Pitch and Pivot and Pitch—Repeat!

I stood up last night in front of a group of entrepreneurs and pitched my business. I had just come up with a new idea for a way to package my product the night before. This shift is what I have heard referred to in my class as a pivot—a change in business plan, product,…

Art takes work

I am fairly certain I have told you before that patience is not a virtue that comes easily for me. I want results, and I want them quickly. In this modern world of social networking, I am thankful to receive a nearly immediate outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and Story-to-Song fans each…

Inner voice, I hear you

I am thankful to have found a handful of people who saw me as an artist, a musician, and a songwriter and who patiently helped me begin to believe in my self as all of these identities, to learn to listen and hear my inner creative voice, and to find value and beauty in what…

Bless and Release

During my time in the Sandbox, my emotions seem to shift as capriciously as the sand in the metaphorical box. At times, I feel like a 10 on the scale of possibility. Just as easily, I can crash to a 3 or 4 and feel completely overwhelmed. “You are competing against the world,” Sandbox guide…

Everyone has a story

Everyone has a story. Yes, that means you, too. This past Friday evening, I performed some original songs and led a songwriting demonstration in downtown Lowell at an artist maker’s space called Lowell Makes. It was part of a skill share through a local time bank called the Merrimack Valley Time Exchange (MVTE). One skill…

Symbiosis and Songwriting

A story. It has meaning, layers of meaning. It has a face, depth, and personality. It has a life. A song from a story is all these elements with the added dimension of music and the heart, soul, and spirit of a life. This morning, a friend from my childhood came to Lowell. In his…

Examples of Story-to-Song(s)

To try to shed a little more musical light on Story-to-Song, which I typically refer to in short as STS, I thought I would share a few examples of different kinds of StorytoSong(s) that I have written. Example #1: A short song I wrote with a friend when I was learning how to write a song…

Getting to know Story-to-Song

Songwriting can be a challenge to describe in words only, particularly a method like Story-to-Song. So, I thought it might be helpful to share a couple of informational videos I put together. In the first video, I offer a definition of Story-to-Song: In the second video, I describe how I discovered Story-to-Song: The third video…

Who is Story-to-Song?

When I begin working with a participant on their Story-to-Song, I hear a few comments on a regular basis: I have a terrible voice. I am not an artist. I am not creative. I do not have any stories that are interesting. This is where I come in and assure you that your stories are…

How much is that doggie in the window?

What kind of person is interested in a Story-to-Song experience? Could it be you? A friend? A family member? An organization? Would you pay to hear your own story in song? I am in the beginning stages of learning about all things having to do with starting a business. In place of melodies, my head…