Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 30, No. 09
September 2025
The next zoom feedback session will be
Sunday September 7th at 5pm. Please see the zoom details
at the end of this newsletter.
We will also send details closer to the date, under a separate e-mail,
and an announcement on the Facebook group page.
please e-mail us at isgorlando@gmail.com if you have any questions.
We are asking members to renew their dues for 2025. It costs only $5 per year,
and it helps us to defray costs for the zoom meetings.
We have 2 methods of payment. Either paypal to our treasurer Asli Goncer's
paypal account. The paypal access is at aslivision@gmail.com
or you can snail mail a $5 check to:
Asli Goncer
2849 Babylon Court
Oviedo, FL 32765
Either way, we appreciate your continued support.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
If you wish to join our Facebook group, (it's FREE) please check us out at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/internationalsongwritersguild
Confessions Of A Title Thief
By Jackie Mason
I have always thought that using book titles for songs would be fair game. Easy pickings and, after all, song titles cannot be copyrighted. In fairness to my inner critic, I am yet to steal a book title. I researched Harlequin Romance titles and I immediately found four titles that inspired me. You may ask why Harlequin Romance and this is my rationale. Most pop songs are about love situations and Harlequin’s titles seemed like ripe pickings. These are the titles I found.
“Her Treacherous Heart”
“Come Back To Love”
“A Drift Of Jasmine”
“Sweet Compulsion”
All are titles that I could work with. I did a quick Google search and I found out two are already song titles and another is a brand name for a dessert. I then enquired as to the legality of using one of these titles. Like song titles book titles cannot be copyrighted. A book title can be trademarked if there’s more than one book. So a book series like “Game of Thrones” may be trademarked. A quick search revealed “the trademark “GAME OF THRONES” had been in use for over 10 years, not only as the title for a copyright work, but also as an indicator of commercial origin” Here is an explanation of the difference between a copyright and a trademark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNQaJL4h7QM
That’s useful information but I like my newer approach to titles. I call it the variation on a theme approach and so my titles may be something like “Treacherous Heart” or “Jasmine Drift.” They are still workable titles for me.
I found one of the best discussions about song titles on YouTube. It’s from a producer/songwriter with a proven track record.
https://soundbetter.com/profiles/36527-trey-vittetoe
Trey Vittetoe has worked with Miley Cyrus. He’s a co writer on the song “Breakout” which was indeed a breakout hit for her in 2008.
A great title https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC5afLZY6Js
He’s also written and produced for Selena Gomez.”Falling Down”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0avDwfyXb8&list=RDo0avDwfyXb8&start_radio=1
In his video from 6 years ago he talks about getting the song title as soon as possible. “Songwriters! Get the Title ASAP!” I consider the title as being like a road map in the writing process. As Trey puts it the title is the one central idea for the song.”Your title needs to be something you can aim your lyric toward. Not the other way around.” From my own experience it’s easy to “paint yourself in a corner” without a title.Trey quotes from one of my favorite songwriting books “Tunesmith” by Jimmy Webb. “His feelings on the importance of having a title upfront. He says if somebody comes to me and they have a song idea without a title he says to them "you don’t have a song idea, you don’t have a concept yet because only when you have your title and your idea do you have a song concept.” I think that’s sound advice from a master songwriter. Trey says a title is “the thing that first draws you in.” It’s very important. Here is the link to Trey’s 2019 video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV8FzkrrwXo
Next month I will talk about my favorite titles and why I like them.
So long from the lonely song motel out there in Neversville.
WebChatter
by CyberToad
Catalog Wrestling!!
Recently I have been wrestling with my song catalog. I have been writing songs for almost 60 years now, and, even though I don't feel that old, I guess that it's been building up. Overall I have been averaging about 10 songs per year. It is certainly not a lot by professional standards. but as an amateur/hopeful, it certainly keeps me busy.
My dilemma has been trying to keep track of them all. For many years I kept a simple spreadsheet, documenting the titles, co-writers, PRO (performing rights Organization), copyright registration details, genre, and all kinds of details. I got so frustrated today, that I finally googled this topic, and discovered
Now I am not subscribed to reddit, but after reading the responses, I honestly felt as if I was not alone.
Recently I met a songwriter called Carolyn Cates, who has shared a Catalog spreadsheet template with me that is a huge game changer. I was able to open it in LibreOffice Calc. (MS Excel generic) and copy/paste all my old spreadsheet info into it. Carolyn then gave me a great tutorial on how to link the songs to their mp3's and lyric files, which I have all saved to my Google drive in a folder called SusieCoolCatalog. Of course filling out all the info will not be a piece of cake (or a picnic), but since I have the folder and spreadsheet now saved in my google drive, I can access it and work on it from anywhere with an internet connection.
This way, I will have immediate access to any song I have written within moments (If I can remember the darn title, that is the tricky part). I also discovered some neat features in the spreadsheet such as notes, where I can embed the details about the song that might be important for pitching, and which should be in the MP3 metadata. I also created a cell where I plan to enter any comments e.g. links to platforms where the song has already been streamed (SoundCloud, Youtube, Reverbnation etc.) Again this is great if you are sharing some portion of your catalog with someone, as the details will be at your fingertips.
I am so grateful to Carolyn for her generosity, and I will probably spend the next 2 years trying to play catalog catch-up!!
Anyway, since I am now so scatalogged, I plan to study this next article by Sarah Spencer, which deals with the nitty gritty details.
Hope this is not TMI!!!
https://songfancy.com/how-to-organize-all-your-songwriting-related-files-organization-tips/
Looking forward to seeing you all at the next zoom.
ISG Bulletin Board
Meeting space was graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association,
Local 389. You are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the
interests of the professional musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more
information. You may reach them by phone at: 407-894-8666.
Why isn't your gig or live stream announced here?
Members in good standing call SusieCool with your appearance schedule!
407-760-2153 or e-mail her the details at isgorlando@gmail.com
If you are interested in open mics in the Central Florida area, SusieCool has compiled a list.
Steve Hodak hosts several newly listed open mics on the Florida East coast.
Please call ahead before making any long trips.
https://sites.google.com/site/susiecoolsongs/open-mic-directory-central-florida
And speaking of open mics, Host Jeremy Zorn has announced the next Winter Park Open Mic for
Wednesday September 3rd From 6 to 8pm The address is 1052 W Morse Blvd. Winter Park 32789.
This is so much fun. 2 songs each.
I will soon share the flier on the "International Songwriters Guild" Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/internationalsongwritersguild
SusieCool is the admin for another Facebook group called "Orlando Creative Music Network"
where we give out info on songwriter meetings, playing circles, open mics, workshops and
concerts. We have a Facebook page for this group if you want to join.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/orlandocreativemusicnetwork
Central Florida Folk ( https://cffolk.org/ ) is a massive supporter of Songwriters and Musicians,
and have monthly concerts at the Winter Park Library. The requested donation is $15,
or $10 if you are a member of CFF or the Winter Park Library. Here is the Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/centralflorida.folk/
Special Note: Our own Jane Gang Unleashed will be the opening act on Sunday September 28th at 2pm.
We will be opening for Corey Hall. Here is the 4 month forecast
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19azK8A1mG/
New members and guests are always welcome!
© 2025 ISG
ZOOM DETAILS Sun September 7th 5pm
*****************************************************************************
Central Florida Folk Inc. is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: ISG Song Feedback sessions. First Sundays 5pm
Time: Sunday Sep 7, 2025 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Sun