CREATIVE INDEPENDENCE

I hope you are enjoying the summer, fleeting though it may be. I love summertime, it’s my favorite season, there is so much about it that frees me up mind, body and spirit. You may have guessed how much I love spending time outdoors. OK, so we have our share of mosquitos in Nashville, but communing with nature is so relaxing, rejuvenating and inspiring all at the same time.
Bill and I enjoyed the 4th of July with friends and family in Nashville this year. My mom’s friends call her “Miss Liberty” and I guess I’m a chip off the old block. I take my freedom very seriously, especially my creative freedom.
I read recently that Thomas Jefferson had a hard time with the edits that were made to his original draft of the Declaration of Independence. The creative process can be a long journey and it can be hard to take when our
art begins to get torn apart and revised.
Part of the definition of independence is to be emancipated from a dominate power. Could the dominate power be ourselves? Maybe it is time to “break free” from our own self-imposed expectations, rules and deadlines.
I started thinking about creative independence and what it means to truly experience it.

Here are some of my ideas on how to put it into practice.

1. Out of the ordinary
It is so easy to get stuck when it comes to being creative. For example, to always start writing a song with a melody or a hook. I love starting with a hook, but sometimes, for me, it can become a crutch. Experiment with
writing freely (stream of consciousness, if you will) and see where it takes you. Or don’t play your instrument and see what rhythms or riffs can be inspired by just singing what your hear in your head.

2. What’s happening now
This could start out being “just for fun”, but end up as a really cool song.
Listen to some music that you’ve not heard before. For example if you are always into country, check out some hip hop. Take a leap of faith that you can expand your horizon and see if you can come up with a song that would fit into another market.

3. Potluck
Throw a party and invite some friends who are creatively active.
Have everyone bring an idea for a song, split off into songwriting teams and
see what you come up with, Stage your own writer’s round at the end of the
party and perform what you have created even if it’s not a complete song.

4. A committee of one
Create something just for you and the sheer enjoyment of the experience.
Just let it flow out of you in a natural way without censoring yourself. When you think it is complete, don’t show it to anyone. Keep it as a gift for yourself.

5. Express yourself
You are a unique creative being. Look into your heart and don’t be afraid to express your gifts everyday. Find the joy in your own creative freedom and share your journey with others. Shine, baby, shine!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my newsletter, please feel free to share it with your friends and colleagues. I would love to hear from you and how you are discovering more about yourself as an artist and how you are practicing creative independence.

Whatever you do, stay inspired!

Love and success,
Kirsti

Check out Songwriter Girl Camp Saturday August 8th in Nashville, TN and Saturday August 15th in Fredricksburg, Iowa

It’s summertime and I love it! I’ve always loved summertime…I’m not a big fan of socks so one simple pleasure is walking outside in my barefeet..my mother would not approve..ha..

Not enough time to check out all the summer movies. “UP”, the new Pixar film is one I made time for…don’t miss it, it is a feel good movie, the best kind and such a unique story.

I won’t miss the new Johnny Depp movie, “Public Enemies”. I’m already glued to the trailers and reading anything I can about the “making of” the movie. Yes, I’m a big JD fan.

I’m also working on my next Songwriter Girl Camps. I’m doing 2 one day events in August. One is here in Nashville on Saturday, August 8th on Music Row at Scarritt Bennett Campus and the other one is in IOWA! Of all places, you say….YES…it is Saturday, August 15th in Fredricksburg, Iowa at the Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast. One of my special guests at camp will be Bridgette Tatum, my dear friend and co-writing soulmate. We will also be in concert on Friday
night, August 14th at 7:30 pm at the Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast.

It is a great time to connect, have fun, be inspired, perform, learn about the music business and co-write with other Songwriter Girls.

The cost is $99 for the day. Here’s the link for all the camp info.

http://www.songwritergirl.com/Songwriter_Girl_Camps.html

Hope to see you at camp!

Whatever you do, stay inspired,

Kirsti

I’m celebrating the great news that my dear friends and co-writers Bridgette Tatum and Danny Myrick went #1 yesterday with “She’s Country”, their smash hit recorded by Jason Aldean of Broken Bow Records.

When dreams come true I am always so inspired and moved by the great power of putting dreams into motion. These two writers have been working away in the music business in Nashville for 8 and 20 years respectively. They have been relentless in their focus and energy and finally their dream of a #1 song has manifested!

Congratulations! I hope you’ll check out this rockin’ song.

I’m in the countdown to my 3rd Songwriter Girl Camp. I’m excited to be hosting another one and getting to see some of the SGC alumni and meet some new participants. Bridgette will be there with some other great industry pros like Tamika Tyler and Robin Ruddy, just to name a few.

Please check out the site and learn more about camp.
http://www.songwritergirl.com/Songwriter_Girl_Camps.html

We are offering a Songwriter Girl Stimulus, offering $100.00 off the camp pass! We hope to see you there.

Love and success,
Kirsti

Woo hoo! What an exciting week it has been for Songwriter Girl!
Last Wednesday April 15, Songwriter Girl flew in (I know a lot of you love the reference to the cape) to the Bluebird. Kimberly Maiers-Shaw of Songwriters Guild hosted the first
Songwriter Girl Café. We had SG Camp alum who came from near and far to perform for a sold out crowd. Also performing were The Jane Dear Girls, Bonnie Baker, Bridgette Tatum, Melissa Bollea and myself. Let me just say, there was a lot of love in the room.
I was so moved by such a great response to these girls (and two guys who were sitting in with their co-writers), supporting the vision of Songwriter Girl. Everyone performed
beautifully and for some of these writers it was their very first performance at the Bluebird. It won’t be their last. Following the show, we all headed over to La Paz
for a celebration/reunion. Big fun!

May 15-17, Montgomery Bell State Park….
Songwriter Girl Camp is in countdown mode.
We are 3 weeks away, getting very excited and anticipating meeting everyone. We have some incredible industry pros. One of my dear friends and fave co-writers, Bridgette Tatum will be there. She is enjoying fabulous chart success with “She’s Country”, recorded by Jason Aldean of Broken Bow Records.

This camp is an incredible opportunity to co-write, network, become inspired, connect and have fun.
Here’s the link for camp
http://www.songwritergirl.com/Songwriter_Girl_Camps.html

Also, take advantage of our Songwriter Girl Stimulus Plan of $100.00 off the camp price.
This makes your camp pass an amazing $248.00!
Here’s the link to purchase your pass
http://shop.songwritergirl.com/main.sc

The weather in Nashville has finally taken the turn for spring and I love getting outside
to walk, garden and just take in the gorgeous sunshine. I started thinking about all the challenges that face us when winter finally ends, for example, as I always say to my husband Bill, take the front yard back and make it look like someone lives here..ha..
The to do list seems endless in the spring…. clean up the yard, de-winterize the house, organize the closets, re-shape the body and for me, lighten up my load in the songwriter department. It’s spring and so it’s time to get motivated and get back on track!

Here are 5 Simple Steps to help boost your motivation and do some Songwriter Shaping:

1. Raid the hook book
You know how the spring makes you want to clean out your pantry? The same goes for your hook book (or file). You know all those snippets your wrote down while the snow was flying that you meant to go through…now’s the time. You may have some amazing gem of an idea that you forgot about. Take a few minutes a day and separate the great ideas from the good ideas.

2. Take back the calendar
Put songwriting on your list of things to do in your week if you are having trouble fitting it into your schedule. If you only have time in your life to work on a song one day a week, that’s fine. You might want to devote a certain morning of each week to have your coffee outside with your laptop or notebook, letting nothing distract you. When you write down your goals, you are more likely to follow through.

3. Dust off your contact list
Make a point to re-visit your contact list and connect with those co-writers you haven’t seen in a few months. Make sure you keep track of when you make contact and when you will follow up. Follow up is the most important part.

4. Where’s the melody?
Besides cleaning out your hook book, don’t forget about all those melody snippets you sang into your phone or your little recorder. My digital recorder makes mp3s and I try to keep up with dumping them into my computer as I go. You could find
the perfect melody match for that lyric you just unearthed in your hook book.

5. Renew your songwriting commitment to yourself
Make the time to set some goals for yourself. If you are not writing full time, decide
how much time you can devote to writing each week and stick to it. Your goals may include starting those guitar lessons or getting 3 songs together to perform at a local
writers’ show.

Just remember, have fun while writing!

If you can dream it, you can do it.

Love and success,
Kirsti

Songwriter Girl Camp at Montgomery Bell State Park
May 15-17, 2009 (Public Show, Saturday, May 16th 7pm)
Registrations Taken: www.songwritergirl.com

As part of the Songwriter Girl concept, a website (www.songwritergirl.com) and MySpace page (www.myspace.com/songwritergirlsite) have been launched. The website includes a membership subscription service, consultation service and offers a free bi-monthly newsletter.

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Love and success,
Kirsti

“10 WAYS INVEST IN YOUR CAREER”
by Kirsti Manna

At the beginning of a new year I’m always completely jazzed about the possibilities.
I also usually have myself pretty scheduled already for January. So I was surprised
at myself, to be honest, when I let January make a little left turn for me.

I was invited to the first Root 49 Music Writer’s Retreat. It was going to be in
North Captiva Island, Florida the 2nd week of January. I had so much planned for that week, but decided to make the investment of time and energy and make the trip down.

Now I know you’re thinking, give me a break, Kirsti, why would you think twice about
taking a trip to an island to hang out and write? You are so right…and I’m really glad
I decided to go.

I remember something one of my coaches told me, no investment is a good one if you can’t afford it. But when it comes to investing in your career, I think it’s a little different.
Based on my experiences and those of my colleagues, here are some ideas to help you stay on track.

1. Carve out the writing time

There is no way your writing will get better if you don’t invest time in working on it. Some of you are working during the day and it can be hard to save the energy and time to write on weekends or in the evening. Keep a date with yourself to write one night a week, or on the weekend, even if it’s just for a few hours. Become religious about this. You’ll notice an improvement as you flex those creative muscles and stay with the schedule.

2. Create the perfect space

Keep a separate, designated place in your home for writing. I have to write in a space with a window and I love a bright room, so I do a lot of work in my upstairs office. Maybe you just need to light a candle to create your perfect space, or a certain chair with a small table. A porch swing can be inspiring, too. If you don’t have a separate room, define a space that is “your writing space” When you’re there, you’ll be in the zone. Figure out who your are ‘environmentally’ and how your environment inspires you.

3. Network

This is such an important aspect of your writing career, but so many people don’t know where to start. Promise yourself you will spend one hour a week networking whether it is online or in person. Check out local writer’s show or take yourself out for a coffee at the café all the writers frequent. You’re bound to meet a few people. If you don’t live in a music center, you can make plans to visit one and get started creating a network.

4. Stay current

Read the trades or online sites and keep up with the latest songs being released and the newest artists who are releasing them. Watch award shows and see what you can learn from an artist’s performance, especially if you are a performing songwriter. Soak up as much information as you can about what is happening for songwriters and publishers in regards to legislation and copyright protection.

5. Join a club

There’s nothing like being part of a songwriting community. You may really enhance your career by joining an organization like NSAI or Songwriters Guild. There are communities online or you may discover a cool creative group that meets regularly where you live. Check out Meetup. Here’s the link:http://www.meetup.com/ Just being around other creative people is inspiring.

6. Learn how technology can enhance your writing experience

This may be hard to believe, but I’ve actually met some writers who are not plugged in to the internet and all that is has to offer. Just because you don’t live in Los Angeles, doesn’t mean you can’t write with someone who lives there. You can write with them on Skype or via email. Also you can send your ‘demos in progress’ files and collaborate musically. I love technology because with it, the creative sky is the limit.

7. Get physical

Keep in shape physically. Just 15 minutes a day can make such a difference. I can’t tell you how many song ideas I’ve come up with while taking a walk. Also while you’re writing, make sure you build some down time into your writing appointment. Sometimes something as simple as making a cup of tea will spur you on to an amazing line. Take a short walk or step outside and get some fresh air if you are feeling stuck.

8. Learn an instrument

I’m a piano player and a singer. I started taking lessons at around 7 years old and spent many an hour practicing every day. I still study voice and practice almost every day. There’s always a performance to get ready for or a new song to work out. I am a HUGE fan of studying an instrument and becoming proficient on that instrument. If you’re also a singer, then you should study voice as well as work on the instrument you play. If you are a lyricist, study lyric writing on a regular basis by taking a class or consulting privately.

9. Learn about the music business

I know writing songs can be a blast, but along with that comes the responsibility you have to yourself to know everything you can about the music business. It’s important to understand how you are paid as a writer and publisher. Make the time to study up on the industry and the industry hit makers. That’s your dream, right, to be a hit maker? Go for it!

10. Sign up for a class or workshop

Attend seminars, classes and workshops where you’ll have the opportunity to meet and learn the ropes from hit songwriters. You will immediately put yourself into an elite group of songwriters who believe enough in themselves and their work to invest in their careers financially. You are also achieving several things by attending these kind of events. You will be gaining knowledge, networking, meeting new possible co-writers and many times having an opportunity to play your songs for industry pros. It’s a win-win situation!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Be inspired!

Love and success,
Kirsti

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Hit songwriter and online entrepreneur Kirsti Manna publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, “Notes from Songwriter Girl” with over 1,000 subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your songwriting career, become a better writer, and have more fun in with your small publishing business, get your FREE tips now by signing up for newsletter at
http://www.songwritergirl.com/get_the_free_newsletter.html

Every December I’m amazed by how fast the year has flown. The beginning of 2008 seems so far away and so I love to spend some time in December reflecting on what I’ve accomplished and getting clear about my goals for the new year.

Even though December is such a busy time, it allows me the space to think about what is really important to me in my life and my career.

It’s the time of year when we all stop and think about gratitude. Gratitude for
special friends in our lives, blessings and opportunities. Even the twists and turns that lead us down a path we never imagined traveling. Maybe one that leads us to something better than we had dreamed.

I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to host two Songwriter Girl Camps in 2008. I feel so blessed because of all the people who came into my life because of camp. I loved watching girls get connected and feel accepted by their peers.  I’m also grateful to have launched my newsletter. I hope you enjoy reading it. I appreciate that you take the time to open it and write to me with your comments. That means a lot. Publishing a newsletter is a different kind of writing than songwriting. It’s a new kind of challenge and I love it!

I’m also looking forward to hosting more camps in 2009, the next one is May 15-17 at Montgomery Bell State Park. Stay tuned for more details.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a huge advocate of “The Artist’s Way.” So, something else I like to do in December is make extra time to fill the well by going on artist dates. (If you have never read “The Artist Way”, then you should definitely put it on your must read list for 2009.)

Filling the well for me is putting my creative schedule on hold. It’s something I like to do for myself to clear my head. An artist’s date is something I make time to do that is completely enjoyable. I may take myself on a date that lasts 15 minutes or several hours. But here’s the catch…I must do it alone. It is purely between me and my inner artist. I’m sure those of you who know me well are smiling by now because you know how communal I am. But I have come to cherish my solitary artist dates. Sometimes I walk by the lake (without my dog pulling me to chase a squirrel)
or step inside a shop that I usually pass by. I love it because my artist date can be the same or totally random. It’s all about creative inspiration. It’s about being self-nurturing.

Waverly Fitzgerald, a Seattle-based writer suggests that “as writers we push ourselves to produce constantly, and yet the creative process has a rhythm that surely includes rest and incubation as surely as it does production and manifestation.” She’s talking about our natural inner rhythm that makes us feel like hibernating or slowing down in the dark winter months of December and January.

I completely agree with Waverly Fitzgerald. I look forward to resting my head. And for me December seems like the natural time to do just that.  Being inspired helps me re-connect with why I love to write songs.  I look back at the year’s long list of “things I want to do” and savor some of those experiences this month.  I’ve worked hard all year and my inner artist deserves the treat. And then again, so do I.

If you’ve not tried the artist date, then what are you waiting for? You will be blown away by how much it helps your writing when you go back to it. Indulge you and your inner artist with some outings that you’ve put off. Make the time to reflect. I would love to hear from you about your artist dates and how it inspired you to new heighths.

I want to wish you an amazing holiday season that is filled with peace, rest and relaxation, friends and family and of course, some comfort food! I wish you much happiness and success in 2009 and look forward to connecting with you
in the New Year.

Be inspired.

Love and blessings,
Kirsti

Please sign up for my free newsletter
www.songwritergirl.com

Songwriter Girl Camp at Montgomery Bell State Park (Nashville)

November 14-16, 2008 (Songwriter Girl Cafe, Saturday, November 15^th, 8 pm)

Registrations Taken: http://www.songwritergirl.com/Songwriter_Girl_Camps.html

Kirsti Manna, #1 hit songwriter (Blake Shelton’s “Austin” and Big and Rich’s “Loud”) will be hosting her recently launched Songwriter Girl Camp to Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns, TN (near Nashville).

According to Kirsti, “Songwriter Girl Camp will help girls of all ages (that means women, too) find and express their creative voice.  It’s my passion to empower, build confidence and provide for participants the tools they need to achieve their personal success.”

WHAT IS SONGWRITER GIRL CAMP?

Songwriter Girl Camp gives participants the opportunity to network and meet industry pros face to face. They will have the chance to attend unique workshops where they’ll receive valuable information that will help take them to the next level.  They will also have the chance to collaborate with other participants along with the opportunity of working directly with Kirsti.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

The Songwriter Girl Camp begins Friday November 14 and ends Sunday afternoon, Nov. 16, 2008.

Visit http://www.songwritergirl.com/Songwriter_Girl_Camps.html for more info.

SONGWRITER GIRL CAMP’S SUCCESSFUL DEBUT

Nashville’s Songwriter Girl Camp follows the camp’s successful debut at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pa. Both camps are sponsored in part by Daisy Rock® Girl Guitars® and NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International). Songwriter Girl participants in Pittsburgh ranged from ages 13 to 70, some of whom were mother and daughter participants.

Founder Kirsti shares, “Songwriter Girl Camp exceeded my own expectations. I was inspired by the girls who attended, by their dreams, their ideas and their willingness to open up to new experiences,” A few of the girls had not co-written before and I loved watching them connect. I made a few discoveries about myself as a writer/artist. That’s exciting for me personally as the core of Songwriter Girl Camp is about ‘finding your own voice.’ ”

WHAT DID PARTICIPANTS THINK?

Wrote one participant, “It’s fun, it’s hard, you learn. You will be very happy to be surrounded by other writers, performers. The industry pros give a lot of attention. I would have paid just to have the private round of Kirsti and her friends at the Songwriter Girl Cafe.”

“Songwriter Girl Camp exceeded my own expectations. I was inspired by the girls who attended, by their dreams, their ideas and their willingness to open up to new experiences,” said Kirsti.  “A few of the girls had not co-written before and I loved watching them connect. I made a few discoveries about myself as a writer/artist. That’s exciting for me personally as the core of Songwriter Girl Camp is about ‘finding your own voice.’ ”

“I appreciated how informal (the camp) was, how much info was provided, loved the meet and greet (with industry pros), what a great idea,” commented one of the participants in last week’s camp in a survey.

Added another, “Kirsti’s energy was great, never made me feel like I didn’t belong, and I got so much valuable information.”