A songwriter writes songs all the time, whereas just writing a song can be done by anyone, anytime.

Every song I've ever written was while I'm really emotional, maybe happy or maybe sad. Writing songs from those situations and experiences captures my soul, and things I can't express with people just talking to me. It's really intimate.

There's no insecurity about my song writing. I start a lot more songs than I finish, because I realize when I get into them, they're no good. I don't throw them away, I just put them away, store them, get them out of sight.

I'm a professional songwriter - personal attitudes have nothing to do with writing a song.

When I'm writing a song, it's just me and the songwriters. Then when the song is done, there are publishers that hear it, then people in my management, then my wife and my boys and my friends, and if they're all lovin' it, it's kind of withstanding all the criticism I need.

I never thought of myself as a songwriter. I was just an artist writing songs, and they just happened to get placed.