UUGGHHHH!!!

I love publishers, love being one myself, and I really want to show people what’s happening on the other side of the desk. 

So, if this question is keeping you up at night, hang with me for a sec ….

On the very first iteration of LP Creative Therapy Workshop in July 2020, a superstar list of leaders in music showed up on zoom to speak to songwriters in my class.

When the distraction of fuzzy cameras, waiting for people to find their mute button and seeing someone’s unmade bed in the background became normalized, the participating songwriters started to form not just a virtual bond, but a REAL bond as they realized this was an opportunity to pick people’s brains they’ve been dying to meet. 

One of the first speakers to show up on a shaky, handheld mobile in his SUV was the President of Sony Music Publishing Nashville, Rusty Gaston.   I’m pretty sure this was before #carsongs were cool on TikTok  … or maybe why they caught on … just sayin’.  

Rusty dropped many golden nuggets of insights from a publishing perspective during his 20 minute zoom visit, but one stood out.  

Before Rusty signs a writer, the question he asks himself is:  

“Would I mortgage my house for this?”

This, my creative friends, is why getting a publishing deal is hard.

You have to bring so much value to a company in talent, attitude, trustworthiness, work ethic, ability to produce commercially viable material and general likability to a publisher that they would literally risk it all for you.

We’re talkin’ next level belief!

Publishers who operate this way are the gems of the business. They Feel it, they know it, they see the potential in you and they know how to get you there.  

Publishers have to be as committed to you as you are to the craft of songwriting.

They don’t have an infinite number of slots to fill nor do they have an infinite number of hours in the day. They wanna give their resources to you and bet their reputation on representing you.  

The next time you find yourself down in the dumps about not being recognized … yet … put yourself in your future publishers shoes and do everything you can do to be worth the risk. 

You got this!

P.S. Love to hear your feedback on this one … and hey, let’s don’t keep this one to ourselves …. share with a friend:  Sign up for newsletter

P.S.S. Thanks for having this conversation with me!