I posted my piece without having read Amos and Aine's comments--good and heart felt advice from people who know their craft and take it seriously--

Two things I might add--I try to think about how my audience will respond to what I am writing, and I always think about the emotions that I want it to evoke--

I suppose there is an implicit third thing, which is making sure that the song is accessible to the performer--that it is easy for them to put it across--

And the thing last thing, which, I suppose I should not admit, is that I am very competitive--so when I write my song, I try to thing of everything that do make my song get a better response than say, Amos and Aine's songs--

I may not succeed, but it is what I always shoot for--and I assume that they do, too---