Your First Publishing Deal
What I've learned in Nashville
By: Jimi Heath Whitelaw
Okay, let's be super honest...Do you know what a publishing deal is?
I know, silly question, huh? Not really. You wouldn't
believe the amount of people I run into in a given day that talk about
wanting to take a meeting with a publisher and get a deal, but have NO
IDEA what the publishing deal consists of. A lot of people think
if they get a publishing deal, then that means the publisher will take
the song that you wrote and think is perfect for (insert major label
artist's name) and walk it to their house and then the artist will
record it. Yea, umm, that's not the way it works. First of all,
that song that you think is so great may not even be part of the deal
you sign. Actually, as a writer with NO CUTS, your first deal will
really consist of more of the same thing you are currently doing, just
on a different level. Here's how getting a deal usually
works:
1. You contact a publisher (DO NOT DO THIS UNSOLICITED) through
a trusted source and ask if you can drop off a demo CD.
*Tip from Jimi: Getting a big list of
publisher's emails or addresses and spamming them with correspondence is
NOT the way to reach out. You have to network and bridge
connections to get a referral.
2. If the publisher gives you the green light; you drop off a CD
at their offices. *Tip from Jimi: Drop
off ONE CD, with a clean label that includes: Your Name, Your Phone
Number, Email Address, and the song titles. No more than 6 songs
on the CD. Do not put your website address, or lyrics with it.
The publisher should be able to hear the lyric on the demo, remember,
when you hear a new song on the radio, you hear it, not read along.
Some publishers MAY request a lyric sheet, but most won't. Do NOT send a
press kit with a bio and headshot...you aren't an artist, you're a
songwriter, they don't care what you look like, only if you write well.
3. IF the publisher likes what they hear, they will contact you. *Tip from Jimi: Do NOT call their offices once a week asking if they've listened to your CD yet.
4. Follow up. Tip from Jimi: You are allowed to follow up, but only ONCE. *Note: Wait AT LEAST 2 weeks and then call or send an email asking simply, if they have received your CD. Don't ask them if they listened and what they thought. Again, this is information they will offer up if they are interested in you.
SPEAKING OF IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN YOU...HERE IS THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF THINGS HERE IN NASHVILLE:
5. If they like what they hear, they will contact you. *Tip from Jimi: USUALLY they will ask for more material so have some ready.
6. If they are still interested they may ask you to come to the
offices with yet more tunes and have a sit down meet and greet with you.
*Tip from Jimi: See,
"How to Take a Publisher Meeting" here.
7. If they are still interested they will probably set you up on some co writes with some of their staff writers. *Tip from Jimi: Do not request that you write with their star writer, they wont offer that up. They will probably pair you up with someone they recently signed that they are developing. TAKE the co write, no matter who they set you up with.
8. If your co write goes well and the publisher likes the material being produced, they will set you up on more co writes with the same writer. They may also start setting you up with other writers they have on staff.
9. The whole co writing thing can go on for months. Tip from Jimi: Be patient, this is where I'm at right now.
10. They may start signing "Single Song Contracts" with you. What this means is that they are signing the SONG not YOU...yet.
11. After months of building the relationship, writing consistently, etc... the publisher may sit down with you again and talk about your goals and what kind of deal you are looking for...*Note: You better understand how a deal works and what you will need before you have that meeting!
12. Everything after that is up to you, the publisher and the planetoids!