Ya know, I get asked this question all the time via email and phone calls by people who have visited my website.  The answer I always give people is two fold:

ON ONE HAND…
It is so incredibly hard to get a cut when you LIVE here, it is near impossible to do so when you don’t, and the integrity of the writer really has little to do with the equation.  Getting cuts here is all about networking.  Why?  Simple: you have to know people to get a song to a specific artist.  How do you network?  You hang out.  You co-write, You demo your songs where other songwriters will be recording their songs., etc. et al. 

Then there IS the aspect of your writing.  In MOST instances, no matter how good a writer is in LA or NY, they usually don’t get up to par with what’s here in Nashville until they start writing and co-writing here.  I hate that it is that way, but it just is.  I thought I was pretty good when I got to town, but I wouldn’t be caught dead playing those songs I wrote when I didn’t live here, or even when I first moved here to a publisher.  My writing has just improved that much (I believe) since I’ve been here for a while now.

ON THE OTHER HAND…

There are a handful of writers that do not live in Nashville and have carved out successful careers in the country market.  I do however, want to stress that it is just a handful. 

How’d they do it?  They make frequent trips here.  These writers look at their writing like their business and coming to Nashville is like making a sales trip.  Most come AT LEAST once a quarter.  If this is the path you choose it is imperative that you absolutely make the best of your trip(s) and that means careful planning.  Here’s a checklist I use to use:
-Set up a meeting with my PRO Representative.
-Set up 3 co-writes. (You can meet people online that will co-write with you.\
-Attend a writers round at least every other night for the duration of my stay.

screw THAT, I’LL JUST HIRE A SONGPLUGGER

Uh huh.  Wanna know the reality of how many SUCCESSFUL independent songpluggers there are in Nashville.  About 7…maybe less and these 7 songpluggers are plugging back catalogue of some of the best writers in town.  All the other good pluggers that are worth a crap are working for a publisher in town.

I’m sure I’m gonna get a lot of emails from people saying their plugger “gets me tons of holds”, blah blah blah.  Wanna know what a hold is?  Hmm..let me tell you what it’s not…it’s NOT A CUT.

A great place to start is The Nashville Songwriters Association International.  These people CARE about songwriters.  They will sit down and listen to your songs, give you honest opinions, give you written critiques, etc.  If you become a member and really utilize your membership it will benefit you greatly.  Better yet, they have local chapters in your area!

So in summation, do you have to live here?  You don’t have to, but if you want to catch a fish, you have to be on the water.  If you can’t or aren’t ready to get on the boat, you are best use the suggestions I provided above.

Hope that helps.
Write a hit!