Welcome to the MAS Co-writing Challenge

You're in for a real songwriting treat.

If you're new to our challenges, here's a quick overview:

1. You get a writing partner (see more below).
2. We'll e-mail you the writing prompts and all the information you'll need to get started.
3. You and your partner(s) will have 30-days to write a song and get it submitted.
4. Once done, we'll post it to a special page on our website along with all the other songs submitted.

It's not a race.

It's not a contest.

It's a chance to cowrite for the first time, the 100th time, or write with someone new. Any way you look at it, it's flat out fun.

They're two ways to get paired up.

Find one or more writers yourself.

Either you have someone in mind you might want to write with, or you can go to our MAS members artists page and look for someone.

The important thing is to simply ask them. Maybe they can, or maybe they can't right now.

You'll never know unless you ask.

If you decide to pair up with someone on your own, they will need to fill out the registration form as well, naming you as a writing partner.

Let us pick a writer for you.

Alternatively, you can simply check the box on the sign-up form that you want us to randomly pick a writing partner for you. We'll pair off lyricists with musicians where necessary. Otherwise it's a random pick.

The prompt.

Each time we offer the challenges there are prompts to get you started and follow. Something to make it interesting and fun. You'll get a choice between three different levels of difficulty: starting at super easy and moving up frm there. Trust us, there is something here for every writer. But more about that when you're e-mailed your prompt.

We'll e-mail your writing prompt after the sign-up period is over.

If you opted for us to pick your writing partner, you'll find out who that is at that time. But, first things first.

The deadline to sign up is 11:59 PM Tuesday, March 8th.

Go Ahead and Register Now!

Submitting your song.

When it's time, we will supply you with a submission form…

You can submit your song any time after March 8th, and before the deadline 11:59 PM Friday, April 8th.

When time is up, and we have a chance to post them online, we’ll show you where to listen to them and announce it to the world.

You'll be able to hear what your fellow MAS members wrote using the same exact prompt you had to write your song.

It’s always fun to see how different pairs of writers approach one idea and put it in their own style.

Some questions you may have are

What are the rules?

This is a very relaxed challenge. No hard rules other than registration and completion deadlines, using the prompt we send you, and keeping it family friendly.

Write any genre you like. Any structure you like. As long or short as you like (but advisable to keep within normal length guidelines).

This is a great opportunity to use some of the things you've picked up on in our Thursday craft sessions, held on the 2nd Thursday of the month.

Does my writing partner have to be a MAS member?

Yes. Unless we open a particular challenge to the public, these challenges are part of your membership at MAS. They are designed not only to help you write with someone else, but to get to know your fellow members a bit too.

Besides, if you know of someone interesd, they can enjoy participating in any writing challenge during the year, plus all the other MAS benefits for just $50 a year.

What if my co-writer cancels or backs out from the challenge for any reason?

If your co-writer can’t, or doesn’t wish to complete the challenge for any reason, let us know.

We’ll do our best to find someone to partner with you.

Does MAS have any copyright ownership to my song?

MAS has nothing to do with the song other than publish a link to it on our website. You and your cowriter own the song’s copyrights.

We do post your song to our website, and you agree to that by simply participating.

The rest is up to you.

Does our song need to be professionally recorded, mixed in a studio, recorded with multi-instrument tracks and etc.?

Not at all. An instrument-vocal track is perfectly fine. This is about songwriting, not creating a commercial track.

That said, you can dress it up however you’d like. It’s your song.

Can we write about anything we want?

You’ll get a topic or a prompt to use to start writing. Part of the fun for everyone participating is seeing how each song differs but still about the same topic or prompt.

Also remember, this is a family friendly event… subject matter… matters. MAS has the right to exclude any song submission deemed inappropriate.

If you have any other questions, just send us an e-mail at events@mnsongwriters.org.

We look forward to seeing your song!