Tony Conniff is a songwriter, artist, producer, songwriting coach and teacher based in New York City. He bas released two albums (‘Let It Drown Me’ in 2016 and ‘Tight Leash’ in 2018), has produced numerous other artists at his studio, and is the owner of Tony Conniff Songwriting Workshops. He also writes a weekly blog on songwriting at www.tonyconniff.com/blog.
Do you believe drive, passion, and stamina (energy level) play a major role in helping a person to become a successful hit songwriter?
Yes. The world is full of people who are musically talented and have a gift for songwriting. Drive, passion, and endurance is what makes the difference between those who will create a career in the music business and those who won’t.
Do you think work ethic plays a vital part in becoming a hit songwriter? If so, how?
Yes. Since in songwriting you’re basically self-employed, you’re likely to fail without consistent application. The competition is too tough and hard working. ‘Consistent application’ varies; writers have their own work methods, routines, schedules, and non-schedules. Whatever works…but you have to get the job(s) done; you have to produce.
How much does faith and belief in one’s abilities help in becoming a hit songwriter?
It’s important, of course. But perhaps even more important is faith in one’s ability to learn and to improve.
How much of focus to detail and perfection helps make a hit songwriter?
Although there are plenty of hit songs where this may not have been the case, I think it’s hard to be consistently excellent and successful at anything challenging without an obsessive attention to the fine points. (Which doesn’t mean there isn’t a time to let go and move on.)
What role does commitment to short and long-term goals affect success as a hit songwriter?
I think this is very helpful, but it’s hard to generalize.
Do you believe that learning from failures and rejections help in becoming a hit songwriter? Please elaborate.
As with anything, this is the case. To use a boxing metaphor, if you get knocked down, even if you need some recovery time, you have to get back up and learn from your mistakes if you want to fight-and-win another day.
Do you feel like being obsessive and persistent with writing help in becoming a successful hit songwriter? If so, how?
See question #4!
Do you think taking risks in your career has helped you become successful? If so, how?
I believe in an incremental approach, in building something, which is usually a gradual process. So, I’d call that a calculated risk. Just being a songwriter is in itself an enormous risk (and pleasure)!
Do you believe having a positive mental attitude, being optimistic, and possessing strong self-esteem play a major role in success? If so, how?
Yes… but many people with low self-esteem and an enormous amount of self-doubt succeed. You just have to keep plugging… and believing, if not in yourself, then in your talent, and that something good might happen if you stick with it. Music is a business where ‘many are called, few are chosen.’ So, you usually have to put in a lot of time (and work) to even have the chance of being one of the ones who find success.
Does being a doer and not a talker help in becoming successful? If so, how?
Certainly, the ‘sizzle’ is helpful, especially in sales, but ultimately, it’s the ‘steak,’ the substance, that matters. If you don’t walk it like you talk it, you’ll be exposed soon enough.
Does being a visionary or a dreamer help artists become successful? If so, how?
Yes. But you can’t fake this or will it. And you don’t always know in advance who the visionaries will turn out to be and if you might be one of them. There can be a lot of self-delusion here (but that’s show business!)
Do you think overall personality contributes to the success of a songwriter? If so, how?
Yes. Being a basically friendly person with integrity makes a big difference, particularly in the long run. It’s a networking business; it’s a relatively small world. People skills, both with collaborators and business people, are really helpful, even vital. That said, people with every kind of personality succeed as songwriters. There’s definitely no ‘type’; as they say, it takes all kinds.
Do you feel patience and practice play a role in the creation of a hit songwriter?
Indisputably. Patience – sadly, things move at their own pace, usually not at mine. Practice – you have to write a LOT of songs to end up with a bunch of good ones, some of which may even become hits.
How much prioritizing your life from day-to-day helps you become successful?
I think this is very important. I have to keep my eye, however imperfectly, on the big goals, so they don’t get washed away by the day-to-day minutiae of life.
Do you continue to learn all you can about your profession? If so, how?
I try. I write regularly. I present and go to songwriting-related events. I perform and record and release albums of new material. I play, study, and analyze other writers’ songs that I love or interest me. I’ve been writing a weekly songwriting blog for 8 years, which helps me stay focused on learning new things and passing them on to other songwriters (www.tonyconniff.com/blog/).
In any part of your life, has self-discipline played a major role in helping become successful? If so, how?
I prefer to think of it as ‘willingness to work’ rather than ‘you have to work’ (I don’t respond well to being ordered around, even by myself). Unless I really do have to get it done, as with a deadline. So yes, self-discipline is critical. But even people with limited self-discipline can find ways of doing work that they love and find challenging… as long as they don’t wait around to feel like it.
Is there any factor, trait, or ingredient we may have omitted that helps in becoming a successful, hit songwriter?
Drive, talent, stubborn commitment, ability, and willingness to learn. Being a part of a songwriting community and trying to connect with and help others in it is important too. And last but far from least, love of songs and songwriting.
Do you believe a hit songwriter is born or made? Explain your thoughts.
Made. Talent is given, but I don’t know of any people who were born hit songwriters.
Do you believe talent is a gift or is it earned? Explain your thoughts.
It’s a gift. What you do with it is earned.
Do you believe that talent comes from within? If so, is it how they process stimuli in life?
I pass on this one.
What is talent?
What you start with.
Do you believe self-criticism helps or harms the success of a hit songwriter?
It’s crucial that, without being self-destructive, a songwriter never be too satisfied with their own work, and to believe that it can always be better. This is simple humility in the face of something – music and songs – much larger than any one of us.
Do you believe hit songwriters are more attuned to what is going on and happening around them than others?
Generally speaking, yes. A writer may not be tuned in personally, but on an artistic level, you need to be. Hit songs are of their time; so usually, the writers of them must be part of their times too.
Do you believe inspiration is a state of mind, and could it be a major factor in the creation of a hit songwriter? Why?
I don’t know if I’d call it a ‘state of mind,’ but I think songwriters need to be tuned in to their personal ‘songwriting channel.’ If you’re not tuned in, you miss what’s being broadcast to you.
Do you believe having empathy helps in becoming a hit songwriter? Explain.
I believe it can. Empathy for others and for yourself. You have to be able to feel something to write it. The more open you are to feelings, yours and others, and to trying to understand them, the more material you have to write about.