My FAWM Journey: A Success!

I Surprised Myself This Year.
FAWM 2009 kicked off well with me writing a song on the first day and I felt like I would be easily on track to complete the challenge, so I stated on my FAWM profile that I was aiming for 20 songs this February. However, as time went on I found myself struggling for ideas and by the halfway point I was languishing at about 5 songs.

I never doubted I could complete the challenge target of 14, but I had totally forgotten about any intention to reach 20 and seeing as I find it difficult to write about anything outside of a particular subject I was finding it hard to come up with songs without feeling like I was repeating myself.

Still the 14 songs were done by about 26th February and I was a winner. I was pleased, but felt a little like I had only really done the basics, so I got down to writing anything, no matter how good or bad is was and wrote a bit of a novelty song to make it 15. That was the same total as my FAWM 2008, so at least I was not regressing in my songwriting (Even though I know its about quality not quantity).

In the final throes of FAWM 2009 however I received a message from fellow FAWM er Becca, asking if I wanted to do a last minute collaboration. There were about 5 hours left and all we needed was an idea and a title. We are able to record the demo of the song after the challenge has finished. She explained that she saw my initial intention for 20 and wanted to help me get as close as possible. I accepted, came up with a concept (to be revealed) and then saw my total hit 16. This was great, but then I woke up to myself and thought "Why not just go for it? You have 5 hours left. Surely it’s worth a shot at getting 20!"

Thanks to Becca I was spurred into action, dropped all else that I was supposed to be doing and made a solid commitment to finishing the remaining songs before the close of FAWM! I had a few bits and pieces of lyrical ideas that I hadn’t completed, which were a good place to start and I then found, buried in my notebook an almost complete song I had written, lyrics only and totally scrapped because I didn’t like it. On reading it again it seemed to actually be quite good and seeing as I was after as many songs in as little time as possible I started work on it.

Well the flood gates opened after that. I got the titles and lyrics posted prior to recording the demos to make sure they all counted towards my total. I then sang and played my heart out and some ropey, quick performances followed by a few grand moments I was uploading the demos to all my finished songs (All except the collaboration with Becca, which is to follow).

My total finished up at 22 songs with about 30 minutes left to go. I thought about letting loose and trying to get another one down, which I actually think I could have done, seeing as I was ‘In the zone’, but my wife wanted to go out to dinner and I remembered that I really needed to eat myself.

So good feelings all round. I ended up with 22 songs, 21 of which are all by myself and I feel like I gave it my all now.

Check out all my FAWM 2009 songs in one place.