From an objective standpoint, it can be hard to tell if the song you’ve written is really any good. Often you’re too close to the work to judge it in any meaningful way.

This is also complicated by the fact that songs are a complex machines with a ton of different theoretical components. However, there are some songwriting virtues that are older than the English language — check your song against them and see how they stand up.

Image via Flickr by Sara Bilijana