Unfortunately, disagreements and misunderstandings are bound to pop up over time in co writes; It’s just the nature of the beast. Here’s what I usually advise as some general rules of thumb and guidelines to live by.
Talk It Out:
If you ever run into issues with the other writer(s) in the group, I’d suggest a straightforward conversation with the other collaborator(s) and see if you can come to an understanding. If after these conversations, you aren’t making any headway, let us know. We aren’t going to be able to be mediators for every creative misunderstanding, but we are here to help as much as we can. The big thing is that we want you to have high quality, high-integrity members within the group and to be aware of the red flags or recurring issues that may arise.
Talk Up Front:
I’d always recommend on the front end discussing any expectations that you personally have about a song before jumping too far into a session. Along with this, it can sometimes be better to start something from scratch together with your other co-writers. rather than bringing in a fully-fleshed out idea that you may already be really passionate about and attached to.
You’re Going to Have to Kiss Some Frogs:
Last thing I’d say is that not every co-write is going to be amazing. You need to try lots of different combinations and different potential collabs to find “who your people” are. There are definitely co-writes that I wouldn’t do again, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. Just get back up and keep trying other co-writing partners. Misunderstandings happen especially with newer writers who aren’t as accustomed to creatively collaborating, so we are here to help people find understanding with each other. Hope this is helpful!
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