of people who would be more than willing to take advantage of my ignorance. That's why I am focusing on educating myself on the music business, as well as music itself. If I see an opportunity in front of my I'll obviously take advantage of it, but at the same time I recognize the value of increasing my knowledge on things that are vital.
As I learn I want to help other people who have the same interests. I am creating a new page for resources for songwriters. I will post books, links, and websites that I find helpful as I continue to learn more. I will also occasionally add a blog post for resources that are exceptional.
~Eliza
