[CaliaMoko]

Anyone planning to torture themselves by taking part in FAWM this year? I tried it two or three years ago. I may have gotten a song written and I did come up with an album idea, including a cover design, album title, and a list of song titles.    I'd still like to write that album some day, but I think I'll pass on FAWM. Too much pressure.

[adamfarr]

I once wrote the following (now I try to write songs instead, but I still pretty much agree that - like fight club - a song needs to take as long as it needs):

"these "get it out of the door" challenges generally promote derivativism, tediousness, cliches and rhyme crime. The opposite of what (I) stand for..."

[tina m]

adam you mustve been in such a bad mood to be so dismissive!
I do FAWM every year & it works fabulously for me.. its the only time of year I write songs
(altho since coming back here ive written a few outside Feb)
 the pressure ,the competition ,the hyper creative atmosphere all send me into song writing frenzy... but I know it doesnt suit  everyone
what i write & record there are not the finished article.. theres not the time at FAWM for that.. but it gives me a years worth of good rough songs to polish afterwards
if you are going to do it theres a secret ...you have to get into the forums & make friends & do the challenges & skirmishes & collaborations otherwise you will stand outside & not get caught up in the thing & wonder why it didnt work for you 

[Skub]

Am I the only one who doesn't know what FAWM means?

Probably,I hear you all say. 

I can make up rude things. 

[adamfarr]

"February is Album Writing Month". I think you have to write a new song every 2 days or so...

Apologies for the earlier rant. It just doesn't go with the way I usually do things... but maybe there's something to be said for trying something different...!

[tina m]

adam is joking with you davy, its Female Arm Wrestlers Minibar

are you interested now? 

[Skub]

Ha! Ta Adam.

I plod along too slowly to be any use at that 'production line speed' stuff,Tina. I'd still be weighing up the relative merits of the best drum patch to use on the first track,while the rest are pushing an entire album over the line. 

 The ladies arm wrestling,I don't mind spectating,as long as I don't have to take them on. 

[Bill Saunders]

Never heard of it before but it sounds like a nightmare!! Can't imagine being inspired, just stressed. Think I'm just too old, although I can't quite imagine enjoying it ever!

[tina m]

youve got it all wrong
what if I told you I felt like that when I first heard about it...I was struggling to write 5 songs a year then

the fact is the greatest pop /rock songs were mostly all written very quick ….
youre in the right company ,youre excited ,your bouncing ideas off a like minded person , inspiration hits you & suddenly theres the song
im not saying it arrives fully formed & embellished & perfectly recorded ….im saying the gem of the idea is there & you capture it
you can rewrite & reshape & hone it later in the year at your leisure ...its all about getting in the right frame of mind to be inventive & coming up with the ideas.....isnt that the hardest bit of writing a song...waiting for inspiration to strike?
thats what FAWM is 

[Morefrog Jones]

This sounds interesting - only today I was sorting out the 'demos & ideas' folder on my Computer and I counted over 25 Part Finished songs in there

Just been on the facebook page but still dont get it?

[tina m]

the facebook page is where some FAWM people congregate for the rest of the year bcos the FAWM site is only open for songs in the month of Feb ..the site is down at the moment & is supposed to be opening anew on Jan 23
if you go here:   http://fawm.org/
 later this month you will get more of a idea

[tina m]

the FAWM site is now open & i will be there for the next month ...so i wont be here...
have fun while im gone & keep the place tidy!... & i will probably be back in March unless I am kidnapped by some other songwriters forum  
i hope to leave FAWM with a whole album of 14 songs in a new style so i am excited...

[Sing4me88]

The whole concept of FAWM has always intrigued me. I'm not sure I understand it entirely though. Is the challenge to write/record 14 tracks completely from scratch and get them produced as a 'finished' track like would appear on an actual album or is the challenge to write 14 songs from scratch and get them in a rough recording e vocal and guitar/piano without all the polishing and bells and whistles)? Even the latter seems like a ferocious output in such a short time. I can see though how awesome it must be if collabing with others on this and the adrenaline rush of being up against the clock. As Tina has said, lots of famous Pop and rock songs were churned out very quickly and its clear that lots of people have completed the challenge before.

Best of luck to all undertaking this challenge this year - I look forward to hearing hat your frenzied genius produces:)

[PaulAds]

Ah well...i've decided to give this a go...i mean, why not?

i'm really busy at the minute and i imagine it's going to be a bit frenetic and lord knows what will happen...but i'm going to give it a go...

even if i only pick up a few threads to work on later in the year...it'll be a giggle anyway

i'll maybe see you there, Tina 

[tina m]

Paul thats fabulous!! I will look out for you!
my advice is to try to tap into the excitement thats there ..I mean look at the forums the sites been open 24hours & the place is absolutely buzzing!....
introduce yourself & have a look at the forums..try the skirmishes & challenges & all the other things they put up (& if you see a lyric you like then ask to collaborate straight away)...its all optional of course but so many people say at the end 'I just didnt get it!' ,& thats becos they just sat outside