More about Song-Writing Classes and Resources

Some people, like Taylor Swift, are just prodigies. They just never seem to run out of words to put down on paper, and what ever they write always seems to sound heavenly.

But for most people, a little training in your desired profession can't hurt, even if your desired profession is to be a songwriter, and you've already got six notebooks full of lyrics.

So if you miss the deadline for GRAMMY Camp, or perhaps you're already out of high school and it's too late, don't worry. You still have plenty of options.

First and foremost, there are colleges, like the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Berklee has several online classes that teach songwriting and other forms of creative writing.

Both BMI and ASCAP offer workshops. BMI offers a songwriters' workshop in Nashville, and there is no charge, although it probably fills up well in advance. In New York, they offer a jazz composer's workshop and a musical theater workshop. BMI 101 -- a one-hour overview course that discusses performing rights and other necessary information, is available in Los Angeles and New York.

ASCAP has programs around country music, rhythm and soul, Christian and film scoring.

There also are a variety of independent venues, including The Songwriting School of Los Angeles, Songwriting Lessons Online, SongU.com, and TakeLessons.com.

Remember that classes and workshops are also great places to network. You can meet both experienced professionals as well as other classmates with whom you might find a connection and want to work with.

Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley met at Belmont University. They started playing together and today they are one of the top acts in country music: Florida Georgia Line. Never underestimate the power of meeting people!

So, if you're interested in making a career out of songwriting, first and foremost, start writing. But secondly, consider taking a course or two. You could come away some very valuable information you would not have gotten otherwise. And you may also come away with some very valuable partnerships that never would have happened if you hadn't been in the right place at the right time.

Good luck!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.