Everett, that is why you have to INCLUDE THEM IN THE WRITING PROCESS and usually WRITE WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY, NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY.

"AN AMATUER WRITER WRITES WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY.
"A PROFESSIONAL WRITER WRITES WHAT AUDIENCES WANT TO HEAR."
" A GREAT WRITER DOES BOTH."

The key to cuts now are writing with the artists. If you are past 30 years old, you have to have artists involved in the writing of the songs because they no longer sing what other people want them to. They are not going to allow someone to "put words into their mouths." They have their own words, their own emotions, their own stories and experiences. But they often don'[t have the experience to put it down in a form that other people want to listen to. It is for the more experienced writer to provide perspective, craft, musical abilities, etc. to help them do something they could not do without them.

It is tough. These people all have ego forever. They are all entitled. They feel GOD HIMSELF HAS ANNOINTED THEM to BE A STAR!!! They are teenagers, tweens, and even older people that have won participation trophys and are told by their friends and relatives "HOW GREAT THEY ARE AND THEY HAVE TO GO BE ON AMERICAN (CANADIAN IDOL). And sitting in a room with someone who was not born when your grandchildren were born can be demeaning. But that is all part of it dealing with personalities. It's part of the mountains we all have to climb if we want our music to move along.

But if you wade through the general idiots, you actually can find some pretty good people. And often, if you get one or two under the belt, they will usually start asking for other songs you may have that might work for them. It;s more or less THE DOOR OPENER, getting to know them by writing things FOR THEM, and WITH THEM.

Now, writers don't have to do this. They can do whatever they want to. But unfortunately I just don't hear any writers saying "HEY IM' WRITING WHAT I WANT TO AND PEOPLE ARE COMING TO ME TO CUT MY SONGS ENDLESSLY. AND I'M MAKING A FORTUNE NOW DOING THAT".

Just don't see that any more outside of some scheme in some ad that promises to "make a million in the music business.:" Then, when you find out a little more with them, the "secret" they offer, is STARTING WITH TEN MILLION."

But everyone has to go which ever way they want. I just talk about what I see.

MAB