VIA PRESS RELEASE | “The wisdom and the lessons she shares will illuminate not only the world of songwriters but anyone who seeks the sustenance of a creative life and practice.”
—Mary Chapin Carpenter
Prolific and iconic singer-songwriter Dar Williams has released an all-new songwriting book called How to Write a Song That Matters (Hachette Books, 09/6/22). Intended for songwriters of all levels and backgrounds, the book combines tips, tools, and encouragement that anyone can use to get started with or to keep momentum alive in their creative process. Dar Williams fans will also enjoy anecdotes and origin stories about songs they know and love. The book is available in paperback, digital reader format (kindle/nook) and audio book read by the author. More details are available here
How to Write a Song That Matters is an invaluable guide to writing music by a woman who knows how to do it and do it well: beloved singer-songwriter, Dar Williams. For years now, Williams has led songwriting retreats for musicians, from beginners to professionals, in which she elevates the process of songwriting over the assessment of the product. This book makes those intimate experiences accessible for songwriters across the globe, gifting them with the insight Williams has gleaned from her decades of experience.
First, it encourages songwriters to find something that inspires them and then to follow that inspiration, letting the clues of those first few notes or lines lead their narrative. Soon, the initial rhythms, the unique sounds of the melody, and/or specific vocabulary emerge, giving birth to a “voice” or a “world” that the song can exist in. As the writer proceeds, Williams encourages them to ask themselves: “Where did I go? Where did I REALLY go? What happened? What REALLY happened? What am I bringing back?”
There are many other songwriting guides that hint to the reader that writing a “hit song” may be on the horizon if only the reader correctly follows the guide or program. In this book, however, Williams shows readers how to tap into their OWN creative process, using their psyches, their unique life experiences, and their muses to write the songs that they are meant to write. By focusing on the process of creating a song that matters, as opposed to producing a well-constructed “widget from a song factory,” songwriters will be able to establish their own voice and use it to make meaningful music.
Perfect for music lovers of all sorts who want to write songs, How to Write a Song That Matters is a one-of-a-kind-book that readers will turn to for guidance time and time again.
