Collaborating is one of the most rewarding and productive activities a songwriter can engage in. It's also one of the most challenging. Co-writing will stretch you in ways you can't even imagine up front.

Take a look at the Billboard Singles charts, and you'll notice that the vast majority of hit songs were written by 2 or more writers. Why? Because many songwriters have discovered that the collaborative whole is far greater than the sum of the solo-writing parts. We're all human, with strong suits we can capitalize on, as well as weaknesses we can supplement with the strengths of others.

Many artists find that writing alone year after year is limiting. The jack-of-all-trades approach may produce flashes of brilliance, but solo writers often find themselves stuck in a rut.

If you're feeling the urge to merge with other talent, first take a hard look at yourself as a songwriter from an objective standpoint. Picture your next co-writing appointment as a potluck — what will you bring to the party?

• Are you passionate, enthusiastic, hard-working, and fun?

• Are you willing to commit time, energy, money, and your heart to the worthy cause of making great music?

• Do you have unique talents and powerful things to say in your songs?

• Are you willing to give and listen to constructive feedback?

• Are you familiar with the ground rules and terminology of your chosen field?

and, most importantly:

• Have you generated a body of work that shows off your strong suits as a writer?

BE LIKE A MAGNET

How can you attract quality co-writers? First of all, let’s face it, most successful, talented writers aren’t looking to pull you up by the bootstraps. However, many will want to collaborate if it looks like they’ll get something of value from the partnership. Therefore your job is to create material that other writers think will contribute to their success.

And keep in mind that most people to want to work with partners who have achieved a comparable level of development. I can’t expect Serena Williams to invite me over to play some tennis, or Tiger Woods to challenge me to a round of golf, until I work on my game just a wee bit more. Why should songwriting be any different?

Make it your goal to become a collaborator magnet. This means getting your contributions into the best possible shape before you walk in the door.

You will inevitably be judged by the actual goods you lay on the table. And if you’re honest you’ll admit you’re weighing your potential collaborators the same way. This is as it should be. Look with an objective eye over your body of work thus far.

Do you have:

• Neatly typed lyrics, laid out in identifiable song form?

• Best versions of instrumental tracks, melodies, hooks and/or riffs?

• Lists of possible titles?

• A few potential “song starts?”

• Any finished songs professionally demoed?

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