Overall, it was felt that the criticism levelled at songwriters is fair, just and constructive.

I wouldn't entirely agree with the above. I think we were trying very hard in the thread to understand the criticism and to find ways of deflecting it. Or of not doing anything to encourage and justify some of it. I certainly don't think that this criticism it is very often fair or constructive.

I do detect a certain prejudice from some people - for reasons that I still don't understand - mainly towards original material in the folk field and especially toward material from writers that may not be very well known.