Rating: 
Summary: This book changed my writing
Review: As a professional songwriter, I struggled for years as a victim of my muse, and uncreativity. The suggestions in this book unlocked my potential as a writer. I recommend it, and have added it's precepts to my own publications and workshops. It contains detailed information on the entire process from inspiration to puiblication.
Rating:
Summary: Can't say enough good things about this book
Review: First off the style in which it was written is really cute. It was lighthearted and extremely fun to read. My favorite thing about it was the little stories it had. Things I never knew, that really inspired me. I liked reading about how famous songs were rejected over and over before getting signed and recorded. If you're feeling rejection or dispair, this book will definitely pick you up. It contains great information on writing lyrics. If only it had some more info on the music part of songwriting. The stories are funny and entertaining and the information is really good. I think this book is absolutely mandatory for any songwriter! I don't give many 5 stars but this book gets 5 easily!
Rating:
Summary: Can't say enough good things about this book
Review: First off the style in which it was written is really cute. It was lighthearted and extremely fun to read. My favorite thing about it was the little stories it had. Things I never knew, that really inspired me. I liked reading about how famous songs were rejected over and over before getting signed and recorded. If you're feeling rejection or dispair, this book will definitely pick you up. It contains great information on writing lyrics. If only it had some more info on the music part of songwriting. The stories are funny and entertaining and the information is really good. I think this book is absolutely mandatory for any songwriter! I don't give many 5 stars but this book gets 5 easily!
Rating: 
Summary: Credibility Lacking
Review: Some decent information in here, but most of it is common sense. The deceptive title doesn't help matters, either. "88 Songwriting Wrongs" implies 88 specific items to help your songwriting, but you don't get 88, unless you consider items such as "Don't Send Songs By Certified Mail" or "Don't Send Songs To A Company Without A Specific Person's Name" as invaluable songwriting tips. (Yes, those are 2 of your 88 songwriting wrongs.)When the authors do address specific songwriting mistakes, they do provide some good information, but there is a definite "The more you know about music theory, the worse you're going to do as a songwriter" attitude...there's a definite bias against formal music training, as if the authors feel the need to defend their own lack of training, and attack it as a negative quality in the songwriting world. (Tip #28 is where they really lose all credibility.) It would be one thing if this was Lennon/McCartney writing this book, or Taupin/Elton John...but the authors themselves have only a couple of minor songwriting credits themselves (one for Patty LaBelle, of which they remind you about on every other page, seemingly.) The book is not a total waste, but it's certainly not the be-all and end-all in songwriting aides. You'll learn more about songwriting by studying the actual masters than by reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Credibility Lacking
Review: Some decent information in here, but most of it is common sense. The deceptive title doesn't help matters, either. "88 Songwriting Wrongs" implies 88 specific items to help your songwriting, but you don't get 88, unless you consider items such as "Don't Send Songs By Certified Mail" or "Don't Send Songs To A Company Without A Specific Person's Name" as invaluable songwriting tips. (Yes, those are 2 of your 88 songwriting wrongs.) When the authors do address specific songwriting mistakes, they do provide some good information, but there is a definite "The more you know about music theory, the worse you're going to do as a songwriter" attitude...there's a definite bias against formal music training, as if the authors feel the need to defend their own lack of training, and attack it as a negative quality in the songwriting world. (Tip #28 is where they really lose all credibility.) It would be one thing if this was Lennon/McCartney writing this book, or Taupin/Elton John...but the authors themselves have only a couple of minor songwriting credits themselves (one for Patty LaBelle, of which they remind you about on every other page, seemingly.) The book is not a total waste, but it's certainly not the be-all and end-all in songwriting aides. You'll learn more about songwriting by studying the actual masters than by reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Credibility Lacking
Review: Some decent information in here, but most of it is common sense. The deceptive title doesn't help matters, either. "88 Songwriting Wrongs" implies 88 specific items to help your songwriting, but you don't get 88, unless you consider items such as "Don't Send Songs By Certified Mail" or "Don't Send Songs To A Company Without A Specific Person's Name" as invaluable songwriting tips. (Yes, those are 2 of your 88 songwriting wrongs.) When the authors do address specific songwriting mistakes, they do provide some good information, but there is a definite "The more you know about music theory, the worse you're going to do as a songwriter" attitude...there's a definite bias against formal music training, as if the authors feel the need to defend their own lack of training, and attack it as a negative quality in the songwriting world. (Tip #28 is where they really lose all credibility.) It would be one thing if this was Lennon/McCartney writing this book, or Taupin/Elton John...but the authors themselves have only a couple of minor songwriting credits themselves (one for Patty LaBelle, of which they remind you about on every other page, seemingly.) The book is not a total waste, but it's certainly not the be-all and end-all in songwriting aides. You'll learn more about songwriting by studying the actual masters than by reading this book.
Rating: 
Summary: equally good and bad
Review: There is a saying, the obvious is only obvious once it becomes known. This is the case here. While reading the book I said to myself this is so obvious mistakes that one often make - however it was not so obvious until I saw the common wrongs and how to right them. It is very practical and to the point, yet it helps tremendously. This is the kind of book one has to read thoroughly the first time around, and then scan through every so often just to refresh the memory. It can serve as a "checklist" from time to time to make sure you are on the right track with a song. I enjoyed the book and think it makes a contribution to songwriting skills.
Rating:
Summary: After reading this book ,everything looks so obvious
Review: There is a saying, the obvious is only obvious once it becomes known. This is the case here. While reading the book I said to myself this is so obvious mistakes that one often make - however it was not so obvious until I saw the common wrongs and how to right them. It is very practical and to the point, yet it helps tremendously. This is the kind of book one has to read thoroughly the first time around, and then scan through every so often just to refresh the memory. It can serve as a "checklist" from time to time to make sure you are on the right track with a song. I enjoyed the book and think it makes a contribution to songwriting skills.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun, informative book covers all aspects of songwriting
Review: This book is written in 88 bite-sized chapters that cover the songwriting process from inspiration to royalty collection. We have received feedback from many songwriters on how much this book has helped them and how much they enjoyed reading it. Each chapter illustrates a songwriting "mistake" - either by using our experiences or songs brought to our workshops - then explains how to avoid those pitfalls in your songwriting. Written in a friendly, fun, accessible style. One songwriter called to tell us, "Buying your book was the best investment I ever made!"
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for Lyrics But Lacking In Music Information
Review: This is an amazing book as far as teaching you one of the fundamental aspects of song writing goes, which is giving the song proper STRUCTURE. It teaches song structure from strictly a lyricist's point of view however, such as verse/chorus structures or verse/bridge etc. The book is worth its weight in gold for this info alone. But it lacks ANY information on how to write the music for the song. But nevertheless, it has some greeaattt ideas. Buy it for its really cool ideas on how to write song lyrics (but don't look for music composition in it.) One of the great ideas it has, though, is to write lyrics while listening to one of your favorite song's music. Conversely, you could write the music for your song's lyrics, by arranging your music to one of your favorite song's lyrics. Do you see what I'm saying. This really really works to give you an awesome song structure!
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