All the above is why I do Creative Audio Editing for Podcasts more than anything. (And just do my own demos for no other costs than the electricity it takes to run my I-Mac and lights in this room). Demos also done mainly because I have to get my creative results in a tangible form, or they will just play in my head until I do!

I do not have my feet planted in an area where the people in the business of music are, to be able to try to fit in some of the circles of professional friends.

I do not follow the pro genres closely enough to be able to write for the current "needs" of any of them.

I think that these three things below are important to fully have in mind when wanting to spend money or wanting to grab that golden ring in the music business:

1. Know the music business, and to know what it takes to be involved personally with those in the music business. To know your genre inside and out, professionally.

2. Objectively comprehend your skills/craft compared to the pros doing it for a living. Then work more in all ways that you should already know, to be able to get your knocks on the door opened with an anticipating smile.

3. Become a Creative Audio Editor!...

...So not to spend money that will most likely just have you end of with nice demos to play for family and friends, after those songs are exhausted being checked out here and elsewhere for fun and ego and maybe some learning if being open minded.

But, a lot of songwriters have hits already, so.... That can often lead to not really having any of the above fully realized or understood.

Now back to my editing! (Really) I have edited over 200 podcasts so far. Even added in a lot of my music, (short spots for all kinds of reasons in the shows, to full music promos with my voice-over for a book used in the advertising section of the podcasts. "Set Money Free" as seen and heard on youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmfdzOe2Fus

And Chris Rossini interviewed by TOM WOODS here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVdCf8P_Yw0

See? That is a result of me now working with the skills in several areas which I accumulated through the many years of trying this and that, while before, thinking I had hits and just needed some demos to "show them" Ha! So, at least the process that many of us go through while thinking we have what it takes, CAN lead to actually doing some work with our accumulated skills, IF we have finally the will to be honest with our status "within the business of music: and start actually working on things that can earn us some money, to also be able to work on music that we love so much. I did that through offering to be an Audio Editor for our own Glynda, (Glyn), for her "Hearts of Country" interviews of other JPF members. I then offered to do that for Robert Wenzel, (a well known economist who happened to have my son in law do things for him for free at first). I offered to do one interview for free, which landed me a steady paying job with Wenzel for all his interviews since. (Be valuable to someone)!

I then offered to do one free interview for Marc Clair, (Lions Of Liberty"). That landed me steady paying work for the past 110 shows so far, (doing two a week now for Marc Clair)!

That is reality folks! "Working" with the skills we have accumulated while maybe doing our writing, dreaming, demos, dreaming, knocking on doors, dreaming, playing out at coffee houses and clubs and open concerts for free, dreaming, etc!

I no longer dream that much, for I do not have time to be in that zone. The working WITH my accumulated skills is a dream come true in a way. Did I have hits on radio or online to the masses? NO. Did I earn money from all those years trying this and that? NO. But, I did learn a lot, and am now using my experience to still do music/audio, and even in spite of having Chronic Tinnitus and Hyperacousis.

I had to, or rather, choose not to keep playing in my 2LT band after getting both in 2009. (Iggy, from here, can also call 2LT his band, of course).

So, either really get to KNOW the music business and DO all that is usually required to DO to have just a slight chance of working it for some living, OR, take what you might already know, and GET work being valuable to another in the field of audio or other media related to what you do.

Be of VALUE to others before asking them to be of value to you!