ASCAP question..Publisher Name?

[booker]

I registered with ASCAP as both a writer and a publisher. I went down to the courthouse and registered my business name and got a federal tax ID #, so I can "do business as" Bookers Bend Music. But as Matto says... now I would have to open a bank account as my business to cash a check written to it. I would just sign on as an Artist/songwriter, and leave the publishing as an open for now.

[nomiyah]

One way around the fictitious name/bank acct issue is to name your publishing company after yourself. For example, mine is Nomi Yah Music (though I have a seperate bank account and business license because I needed it).

[slimcharm]

I opted to sign her up as an artist/songwriter and NOT do the publisher for now as frankly I dont really understand it all that well.Thanks for all the tips!

[hookstownbrown]

I've wondered why ASCAP hasn't sent me a dues notice... I was sure it was that time of year...

[Casey H]

HiHere is the truth according to Casey (and only Casey): I am an ASCAP member both as a writer and as a publisher. I paid no fees to sign up and I assume that is still the case. I first signed up as a songwriter and only when a co-write of mine was getting cut did I join as a publisher. It is true, as noted on the board, that you do not have to sign up as a publisher to collect both the writer's and the publisher's share of royalties. ASCAP (or BMI) can help you with this.The one advantage of being a publisher early on for me was it seemed that my submissions were taken as more professional labeled as from a publisher (at least that was my observation). There were services I could subscribe to and listings I could respond to that were restricted to "Publishers Only".BTW, you might enjoy this... As a songwriter I pitched to listings in Tip Sheets, music attorneys, etc... One NYC music attorney wanted $500 a month to pitch my songs. Later on when I started the publishing company I expanded it to pitch for other artists. I placed an ad for songs in well-known Tip Sheet X. I got submissions from the very publishers I used to pitch to and MANY SUBMISSIONS from that NYC music attorney . In other words they used the same source to find leads as I did... Interesting... That's what my $500 a month would buy.My publishing company has now placed 2 songs (for other artists, not my own ) in film/TV... I tell you that so you should know that if you keep producing great songs and you work VERY hard at marketing, it can be done... Caseywww.broadjam.com/hurowitzwww.caseysongs.com