If You've Got a Dream, I've Got a Plan

How to Get Your Songs Heard by Music Industry Professionals

Kelley Lovelace

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Year: 2002
• Print ISBN:
  9781401600242
• eBook ISBN:
  9781418530822
• Topic: Crescita personale
• Subtopic: Successo personale

You may be the next Hank Williams, Mozart, and Bob Dylan all rolled up into one. But if you don't get the right people to hear the songs you've written, then the best you can hope for is to be an undiscovered genius.

If You've Got a Dream, I've Got a Plan is written by one of Country Music's most successful songwriters. In this informative guide, aspiring songwriters will learn:

• What is a demo? And do I need a demo?
• What is a single song contract?
• How do royalty rates work?
• What is ASCAP? BMI?
• How much money can I make if my song hits number one on the charts?
• How do I get the right people to hear my songs?

If You've Got a Dream, I've Got a Plan will not guarantee that you will become a successful songwriter. But it does arm aspiring songwriters with the information they need to enter a highly competitive world, one that is potentially rewarding both financially and artistically sense. It tells what to do, and maybe more importantly, what not to do.

Kelley Lovelace is an award-winning songwriter who lives in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the co-author with Brad Paisley of the book and the song He Didn't Have to Be. He is also the songwriter of the hits "Wrapped Around", "Two People Fell in Love", "The Impossible", and "I Just Wanna Be Mad".

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 • Count It Off, Boys And a 1, and a 2, and a 3, and a 4 . . .
• Chapter 2 • Put Me In, Coach! I know I can do it, if you’ll just give me the chance!
• Chapter 3 • Must Be Present to Win And don’t forget to bring your winning ticket.
• Chapter 4 • Homebound What if I don’t want to or can’t move to Nashville?
• Chapter 5 • I’m Here—Now What? Any bright ideas?
• Chapter 6 • Cowriting Is it remotely possible that anyone could make me better than I already am?
• Chapter 7 • Demos What are they, and how much do they cost?
• Chapter 8 • Presentation, Presentation, Presentation If you think I’m a hit song, then treat me like one!
• Chapter 9 • What Do I Do to Protect My Songs? Get down on your knees, bow your head, and pray!
• Chapter 10 • JAWS V Just when you thought it was safe to go back on Music Row . . .
• Chapter 11 • Nashville Needs Me! My songs are as good as, if not better than, the ones on the radio.
• Chapter 12 • Now That’s the Life! What exactly does a full-time songwriter do all day, anyway?
• Chapter 13 • So What Is a Music Publisher Looking For? I can’t seem to get a straight answer.
• Chapter 14 • Song Pluggers Are they really that important?
• Chapter 15 • Contracts Can’t live with ’em, can’t work without ’em.
• Chapter 16 • Show Me the Money! Advanced royalties, mechanical royalties, and what’s a royalty?
• Chapter 17 • Show Me More of the Money! And this time, bring it to my mailbox!
• Chapter 18 • The Impossible What are the odds of actually making it?
• About the Author
• Index