The festival in Utah at which I’m playing in the songwriting showcase (finals of a contest) has an associated “songwriter academy” for a day and a half before the festival that I’m attending. I went to a similar one last year, had a blast, and learned a lot. One feature of this kind of song school is the opportunity to have your song(s) critiqued by the instructors. It’s useful both to get the critique and to be there when the songs of others are being critiqued; you learn a lot about what technique and about editing. This year we’ve been told in advance that we’ll have the opportunity for three critique sessions from three different instructors (or pairs of instructors); we need to bring multiple copies of each song for critique, so I need to decide ahead of time which ones to plan for. There’s an art to figuring out which songs to get feedback on. On the one hand, you want to look good in front of the instructors and the class, so you don’t want to bring anything too rough. On the other hand, the whole process works best if you bring something you’d actually be willing to change, because the whole idea of this process is to be open to the suggestions given. That’s one of my frustrations with some of the songwriting workshops I’ve been to in my area; people bring their signature (or already recorded) songs to a critique and then are cranky and closed-minded when changes are suggested. I remember from last year that I was especially impressed with the Utah songwriters for really being open to the comments, not arguing back, and giving them a try in real time in the workshop. Because I’ve written A LOT of songs since this time last year, I have many options for what songs to bring. At first I considered bringing my two favorites of my newest songs, “Susanna’s Song” and “I Was Here.” In both cases there are a couple of things in them that I would like feedback on. But, realistically, those songs are essentially done, I love them the way they are (and they’ve gotten great audience reception already). It doesn’t make sense to put them out for critique – they would showcase my skills well, but wouldn’t take the most advantage of the opportunity for critique. The other thing to consider is the instructors, and there things get confusing. It would make sense to present songs that fit with the kinds of songwriting the instructors do, but (to the extent that I know their music or have been able to find it online to listen) none of them really write the kinds of songs that are my strength (songs that tell stories, often making a broader social point). So that doesn’t really get me anywhere either – although I’ll still try a bit to pick the most appropriate song of the bunch for a given instructor because that’s just how I roll. Anyway, the songs on the list of possible options, having eliminated my two best ones, seem to be Underground (Draglines and Dollar Signs), You Remind Me, Half of a Song, and Where the Words and Music Meet. The first one is both the least complete – I have a full draft but there are a few lines in it that I know aren’t what they should be – and the one I’d most like to figure out how to make better. But it’s also the one that’s furthest from the type of songwriting of the instructors. Where the Words and Music Meet is probably the best written of the four but I’ve never quite been sure if it worked as a song to anyone but the most dedicated folk audience. You Remind Me and Half of a Song are both songs I wrote during February Album-Writing Month but haven’t yet put into my repertoire, but they’re both candidates for the next album, so it probably makes sense to get some feedback on them when I’m still willing to make changes. And if you don’t know any of these songs . . . well, come to a show soon (can I recommend The Burren in David Square this Sunday at 7 p.m. for all you Boston-area folks?) and I’ll play ‘em for you.