Thursday, September 29, 2016
4 Ways to Use Experience to Fuel Your Writing
Let’s play a quick game of two truths and a lie. Here are my three statements:
- On my first day of school someone tried to kill me.
- I have eaten pig brain soup.
- I almost died from choking on cilantro.
If you picked near death by cilantro as the lie you are correct! Thank goodness. I hate cilantro so that would be a terrible way to die.
So yes, I have eaten pig brain soup. No, it was not voluntary nor will I ever do it again. Yes again to almost being killed the first day of school.
What does all this have to do with writing?
Excellent question! All of us have things in our past that have made us who we are, and should we choose to draw upon them, can fuel our writing in a powerful way.
Heart and Soul Make Stories Come Alive
The heart and soul of writing comes from experience.
When I was in college, I had the chance to interview a published author. Cue the social media stalking and writing my intro speech. A REAL author was willing to talk to me! I was a lowly student, a mere peon. I didn’t have anything published apart from a highly academic piece in the student newspaper on women’s sentiments towards men’s beards.
I’ll never forget that author’s parting words of advice:
Her advice stuck with me as I continued to write.
Now, I never shy away from an opportunity to try something new or go on an adventure. This has been the single most impactful thing for my writing.
4 Ways to Live Life to the Full (for your writing’s sake, of course)
Here are a few practical ways you can start living life to the full and improving your writing. First things first. You’ll need to expand your range of experiences.
1. Try a new hobby
Most creative types are naturally curious people.
I’ve tried a wide range of hobbies that have translated surprisingly well into my writing. From krav maga training to swing dancing classes, survival courses to photography, these things have enabled me to write with more authority.
That doesn’t mean you have to incorporate every hobby into your books, but you’d be surprised how well your knowledge will be useful.
The caveat here is to do this in moderation. Don’t spend so much time on your hobby that you forget to actually write.
2. Meet interesting people
Time and time again you’ll hear about the importance of writing memorable characters. How can you do that if you yourself have never met interesting people in the real world?
You’ll have a much more authentic and unique ring to your characters when you pull real quirks and traits from people you’ve met. Your cousin who sleeps with crackers in case she gets hungry, that coworker whose smile makes you shudder, your roommate’s mom who bribes you to keep her son from texting and driving—these are the kinds of people you want to meet and draw inspiration from.
Where can you meet said interesting people?
They’re all over! It just depends on what you’re looking for. Writing a corporate scandal? Try going to your local chamber of commerce’s events. Penning a book on man vs. the wild? Pick up rock climbing for a little while. Attempting to write the next James Bond? The shooting range is a good place to meet some sharp shooters.
You’re an introvert and hate meeting new people? That’s where the next part comes in.
3. Get out of your comfort zone
I know it’s hard. Guess what.
So is writing a book.
If you can’t get out of your comfort zone, how will you finish writing a book? Not to mention, how will you write characters into scenes which carry them out of their comfort zones?
It’s time for you to get out there. Crash a wedding! Go to karaoke! Try toast masters, jump out of a plane, or hug a clown! What is it that makes you want to disappear into the floor? Instead of avoiding it, face it head on—just like you make your characters do.
Ever read a book where the character goes from ordinary to fighting valiant battles with little more than a few cuts and bruises?
Just slayed another troll without a weapon and without interrupting afternoon tea?
*Yawn.*
Don’t be that author who makes everything easy for the protagonist. The change starts now, with you. Try something that gets you out of your comfort zone and routine.
4. Write down what you learned
While getting out of your comfort zone is all good and well, if that’s all you do, then it may have been all for naught. Uncomfortable memories aren’t enough to base a story on.
Don’t despair. There’s a simple fix.
Write down your key findings and observations from the hobbies, interesting people you meet, and emotions you feel from being out of your comfort zone. Find a system that works for categorizing these notes so they’re easily findable.
Later you can pull from those experiences and emotions when you’re at that point in your writing. This is a great way to say “Bye bye!” to writer’s block and “Hello!” to cranking out the pages without missing a beat.
Want to Be a Good Writer? Tell Your Story
Being a bookworm doesn’t make you a good writer, but telling your story does.
Some things in life just happen. We didn’t ask for them. Other things we choose to do.
Both are equally valuable to our writing.
Sure, taking a wilderness survival class will add authenticity to your novel, but so will being able to capture the rage and grief from watching a loved one suffer. We don’t choose a lot of things in our lives, but we can choose to use them to sharpen our writing.
Use those experiences to fuel your writing. Others will feel them with you as they read your book.
Now get out of your comfort zone and start writing!
Have you ever gone out of your comfort zone and tried out new experiences for the sake of your writing? How did it go? Let me know in the comments.
PRACTICE
Today’s challenge: What’s a hobby you currently have? How could you use it in your writing? Spend fifteen minutes writing a scene in which you use the things you’ve learned from that hobby to fuel your writing.
When you’re done, post your practice in the comments, and take some time to brighten someone’s day by giving them some feedback on their post.
The post 4 Ways to Use Experience to Fuel Your Writing appeared first on The Write Practice.
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Sentio Giveaway
Love Putters?
How about limited edition putters?
If you answered yes to either of those questions stick around, because today we have something really cool for you.
Today, MyGolfSpy is going to be giving away the very first (#001) Limited Edition Sentio Century Edition Putter.
If you are one of those golfers who like something unique something, not cloned directly after an Anser style putter you will love this. Not only is this one of the more unique putters we have seen hit the market in quite some time, it also was a Top 10 finisher in our 2016 Most Wanted Putter Test. After a test of over 9,000 putts it was one of the only blade putters in golf for 2016 that showed a positive SG18 score (meaning it would lower your scores).
About The Sentio Century Edition #001
The winner will be walking away with the very first model produced, the #001 model of a limited run of 100 available. Each putter is individually numbered. Each Century Edition has a back section fully CNC milled from a billet of 303 stainless steel and finished with a durable, low-glare black/bronze PVD coating. The soft green durometer core provides a supple feel while the precision MIM 304 stainless steel face provides a crisp contact. The two-tone finish helps to heighten the perpendicular alignment formed by the face and rear alignment line.
“We wanted to commemorate our company’s launch with something special” explains Jim Varney, President of Sentio Golf, in early testing that a lot of our better players liked a darker finish and a softer feel, so we created this special run to their preferences.”
Sentio’s unique construction which separates the entire stainless steel face from the rest of the putter head with a vibration-dampening thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) core, through a process called insert molding. A proprietary TPE formulation bonds the two metal parts permanently together while keeping them separated from each other without any contact.
PUTTER FEATURES:
- PRICE: $399
- WEIGHT: 350g
- LOFT: 2 Degrees
- LIE: 72 Degrees
- HOSEL: Full Offset Plumber Hosel
- TOE HANG: 4:00 Toe Hang
- GRIP: PURE Midsize Grip
Customers can specify their preferred shaft length at checkout. Other special requests may be possible.
HOW TO ENTER
Entering is super simple. You just have to do the following (must be follower to win):
- Extra Entry: Comment what you like best about the Sentio putters.
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Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Do you know what your Vitality Age is? You may be older than you think
Last week I posed a question. “What would you do if you were rewarded to live a healthy life?”
The answers were as varied as the demographics that replied, but no matter the age, gender, or current state of health, one commonality existed. People are excited by the idea of being rewarded for making healthier lifestyle choices.
On September 27th, my family and I, along with anyone who happened to be downtown Toronto, had the opportunity to witness the unveiling of the Manulife Vitality program.
What is Vitality and What Does it Mean to Me?
‘Vitality’ is the state of being strong and active; it’s energy. It’s a fitting name for the new program being rolled-out by Manulife and it is changing the entire notion of life insurance. With advancements in technology, people are taking an active role in their health and Manulife is the first to leverage these innovations in Canada by rewarding Canadians for living a healthy life.
Customers who choose this innovative, new kind of insurance will have industry-leading financial protection, opportunities to save on their insurance premiums, as well earn valuable rewards and discounts for taking steps to improve their health.
We asked Stephanie to share with us in 30 seconds or less, what the Vitality program is all about. She sums it up nicely…
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never thought a life insurance company would reward me for healthy living. But with providers like Garmin and GoodLife Canada enlisting in the Vitality program, it’s got me pretty excited and I can imagine there’ll be a lot more rewards providers enlisting in this new #HealthyRewards based program.
How would you respond if you were asked, “What do you life for?”
It’s one thing to be told we will be rewarded for living a healthy life, but after witnessing a team in green flood Yonge-Dundas Square on the 27th, I know how seriously this program concept is being taken. The Vitality unveiling made a statement for all Canadians on the 27th to witness, and at the center, one question was asked, “What do you live for?”
The unveil revealed the world’s largest punching bag keyboard (and in fact there’s only 2 of them in existence, the other in a museum in Istanbul). Manulife enlisted the help of Micheal “Pinball” Clemons. I couldn’t imagine a better fit than Coach ‘Pinball’, he epitomizes what it is to live a healthy life.
As people were invited into the ring, Coach Pinball would ask “What do you live for?” and then, with boxing gloves strapped on, we’d be asked to punch our answer into the keyboard while being televised life on the jumbo-tron hanging above Yonge-Dundas Square. A pretty epic opportunity that got us all thinking about our lives and what drives us to do what we do. I have to share a very proud Papa moment when my daughter was asked the question, she handled herself beautifully with confidence and grace… and a mean right hook! (video below)
I watched for most of the morning as people lined up to meet Coach and be asked to punch-out their answers. Words like ‘love’, ‘adventure’ ‘my wife’, ‘family’, ‘health’, ‘happiness’ echoed across the square. Not a person left that ring without a hop in their step and a smile on their face. And as an added reward, for a few lucky people a brand new Garmin fitness tracker too.
Not only was the ring and boxing keyboard a great idea, it was an real life example that making fitness fun and interactive can engage a wide array of people to move their bodies with purpose. There’s no doubt in my mind, and there’s evidence to support it too, that participation in a program like this—that recognizes and incentivizes people for positive behaviors—not only correlates to positive behavior changes, but also to more active and engaged customers.
Are you older or younger than you think? What’s your Vitality Age?
One of the most interesting aspects of the Vitality program is the Vitality Age calculator. It takes only a minute or two to complete and you’ll be provided with a Vitality Age. And depending on your lifestyle habits, your age may be higher than you actually are, indicative of daily choices that aren’t serving your long-term health goals. Or on the flip-side, if you are eating well, moving your body with purpose and leading a healthy life, you’ll more than likely see a Vitality Age lower than your actual age.
Give it a try at VitalityAge.ca to find out your Vitality Age.
The Media, a DJ, a TRX workout, a bike tune-up and a sweet treat or two (or 3)
I can only imagine what the downtown passer-by thought as they walked past all the excitement happening at Yonge-Dundas Square. A giant green boxing ring, bike tune-up stand, DJ spinning mad beats, live TV and radio broadcasting… and that was just the first 20 feet!
To help paint a picture, here’s a social media round-up showcasing much of the event’s highlights.
We'll reward your ride. Pedal down to Yonge & Dundas Square for a free bike tune-up
#HealthyRewards http://pic.twitter.com/NhPHmHtsOn
— Manulife (@Manulife) September 27, 2016
You know what they say about an apple a day
Now you can save money by making healthy choices. #HealthyRewards http://pic.twitter.com/GcDHLIYSQ5
— Manulife (@Manulife) September 27, 2016
An apple a day!
️
Earn #HealthyRewards with @Manulife Vitality. So simple, so impactful!
@MarissaBronfman #futureisgreen™️ #Toronto http://pic.twitter.com/Qfg13tBI1T
— Bowl Bar (@BowlBar) September 27, 2016
So I ask again, “What would you do if you were rewarded to live a healthy life?”
Knowing there’s a new and innovative way to deal with one’s life insurance, I believe many of us will feel more confident in our daily lifestyle choices. There’s both power and accountability in being able to track our daily choices back to a direct cost savings. And what’s really got me excited is that we may realize an immediate savings today, a super cool reward perk from a company like Garmin or GoodLife Fitness, but the quality of life we’re investing in 10, 20 or 40 years down the road… how do you put a price on that?
If you are interested in learning more about the Vitality program, they’ve put together an informative resource at http://ift.tt/2d4w6YP
Remember, sometimes our daily choices may seem insignificant and lacking impact on our current lifestyle, but compound out those tiny, little actionable choices over a period of weeks, months, and years… you’ll be amazed at how far you will have journeyed, knowing that it all started with you deciding to lead a healthy life.
And to be absolutely clear, this is my disclaimer: “Just so you know, I have been compensated to share my ideas on this topic. Sometimes it is in the form of products, or services or even money… But here’s the thing; I won’t share anything with you that I don’t fully support. It doesn’t matter what it is, or how much they are willing to give me, if I don’t believe in it, It won’t be on my site. Seriously. You’ll just have to trust me on this.” ~ Coach Moose
from Dai Manuel: The Moose is Loose http://ift.tt/2cByOSD
7 Lessons From the Tribe Conference
A couple weeks ago I road tripped to Franklin, Tennessee, for our friend Jeff Goins’s most recent Tribe Conference.
The Tribe Conference is an annual gathering of writers who want to grow in their craft and business in the midst of community. It was an incredible experience with unforgettable people.
7 Lessons From the Tribe Conference
Here are the seven lessons I learned that weekend:
1. Start Before You Feel Ready
You’ll never wake up one day and feel like you’re ready to be a writer. Trust me, I’ve tried it.
You just have to start.
And if you start, you will find that you wake up one day and realize you are a writer.
It’s as simple as that, really. You must begin.
2. Be Brave
Jeff Goins began his conference in a Robin costume. For a grown man to welcome an audience of 200+ in a leotard and tights is a brave thing to do. And that was Jeff’s first point. Being a writer requires bravery.
I wish I could also tell you that in writing, you only need to be brave once, but bravery is required in each step of the process.
You have to be brave to start. You have to be brave in what you write. And most of all, you have to be brave to share what you’ve written.
3. Connect Through Honesty
This is something I’ve been learning a lot of lately, and something Jeff and his team shared so eloquently. Your readers will connect to you and your writing when you are honest with them.
You see, I used to think that being a professional writer meant I needed to be know everything about writing. Why else would I write on a blog dedicated to teaching writing principles? The truth is, I really know nothing. I mean, I do know a few things, but honestly, each day I realize I know less than I thought I did yesterday.
It’s not about knowing everything. It’s about being able to be honest with where you really are and to invite the reader to figure out the rest with you. That’s when true connection happens.
True connection with your reader is found there: at the intersection of honesty and invitation.
4. Good Stories Are Told Through Small Details
Marion Roach shared this piece of advice at this year’s conference:
Too often we focus on the dramatic moments in our stories, like, “He broke my heart” and “She’s gone.” And while these can be huge moments that shift the entire story, they do not teach the reader anything.
The most effective stories focus on the small details that tell the bigger story. Narrow in on the significance of a keychain or the moment you first suspected something was wrong. Use details like these to write moments that connect with and transform your reader.
5. Use the Right Tools
Another thing I love about the Tribe Conference is the dedication to not simply teaching principles but showing how to implement them. This year they did that by showing us a lot of new tools that are changing the way we write, share our writing, and create an audience.
We no longer live in the days of finishing a manuscript on a typewriter. If you want to be a writer, there are countless tools that can help you be more creative and productive.
Take advantage of the tools you have at your disposal.
6. It’s Not About You
The actual theme of this year’s conference was, “Be the Sidekick.” Another reason Jeff came on stage dressed as Robin, not Batman.
The idea he shared was so simple, but completely revolutionized the way I saw my writing. He asked these simple questions:
What if your writing isn’t about you?
What if you wrote the story that others needed you to tell?
What if your sole focus was to help someone else be the hero in their own story?
What writers like Jeff and I have found is that when you focus on being the sidekick, not only do you actually help change the lives of your readers, but you become more successful in the process.
7. Community Is Everything
I learned a lot from the sessions at the Tribe Conference, but where I learned the most was sitting at a table surrounded by other writers who shared their struggles. We poured into one another as we sipped our coffee and reminded each other that we are not alone.
We shared ideas for books and dreams for future projects. The more we talked, the more obvious it was how we could help and support one another with whatever we brought to the table.
We too often think that other writers are our competition, but the truth is, when we come together, we’re unstoppable.
Seek Out Your Community
Going to Tribe Conference this year was an incredible experience. I got to hear from some excellent speakers and came back fired up to write more.
I find that the best part of conferences like these, though, isn’t the sessions, but the people. I loved spending time with other writers and sharing our stories.
Community creates better together. Find your people, your tribe, and you will be better for it. I promise.
Have you ever been to a writer’s conference? What lessons have you learned? Let me know in the comments.
PRACTICE
Today, you get choices. I’ve created three prompts based on different lessons above. Pick one and write for fifteen minutes.
Lesson 3: Connect through honesty. Write honestly about something you don’t know and invite your reader into the solution.
Lesson 4: Good stories are told through small detail. Tell a story using small detail.
Lesson 6: It’s not about you. Brainstorm and answer the questions from lesson 6.
Don’t forget to post your practice in the comments below and leave feedback for your fellow writers!
The post 7 Lessons From the Tribe Conference appeared first on The Write Practice.
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Following the It Girl - Yvonne Leon
Yvonne Léon’s designs showcase the French jeweller’s decadent and innovative aesthetic. Fine metals balance with an exuberant sensibility while contemporary shapes combine with heritage craftsmanship and a bohemian spirit. Her breath-taking collections have revolutionized the fine jewellery industry and garnered global attention from A-list celebrities to style-conscious women.
RECENT EDITORIALS
ELLE Canada - September 2016
Featuring Yvonne Léon Bague D'oreille Pearl Earring
ELLE China - October 2016
Featuring Yvonne Léon Puce Abeille Diamond Bee Stud Earring
L'Officiel Paris - December 2015
Featuring Yvonne Léon Tige Turquoise and Tsavorites Garnet Stem Earring
Vogue Paris - May 2016
Featuring Yvonne Léon Viviane Yellow Gold Ring
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Golf Patent: Titleist Aims to Throw Its Weight Around
Current driver design is largely focused on two goals: saving weight and moving weight. A recent patent filing by Acushnet (Titleist) focuses on the latter.
Look Familiar?
There's no denying that in the golf equipment space, who invented what is often a matter of great debate, with more than one party often trying to claim ownership of an idea or technology. With that in mind, it shouldn't come as any real surprise that while some of what's disclosed here does appear different from anything else on the market, some looks to fit within been there, done that category. As with most anything else, reality is nuanced, and any actual innovation may be unclear to the naked eye.
In this case, the key phrase might be this: One aspect of the present technology is the realization that position of weight elements in existing golf club head designs are not easily adjustable.
Are existing methods of moving weight around really that complicated?
If nothing else, the patent application which was filed on June 3, 2016 (as a continuation from a patent application from 2014), and published on September 22nd, and lists Stephen S. Murphy and Darryl C. Galvan as inventors, provides some insight into Titleist's R&D department while highlighting a couple of potentially interesting ways to move mass around a metalwood head.
Here is, in part, how Acushnet summarizes the field of its invention:
The systems, methods, and devices described herein have innovative aspects, no single one of which is indispensable or solely responsible for their desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the claims, some of the advantageous features will now be summarized.
One aspect of the present technology is the realization that position of weight elements in existing golf club head designs are not easily adjustable. Thus, there exists a need for an improved golf club head. The present technology is directed to a golf club head incorporating a position adjustable weight system. The position adjustable weight system provides the ability to fine tune the performance characteristics of the golf club via manipulation of the position of an adjustable weight, thereby manipulating the location of the center of gravity and the moment of inertia of the golf club to suit the golfer's preference and increase the club's playability.
As noted, a cursory glance suggests that many of the ideas contained within already exist in the marketplace. That said, you never know what kind of fresh spin can be placed on existing technology, and with its 917 series, Titleist has shown an ability to bring something different to the market. Perhaps there's more still to come.
Have Your Say
Do you see anything in the drawings that gets you excited about potential future Titleist offerings?
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Tuesday, September 27, 2016
SAS Music Festival Concerts, Oct 24-26, 2016
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How to Write a Song With Jill and Kate
When I was in grade two, I was in a Christmas concert. Just before the concert, I was practicing on stage, with my parents and brother in the audience waiting behind the curtains. My teacher came to me and said, “Mouth the words, Pamela.”
I don’t sing.
I love listening to singers where I can hear the words, and the words can touch places through sound that words alone can’t do.
Meeting Songwriting Duo Jill and Kate
Jill Pickering and Kate Rapier were singing “Behind These Hazel Eyes” at a Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles when Kelly Clarkson walked in. They ended up singing as backup singers for her for six years until they stepped out from the back of the stage to the front of the stage, singing their own songs.
Together they became Jill and Kate, a songwriting and harmonizing duo from Nashville, Tennessee. A few weeks ago, they sang at the Tribe Conference in Franklin, Tennessee. I met them when they were setting up their table to sell their music before the event.
The lyrics Jill and Kate write talk about pain, healing, joy, and sorrow. They sing with voices my grade two teacher would have liked.
I love their sound and their original lyrics.
I was so curious to know how they wrote their songs—how they do what they do, how they create their music.
Singers are writers. Writers who sing their words.
I want to introduce Jill and Kate to you and to share their writing process. It might be helpful to you if you write songs or would like to write songs.
Jill and Kate Talk Songwriting
Jill and Kate are getting ready to leave on tour in a few days. They were gracious and agreed to answer questions in the midst of packing up their guitars and getting ready to go on the road.
On Getting Started With Songwriting
How did you meet?
We met at a tiny music school on Martha’s Vineyard. We were each going to college (Jill was attending Gordon College in Massachusetts and Kate was attending Biola University in California) and decided to go to a study “abroad” semester to learn more about the music industry. We say “abroad” because Martha’s Vineyard is not technically abroad, but we like the way it sounds and you have to take a ferry to get there! Haha.
So anyway, we were roommates at this music school and became fast friends. We decided to work together just a few weeks into the semester.
When did you start writing songs? (Were you were little did you want to grow up and be a singer and songwriter?)
Jill has been writing songs since she was 11 years old and learned to play guitar. Kate started writing when she was 19 or 20.
We have both been singing since we could talk and both dreamed of doing music someday, but didn’t necessarily know how that would look.
On How to Write a Song
Will you please explain how you approach writing a song? Does the music come first or the words?
We’ve been writing songs together for 13 years and very few have been written exactly the same way.
Most of the time the words will come first. One of us will have a line or a title idea and we will bring it to the other one. Jill will grab the guitar and start playing until we find a melody or chord progression that works with the lyric.
But sometimes we will have a musical idea and try to write lyrics to that. It all just depends on the day. There are so many ways to write a song . . . which is partly what keeps it interesting.
On Song Structure
In a story, there is a beginning, a middle and an end. Your songs sound like stories, with conflict and resolution. How do you structure your songs? I found this structure on the internet: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, ending.
That is the most common structure for the songs we write. It’s sort of the natural flow of a “pop” song.
We like to always bring some sort of resolution if we can. We believe there is hope in everything . . . that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, even in the darkest of places. So, resolution is definitely something we try to tie in to our songs.
Every once in a while it’s fun to break the typical mold and write a different structured song too. We have a song called “From Somewhere In The Bottle” that is basically just 3 different verse sections and no chorus.
On Their Songwriting Process
Will you please pick one of your songs from Heart of Stone and tell us how you wrote it? What were you thinking?
One of our most popular songs on Heart Of Stone is “My Love.”
When we wrote it, we were both going through some hard times. Being a duo, we can generally balance each other out pretty well . . . if one of us is down, the other is up. But at this particular time, we were both feeling pretty down . . . both of us fighting a bit of depression.
We wrote this song from the perspective of what we thought God would say to us during this time. It was a way to get out of our own heads . . . silence the voices inside that were just destroying us, and trying to listen from another perspective.
Whatever that unconditional love is in everyone’s life that propels them forward . . . that is the voice that is speaking in this song. Kate had the idea of the first line: “I won’t ever change my mind, I won’t ever change my mind about you” and from there the song came quickly.
My Love
I won’t ever change my mind
I won’t ever change my mind about you
I’ve been crazy bout you yeah
I’ve been crazy bout you since I found youSo you can fall right to pieces on the floor tonight
You can break down if you need to cry
But I won’t ever change my mind
I won’t ever change my mind about youSo come on take a walk with me
Take my hand
You can scream into the darkness and tell me your plans
You can cry all night til you understand my loveCause I’ll be here in the morning when the sun is bright
And when you see it there shining
You will come to find
That it’s always gonna be here til the end of time
My loveI am never gonna leave
I am never gonna leave you stranded
Life is never gonna go
It will never go like you planned itSo you can wear yourself down trying to figure me out
You can love me later if you hate me now
But I am never gonna leave
I am never gonna leave you stranded
Advice for Songwriters
What advice can you give to someone who wants to write songs? Or what do you wish you had known when you first started out?
The best advice that we ever got when we were starting out with songwriting was to not be afraid to write a lot of really crappy songs before you get a good one.
We probably write 20 or 30 songs and get one good one out of the group. It’s just the reality of writing.
You have to do a lot of it to get to something good.
So, don’t be afraid. Write, write, write. When you get a good song, awesome.
Don’t be surprised if you write a bunch of crappy ones after that. It’s all a part of honing your craft . . . and don’t be too hard on yourself.
On Next Steps
What is next?
We are busy writing new music right now and working with some different writers in Nashville which has been really fun!
We have shows this fall in Chicago, New York, Wisconsin, and Philadelphia which we are excited about. We’ll also be in Los Angeles writing this fall.
Another thing we are really excited about is a trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe to visit the kids at Houses Of Hope Africa (Kate’s dad’s non-profit which cares for orphans in southern Africa). There’s a lot going on right now and we are excited about all of it!
Humanizing Stars
When someone is singing on a stage, singing the songs they wrote, and making original music, sometimes I forget they are real people, real people with hearts and dreams.
Jill and Kate are real people, real people who write and then sing their words. Singing in harmony, their voices blending together like butter and oil when you grill a chicken.
You can follow Jill and Kate on their blog or check out their latest tour. Their next tour starts September 28 at the Schubas Tavern in Chicago, Illinois. I have tickets to see them when they are near me.
Have you ever tried to write a song? Please let me know in the comments.
PRACTICE
Write a song using the structure verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, ending.
Write as long as you need to. Usually, we suggest you write for fifteen minutes, but please don’t limit yourself with this exercise.
Take your time to hum a tune and write down your lyrics. As Jill and Kate said, there are many different ways to approach writing a song.
Please post your song in the comments section, and please read someone else’s comments as you write your own. I love this community and how kind everyone is.
xo
Pamela
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