Over the past several years I've had 87 critiques from SongU coaches, at least 12 a year from NSAI coaches, and a few from people like Jason Blume and Barbara Cloyd. I've also had phone coaching with Rick Beresford. So I believe in paying to improve my craft, which is what all these critiques have done. It is like taking a course in songwriting with individual help. I have also received helpful advice from JPF folks, and not so helpful advice as well. Not all paid critiques have been extremely helpful either. Most--not all--but most of us on here are amateurs, and professionals who have had #1 hits or been in the business for years often know things about the market that we amateurs don't. A lot of it has to do with what NOT to pursue in terms of an idea. I would much rather receive advice from someone who has a pulse on the market and pay for it than receive kudos from someone I don't pay. Although it's not true in each case "you get what you pay for", I'm an advocate of professional paid critiques.

Betty J. Holt