Jazz Cat

This is Part 2 of my exploration of the song writing. You can find Part 1 here. Ok, so I let the song bounce around in my head for a day. That was enough for me to start getting antsy and impatient to starting playing it and trying it out, and I ended up back at the theme of playful mockery. I played it a few times, sort of humming and getting a feel for the rhythm of it, then got started writing. I usually write songs in English, but occasionally I write songs in French. My

I've always been fascinated by process. The mechanics of craft: the little details, the ins and outs, the tiny moving parts behind the finished work. It doesn't matter if it's a talented songwriter, or a potter, or a painter, or someone who's got exceptional knife skills in the kitchen— I'm a sucker for process. Everyone has a different approach to their own craft. That's the art part, I think. Maybe. Anyway, today I decided I wanted to break down my own songwriting proces

A lot of burgeoning writers search out the rules of writing. They'll hungrily lap up advice from seasoned veterans, from idols and respected peers. I'm one of those burgeoning writers. I've spent a fair amount of time searching. I've taken a few classes with people I respect a great deal. I've had enlightening conversations about craft. I've read the meta-books on writing: Stephen King, Annie Dillard, Ray Bradbury. I've combed interviews. Workshops are a part of that, espec

Ok, so maybe I am a little late to the blogging scene. Like, two decades late. But I'm here now, and like any good blogger, I assure you I have more to say than anyone could possibly care about. I guess I'll start with a little summarizing round-up. In 2013 (5 years ago, from this post), I decided to seriously pursue writing and music as a career. At the time, I wasn't really sure what that meant except working on my craft everyday. Now I understand it means a future of happ