When starting your journey as a library music composer, you’ll need to write a bunch of tracks in preparation to send to prospective libraries. You know one of the biggest challenges about writing library music for sending to these companies before they’ve shown any interest?
Finishing.
I know that if you’re anything like me, finishing some tracks without a pressing deadline is tough to say the least. I’m terrible without a deadline – are you the same?! You just keep tinkering and tinkering and tinkering, right?
Self Imposed Deadlines
Even when you do have some solid relationships established with some great libraries, you still will get moments where they are happy to let you run with an idea and get these concept tracks to them “whenever you can.” Don’t be fooled by that statement, get them great tracks to consider whilst the iron is hot.
You need to self-impose deadlines. Self imposed deadlines also allow you to practice writing quicker, a skill all library music composers would do well to improve on.
Quicker writing = More tracks out there each year = More income.
Take a look at this quote from legendary record producer Rick Rubin…
So don’t forget the huge power in giving yourself a deadline, even if there isn’t a definite completion date from a 3rd party. Draw up a schedule for your tracks, stick to it and decide ahead of time what your big, juicy reward will be for finishing.
For many of us, done is better than perfect.
(How do you motivate yourself to finish tracks? Leave anything that works for you in the comments below!)
