One very difficult part of songwriting is the first time you share your new idea. Your song idea, your “baby” sees the light of day for the first time and is put at risk of criticism. But, as a songwriter that is committed to giving God your very best, it is a vitally important thing to do, even if it is emotionally difficult.<\/p>\n
You need a “Trustworthy Truth-Teller”<\/strong> <\/em>for developing your songwriting. Not necessarily a co-writer – though some people really thrive in that situation – just someone who can provide some solid, honest, caring, constructive feedback.<\/p>\n If you’re looking for someone like that, here’s some tips. 2. Find someone who tells the truth.<\/strong> The rare gift is someone who can lovingly tell you that something you’ve done isn’t very good – AND you can deeply trust that they have said it not because they want you to feel bad (even though you might feel bad for a while)<\/em> but because they love you and want your gifts to thrive. <\/p>\n The best songwriters receive constructive criticism from loving critics.<\/p>\n Start with small steps. Ask someone you think you might be this kind of a person for an opinion about a song of yours – or a section of a song – that you already know isn’t that good. (You know that not EVERYTHING you write is gold!) See what they say. See if they are loving and honest. If they are, trust them with something more. You’ll grow in your trust of them and become increasingly open to the constructive input of others along the way.<\/p>\n
\n1. Find someone you can trust. <\/strong>Someone who knows and loves you and is committed to seeing your work become the very best it can be. This relationship will take time to develop, because you don’t know right away if the person is committed to both. Someone who feels like they are competing with you for attention will not be helpful.<\/p>\n