Originally Posted by couchgrouch
I'd be curious to know what he/she learned, how it changed their writing and what they've written. Till then, I remain skeptical. Diets and exercise yield tangible results. Art doesn't.

There must be pro endorsements on the book jackets. Check em out. If you research their songs and go, whoa...that guy's songs have great melodies and the lyrics have memorable titles, imagery, rhymes and storytelling, then buy the book.


But no matter how good you might think you are, many might not think you are any good. THAT'S art. Nobody knows what good or bad is. So judging whether or not a book can help an artist, is as subjective as the art they make.

I do know that Sheila Davis is well respected by "songwriters" maybe not artists, but people who want to learn the craft. Everybody learns from something. No Beatles, id say most rock or pop songwriters have no career.

Much like school, there is theory and then theres real life. I think she focuses on Theory. If you can learn what makes a great song, maybe you can write one yourself. How do you hit a target if you dont know what the target is? Nobody is born a great songwriter. Most people learn from the music they listen to. All shes doing is organizing it for somebody.

As for endorsements. It wouldnt be so obvious....THIS BOOK MADE ME A GREAT WRITER. But it may just be one extra piece in somebodys artistry.

Does a songwriter need this book? No, can it help with their knowledge of songwriting. Yes.

"...to young lyricists who come to me for advice: Buy THE CRAFT OF LYRIC WRITING. It's all there." -- Sheldon Harnick, Pulitzer Prize Lyricist, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF




Last edited by Fdemetrio; 06/24/19 04:26 PM.