Are You Ready for a Publisher Meeting
Just because you write songs, does NOT always mean you are READY
By: Jimi Heath Whitelaw

Trust me, no one in the world knows how badly you want your songs to be heard more than me.  I completely understand that insatiable hunger to walk into a publisher and GET A DEAL, to have all your efforts validated and be at peace with the world.  BUT...are you really ready?  Most people aren't.

Assuming your songwriting is on the level with the writers already on deals here in Nashville, you should be able to answer YES to the following statements (if you can't answer yes to all of them...you probably aren't ready yet).

1. I have enough GREAT songs that are demoed (at least great guitar/vocals) to make 5 CD's consisting of  6 songs on each. (That's at least 30 great songs). Some publishers may ask for more.
2. You can write great songs without the help of a co writer.  (Believe it or not...if all of your songs are written with a hit songwriter, the publisher may think the hit songwriter is carrying the co write, so be sure you have great songs you have written yourself that will prove to the publisher that you can stand on your own two feet without help).
3. You are comfortable with walking into a room with a stranger and writing a song together. 
4. Your schedule permits you to take 3 hours to co write with another writer DURING WORKING HOURS.
5. You are consistently writing solid songs every friggin day.

Look, the biggest disservice you can do for yourself is to start taking meetings before you are ready.  Remember, first impressions can really hurt you in this town.  Coming off to a creative director as very green will probably result in them not answering your emails or returning your phone calls in the future.

But if you CAN answer yes, to the above statements feel free to read my next article on publishing, "Your First Publishing Deal"