The Art of Creative Songwriting

I've been writing songs for more than half my life. When I looked around for a good songwriting method book, I found them all limited and incomplete. So during the pandemic, I wrote a book that contains most of what I know about songwriting, from the importance of emotional authenticity, to the range of musical options that contribute to exceptional original songs. As a teacher of songwriting, I find that my students are inspired and curious about how to move beyond the traditional templates to more expansive concepts of melody, harmony, rhythm, form, and lyrics. My book is a comprehensive guide to writing songs that are deeper and more dimensional than what is currently conventional in pop music. I encourage songwriters to explore a range of musical styles, and to experiment with choices that are beyond the path of least resistance.  And while I love a great pop tune, my own work is broadly informed by jazz, classical, and world music.  I encourage adventurous writing and aim to offer readers some options they may not have considered before. I am asking for support to finance the publication of this book. This will include editing, designing, printing hard copies, Kindle set up, and printing on demand. I will also be promoting sales of the book and songwriting workshops through the construction of a new website. I hope to complete this by the middle of summer 2022. I'm reaching out to my community of friends and fellow musicians to help me bring this project to life. I have not seen another book quite like this one, and I feel there is a place for it in the exploration of songwriting. I look forward to sharing it with aspiring songwriters. Read the review I received from a well known musician after reading an advanced preview copy of the book:

"Everyone loves a song. A great song is a true marriage of music and lyric that gets to us in a way that no other art form quite can. To create such a song requires craft and heart, and Stephanie Bruce's "THE ART OF CREATIVE SONGWRITING" is a comprehensive dive into developing your craft and engaging your heart to be able to create the songs that nourish your listeners. The book's structure is, to this reader, exactly right, covering the essentials of lyric writing, melody, rhythm, and harmony in devising an encompassing form that supports and unifies the emotion you want to communicate. Songwriting is not an easy pursuit, but having clear guidance such as Ms Bruce provides us here can help you get well down the path toward true artistry."— Tony Corman, arranger, composer, jazz guitarist

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