FAQs
How do I sign up for the program as a songwriter or as a representative of a partnering organization?
To sign up for the program as a songwriter or partnering organization, simply click on the "Join Us" tab on our homepage.
What is the difference between a Partner and a Songwriter?
A Partner is a representative from an organization who serves children such as orphanages, hospitals or youth organizations. A Songwriter is someone or a group of people who hope to turn some of the stories provided by the Partners into song.
What types of songwriters are eligible?
ALL types of songwriters are welcome! Whether you're a professional, an amateur, a rapper, a classical composer, a heavy metal musician, a music teacher with a class of music students, an electronic artist, you name it! Surprise us : )
If I have a record label or publishing deal, what should I do?
If you have a record label, pubslishing deal or any other third party agreement, you must let us know in writing. Furthermore, we strongly advise that inform your label and you rpublisher know that you wish to participate and we can provide agreements for them to review.
Do I still own the copyright to my song?
Yes. You simply give Sing Me a Story a license to use the song for our charitable purposes. You can read more about that in our Terms of Agreement by clicking on the Join Us tab.
What if I am a songwriter and I don't want to make a campaign, I just want to write a song?
That is perfectly fine! When you are asked to put a campaign amount, just put in $0 or $1. That is more than fine. Thank you!
If I'm under the age of 18, can I participate as a songwriter?
Yes! Please send an email to Austin@SingMeAStory.org and he will provide you with the proper documentation for your parental guardian to sign.
If a story already has a song, can I write another one for it?
Yes, absolutely! It's half the fun to see how different artists interpret the different stories!
If the stories are in a language other than English, can I still write a song for them in English?
Yes, please do. The idea is not only to get these songs to the children, but also to gain exposure for the organizations from where they come. Songs in English can be spread amongst listeners which is almost just as beneficial for the partnering organizations. Also- many times, the staff for the partnering organizations can provide translations for the children.
Does the songwriter agreement pertain to any songs written prior to or apart from Sing Me a Story?
Absolutely not. The purpose of the songwriter agreement is simply to ensure that if a songwriter makes any money from copyright royalties or otherwise from a song, that half the proceeds come back to Sing Me a Story and further disseminated to the organization from where the inspiring story came.
Can I upload songs I wrote prior to reading any stories?
We strongly encourage that the songs uploaded to the stories be inspired by the stories themselves. The idea of the program is to foster a platform for collaboration as much as anything.
Do we have creative freedom to write from the story or are we to basically take the story and put it to music?
The creative freedom is totally yours! The hope is that the ideas presented in the story inspire you to put something into song. If it is a direct depiction of the story itself, great! If it is something tangentially related, perfect! If you decide you want to combine two or three different stories and make up your own into a song, awesome! This is simply another platform for you to collaborate and create.
Once I record a song, how do I get them to you?
Once you have signed up for our program as a songwriter, you will receive instructions on how to upload your songs as Mp3's to the website using the username and password you create in signing up.
If I sell the song as a songwriter and any money is made from a song, how much goes to the partnering organization?
If any money ever comes from a song, per the Songwriter License Agreement, 50% of royalties owed to the songwriter come back to SMAS. From there, SMAS covers its current costs and then distributes 70% of what is left over to the partnering organization from where the inspiring story came. The remaining 30% is then put in a savings account to cover future costs for the organization (to be able to function the following year). Our hope and goal is to cover all of our costs through donations and sponsorship monies. If we are able to achieve this, then we would hope to get as close to 100% of the monies made from a song (which has been allocated to SMAS) to be disseminated further to the partnering organization from where the inspiring story came. This is all outlined in great detail in our Partnering Organization Agreement. If you would like to see a copy, by all means, just ask :) Thanks!