If you want your songs to turn artists on like a “Light Switch,” you need to market yourself as Charlie Puth does lately.

Your goal as a songwriter is to find artists willing to sing your materials. Few things thrill you more than hearing your music come to life. That first time you hear an artist taking on the song you spend hours creating is pretty magical. Sadly, most songwriters don’t have Charlie Puth’s luck and struggle to find someone willing to appreciate their work. If you’re a beginner songwriter, you most likely have a drawer full of songs ready to come to life but lack the resources to get them to an artist. It’s one of the most daunting parts of being a songwriter.

To help you get through this stressful period, we put together a guide that tells you how to get your name out there on the market and find artists willing to record your work.

Create a songwriting network

If you’re passionate about books, you’re probably in one or more book clubs where you discuss your latest reads with other book worms. So why not start or join a songwriting group? Basically, you can use social media platforms to reach other people interested in your craft and share experiences and acquire skills together. You can use the group to motivate yourself to work on new materials and set project deadlines. The group’s point is to help you train your brain, creativity, and commitment to the craft. If you miss a task, you’re out of the group, and you need to start it fresh again.

A group or network is great for many reasons. It enables you to build a community with other songwriters and even artists, pushes you to increase your output, and encourages you. Most likely, young artists are also looking for songwriters willing to compose for them. Even if you don’t sell your songs initially, you’ll get them recorded and out there in the world for people to listen to them.

Build friendships with local artists

The only way to get your materials out there in the world is to get out there and meet new people. Yes, you want famous artists like Justin Bieber to sing your songs, (if you didn’t know Charlie Puth wrote the successful hit Stay, Justin Bieber, sings with Kid Laroi), but you cannot reach them until you make a name for yourself. So, start with this, building a brand for your songwriting business. Get involved with the local music scene by attending local events and supporting young talent. Use social media to connect with local artists and offer your help in writing songs or co-writing materials with them.

What bands and young artists play shows in your hometown the following month? What other songwriters do you know? Befriend them, and you’ll find it easier to get your songs recorded. After a show, approach the artists and let them know you’d like to look over one of your songs you think will match their style. If you put together all your materials in a single PDF file because you find it easier to carry them in digital format, and the artist agrees to check your song, use a pdf page remover to cut the materials you don’t want to share before sending it to them. It’s smart not to provide them access to your entire library of creations because of copyright issues. If they don’t contact you after a couple of weeks, you can send them a polite email to ask them what they think about your craft.

Get your first demo

If you want the music industry to find out about your craft, get a demo. You can ask one of your talented friends to record it for you. Vocal and piano or guitar are more than okay for the first demo. Ask your group of friends and fellow songwriters to listen to the demo before sending it to recording studios or artists you want to collaborate with. The first impression is crucial, and you want to make a good one and convince them to work with you.

If you want to send the demo to an artist, make sure you choose the appropriate material for their style. Can you realistically hear the tune sung by them?

Co-write with other songwriters and artists

Many artists want to write their own songs to express their emotions and feelings, but they lack experience. However, they’re willing to collaborate with an expert because they want to give it a try. If you have the opportunity to get in touch with a local artist who needs help writing their songs, you shouldn’t miss it. You may work for free in the beginning, but once they release the song, the industry will get to know your name, and you’ll get to earn money for songwriting. A young artist has plenty to learn from you, and they’ll most likely be enthusiastic about benefiting from your assistance.

You can also offer your aptitudes and skills to professional songwriters looking for creators to join their teams.

Share your songs with the world

As a songwriter, you need to share your work to get people interested in recording songs. How you’re planning to share your materials impacts your evolution as a songwriter in the industry. If you also sing, as Charlie Puth does, you’re chasing more than a songwriter career; you want to become a full artist. You most likely use music as a creative outlet to share your emotions and thoughts with the public. So, use your two talents to advance your career and share your songs with the audience. Recording and releasing an album with your creations is a smart way to grow an audience. Playing live is another way to get your songs out there. Get in touch with event planners and look for opportunities to play your songs at festivals, open mics, and other similar events.