I've reached the half-way mark!

[kevinmathie]

I just wanted to say that as of this afternoon, exactly half the songs in my submission history are now Forwards! In the beginning, there were no forwards, of course, and all Returns. But, my compositions have improved with time and effort, so that the last several submissions have all been forwarded, making up for all the Returns.Now I have four more compositions in the queue, so we'll see what happens. Getting another Return will drop me back down to below 50%, but I think most of the four tracks will get forwarded.Anyway, achieving a 50% Forward to Return ratio in my overall history was my first goal. Now, I have a goal to dilute the Returned percentage even further.

[docdutch]

congrats on that thats great ive been on a month got my 4th foward today 14 returns so im battin almost 25% but those critiques make me work harded

[keithl]

very cool news, Kevin!I have never buckled down this hard and recorded tunes...ever.and I love every minute of it!

[bombaycharlie1]

That's great Kevin...keep up the good work and attitude!Charlie

[tomaragon]

Congrats Kevin!I'm about there with you...........10 Forwards for 19 submissions since I started submitting almost 3 months ago.

[dabresk]

Keep it up and you WILL succeed!Congrats!Bresky

[djdeweese]

Congrats Kevin -- those are good numbers, and very impressive to have brought your percentage up that much. Hope I can do the same over the coming year.Keep up the good work, and keep those numbers strong--

[boardman]

Congrats man!!!I'm also at the half way mark with 3 out of 6. I have 4 pending, so hopefully that percentage will keep going up!!

[crs7string]

I think there can possibly be a mixed blessing with keeping up with the ratio of submissions to returns. On one hand it can be a measure of your effectiveness of "reading the listing".On the other hand, it can create a situation of "playing it safe". Instead of stretching and trying your hand at a new genre or style that is outside of your comfort zone, you write only to listings that you think you have the best chance of a forward to keep the forward percentage up.I too have been shooting for the 50% forward ratio and up until the last two returns I was 7 for 10 on forwards vs. returns for '08. Now I'm 7 for 12, with three tracks pending.Am I disappointed that I'm blowing my ratio? Hell no. Out of the returns I wrote a James Bond piece, a classical arrangement, and a new age piece. All of these genres are out of my "zone" but I have learned far more in the process of doing these tracks than the "pain of a return"The other perspective that has evolved for me over the last two years of TAXI membership is the idea of a forward as a "favorable introduction" If you were to attend a cocktail party with people that could use your music, would you try to meet as many people as you could or only try to meet the people who you knew would give you positive feedback and make you feel good?I want to get my music in front of as many libraries I can and I'm strategically trying to target the end user based on the verbiage in the listing. One of my goals this year was to get a forward to the UK library that has had so many listings of late, hence I've written stuff for their listings. I've had three forwards with no contact yet, but all three tracks were in genres I haven't done before.I think I makes sense to "keep score" along the way to measure progress, but the danger is to get too emotionally attached to a forward and emotionally devastated by a return.As is often stated on this forum, just keep writing and submitting.That my two bits worth of philosophical ranting for the month. Chuck

[timmerblakely]

Way to go. Congrats on meeting you goal. I'm hoping that as i get a better handle on my production skills and further develop my skills at interpreting what the listings really want i can join your 50% club. I like the sound of that, the 50% club. Anyway, congrats and further success to you!Timmer