A typical day for a songwriting freelancer means that you have to make your own routine. Don’t expect to be doing the same thing from one day to the next. In this career you will often have to juggle several different jobs at once to keep things moving. Because of this, forward planning and scheduling is paramount. Get to know your digital calendar – it will save your life! Here’s an example of a typical day for me, which just so happens to have been what I did the day I wrote this paragraph. I’ve stripped out all the normal stuff like eating/showering etc and just left the work stuff in:
Morning
Check emails and calendar. Looks like I have a few things I need to make progress on. 1. Write short cues for Pantomime I’m composing. 2. Arrange Contract for songwriting Job in February. 3. Check progress on new single for my band. 4. Play a show in Goteborg, Sweden
Afternoon
Spend the afternoon writing the ‘cues’ (these are short piece of music in a play or musical, like when a character enters or leaves the stage) for a Pantomime I’m starting work on next week. I already have the script to work to, and I’d already planned out what to write and when. This is done with Sibelius and Pro Tools.
Early Evening
Read, study, and reply to contract offer from a future composing opportunity. Negotiate on terms, and then make a forward plan for how it would fit with my later schedule.
Late Evening
Go play a show!
