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This month I would like to share the answer to some questions I was recently asked by a song writer who is just beginning to get involved in the music industry. I think his questions may be some of the same ones that some of you would like to have answered.

Q. Am I being silly? Is it really a hit-or-miss game of submitting your songs until someone is interested

A. No, you are not being silly. If your songs are good, then yes, this really is a hit and miss business of submitting until you find someone interested in your material. If your songs are not good, then all your pitches will be misses.

Q. If I write and request permission to submit, will they respond positively or is it hard to get your foot in the door without personal connections?

A. I can't answer for every publisher, but most publishers will not accept unsolicited material (songs they did not request to be sent). You may get a positive response from some publishers. You won't know until you try. But it is much easier to get your songs in the door if you know someone there. Nothing will beat building professional business relationships.

Q. I've thought about submitting to somebody like Niles Borop at Centergy, or some of the bigger publishers. What do you think?

A. Centergy Music Group does not accept unsolicited material. I do not know of a bigger publisher in Southern Gospel music than Centergy.

Q. Mostly, I really would be interested in working with a respectable publisher who would be willing to provide feedback to me on my song as well as some artistic guidance. I can take the criticism, but I'm a little scared (though prepared) for out right rejection. Is there anyone out there you would recommend who is a go-getter publisher and a Christian? Or who would be interested in meeting me and listening to several of my songs, rather than 1 or 2?

A. What you are wanting from a publisher is what every songwriter wants. That is the level you want to get to. But unfortunately that is not the level where you will most likely begin. Professional publishers like Centergy Music Group, Daywind, or Springhill, are not looking for a single good song. They have a staff of writers that are already producing great songs for them on a daily basis. They are only interested in writers that have a track record of consistent material that is being cut. You need to have some successes in your writing before they are likely to take a look at you or your music. Successful songs are what will interest a major publisher in a particular writer.

Q. Once a writer is published, do they generally stick with the same publisher for future songs, at least as long as the publisher is interested?

A. No, a writer does not have to stay with the same publisher. If the publisher is dealing with you on a per song basis, then you are a free agent and you can shop your songs anywhere you want. If a publisher signs you to an exclusive songwriting contract, then you are under obligation to that publisher for the duration of that contract. Over the past 20 years, my songs have been represented by nine different publishers. But the majority of my songs are with Centergy and J. Douglas Music. There are a variety of reasons you may sign a song with one publisher over another. If you look at the most successful writers, you will see that most of them have been affiliated with several companies over the years.

Q. How do you feel about reversion clauses? As I understand it, unless you have on included in the songwriter's contract, you give up the rights to your song for life. What if there is no action on the song? Is it standard for a writer to ask for such a clause?

A. I have included a reversion clause in all of the single song contracts I have signed. Most publishers do not put them in the contract. You must request it. But I have never had a publisher reject a song because I asked to include that clause in the contract. I have reclaimed ownership to some of my songs because that clause was included.

My advice to all of you is to build good business relationships in the industry. Go to industry events and meet industry leaders. The best place I have found to begin, is to pitch your unpublished songs directly to the artist. They are usually more likely to listen to unsolicited material than a publisher or record company is. If the artist is interested in your song, I guarantee you that you will be contacted by a publisher. That could be your foot in the door. Once you have a song used by that company, they will be much more likely to listen to additional material from you.

Until next time, keep on writing!

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