Songwriting Magazine Podcast: ‘Paperback Writer’

On World Book Day, the Songwriting Magazine founders take the opportunity to wax lyrical about their favourite books for songwriters

To celebrate this year’s World Book Day, rather than dress up as Where’s Wally and Flat Stanley, this special episode of the Songwriting Magazine members-only podcast finds Aaron and Duncan each selecting a trio of books that should be an essential part of any songwriter’s arsenal.

Aaron’s first choice is Paul Zollo’s iconic Songwriters On Songwriting, a particularly important book in the history of Songwriting Magazine. He also espouses the benefits of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, recommending the advantages of both Morning Pages and Artist Dates for all songwriters. His final choice is The Craft Of Lyric Writing by Sheila Davis, a timeless guide that will aid anyone wanting to improve their way with words.

Duncan starts with Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy’s How To Write One Song, a concise book that is packed with useful exercises to help get you on the way. He then heads to Nashville where he finds country star Margo Price’s Maybe We’ll Make It. This honest autobiography will embolden anyone whose music dreams are yet to come true. Lastly, in search of bumper-sticker-wisdom and cosmic guidance, Duncan dips into Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way Of Being.

They also reflect on Songwriting’s own How I Wrote book (Opens in a new window) – providing the pair the chance to share cherished memories from their interviews with songwriters. For Aaron, it’s the ever-popular Luka by Suzanne Vega (Opens in a new window), a perennial favourite on our website, while Duncan reminisces on a day spent with The Kinks’ Dave Davies in Chippenham.

Now that you’ve heard our picks, we’d love to know about the books that you turn to when in need? Perhaps there was one particular tome that got your songwriting journey started, or maybe there’s one you keep in your back pocket ready for when you might need it? Alternatively, like Kate Bush (Wuthering Heights), The Rolling Stones, (Sympathy For The Devil/The Master And Margarita), Nirvana (Scentless Apprentice/Perfume) and countless others, is there a novel that has inspired one of your own songs?

Let us know via podcast@songwritingmagazine.co.uk (Opens in a new window)

Members can listen to this episode of the podcast using the audio player below, or using Spotify (Opens in a new window)