OD,
LOL, you are spot on... guess who the poor bastard with the shovel is??? Take a guess???? Hahahaha 100 degrees today heat index of like 108... i'm loving every minute of it. Sissy is better today, thanks for asking.
OTT,
For what it's worth brother to dove tail off of OD's comidment about my voice, I am no singer by anymeans, one song i wrote a guy who loves the "tech" side of music is playing guitar over my vocals, while I still practice my guitar and am getting a bit better, I just don't care what I sound like anymore, I know my vocal ability, but honestly I don't care what people think. I am singing my songs now with the help of a guitarist and good friend I've made who lives close by, i also write with his adult daughter on occasion. I just try to sing it well enough to get the point across.
I had the pleasure of talking with Larry Beaird for a good length of time following a wkshp a while back, i will say he did a "before and after" of songs that were honestly TERRIBLE sounding sent to him, and used the bad ones as an example to how he could make a good demo, sure it was part selling his business but it was amazing, the acapella vocals that sounded like a donkey singing in a horse barn, and then when a good demo singer was on it made a great impact, HOWEVER to what MAB was saying, as someone myself who constantly writes with artists, I do just what you mentioned actually, and it works quite well, if you do decide to try to venture out and write with artists, you'll see the same affect as what happened with Mr. Beairds demos, but the cool thing is it is an artist now performing it out!!! And I bet a dollar to a doughnut that artist if worth their salt will tweak it to their own little style and most times suprise you for the better!
I did just that with a song I just wrote with a sixteen year old girl i finished last week called "E-Cigarette" I sent her a terrible (or my best effort) acapella which I was pleased with the sound/melody, she liked the song, we made an appt. she practiced prior to my arrival and had tweaked the melody and her voice just made the song something I never expected, I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS give the artist "artistic freedom" to sing it how the feel comfortable, a respectful artist will try to hold true to how you meant it, because obviously even though it was a little acapella melody of my terrible voice I get the point across, then bang, they are a cowriter, tweaking the melody, playing making suggestions, then boom we're friends, and all of a sudden IF it's good enough and something they can use, I get the pleasure of hearing it live. Satisfaction of knowing they liked it enough to stake their reputation on, which i have no risk as a lyricist. That to me is validation, and it's free, and didn't cost a dime, just BRING GOOD LYRICS AND GOOD IDEAS. I've found so many times that's all an artist wants, Build your reputation as a someone who can ADD VALUE every... single... time. You will become in demand, but as MAB said I don't really see it coming from just shooting off demos. Get with the people out singing, and write with them. You'll find much more success, I'd prefer seeing my name in the TOP 100 Texas Radio, than a "shoutout" or something in a monthly e newsletter.
Please know I'm knocking you or trying too, I really congratulate you cause you are right getting nominated like you have means your songs are a cut above the rest. But the best thing I can say MAB has taught me is just, (to use a term now in my new job lol) "You just got gotta grab a pipe wrench, jump in the hole and get dirty" The only way to learn, get in with workers (artists) they'll respect you much more, than just standing outside the hole handing them wrenches, and tools from the top staring down on the guys doing the dirty work. Eventually they'll want you on their team.
Write with the artist, you ain't gotta shoot for the big names, if you are like me, I'm CONFIDENT i can HELP anyone... I'll write with a person as green as they come, cause I feel like I can offer them a good song... You can too, just seek them out, no matter the experience level, get your stuff heard, then the bigger fish will take notice, and it's a chain reaction, an upward movement, but you must be constant, consistent, and considerate. Treat them all the same no matter how seasoned or new they may be.
Hope that helps at all man... just the kids two cents. Like MAB says... gotta write with the artist or you are kind of pissing in the wind this day and age. I think we all hate that aspect of the business, but you gotta bend in order not to break, it frustrates me too, but if it's how I have to do it, it's how I'll do it till one hits. Or that's the dream we all have at least! Take care brother OTT...