December 2018 Exercises

Wow, what a year! Tons of stuff has happened in the music industry this year and you are part of it! To regain focus after the Thanksgiving holiday, here are some helpful exercises:
 
1. Write down what you’ve accomplished this year. Next month is all about resolutions and all we can do to improve ourselves. We rarely look back on the past year and congratulate ourselves for what we have done to improve ourselves. Take 5 or 10 minutes to write down everything you have done in 2018 to make yourself a better writer, friend and person all around. Seeing the leaps you have taken this year will help propel you into even bigger dreams and accomplishments for 2019!

2. Use your NSAI Member services. As a member of NSAI, you have several credits that can be used at any time. Song evaluations, mentor meetings, online pitches and song feedbacks are great opportunities to improve your craft while getting your name out to several publishers and notable songwriters in the Nashville area. These credits can also lead to wonderful opportunities like being added to a “Publisher Luncheon” playlist or a special showcase among other great chances.

3. Write outside your genre. Push your goals a little further by writing completely out of your comfort song. Who knows?! This may be one of your favorite (and most pitchable) songs yet because it isn’t as close to your heart as your own genre song babies. Sometimes when we write for others and in other genres, it clears up our writer’s block in our own genre.

4. Show off your tunes! There is no better practice as a songwriter than to play some of your music in front of family and friends. December and the holidays offer a wonderful chance to showcase your music in a warm and cozy setting with all the ones who love you most. Sometimes your biggest fans can also offer the best (and most honest) feedback because they know how you are and they know what can help you.

5. Try something new. Often, we wait until January to create resolutions. Beat the rest of the world by a month and start something new! Whether it be a new co-write or a spin class, doing something new get us out of our comfort zone that can sometimes affect our music. Refresh your morale overall by doing something you’ve never done before and your songwriting will thank you!