It seems that for me I write only serious material & usually only after I've encounted a very emotional experience or something jumps out at me & screams write. Watching the life of an impared child or last week running into a very old & close high school friend who, after near 30 years is still a junkie & still alive or reading about a female Lighthouse keeper whose unsung rescues over her lifetime saved 25 people. As for bringing them out & not knowing if they're any good, at a singing party or session I might throw one in among the others, never saying anything about it & seeing if there's any interest or any remarks. When other singers want to know where you got that song or whose it's by you can figure it's at least decent. Some time ago at a session I asked Jim Paine to sing one of his songs, only the person who brought him knew of him, after he sang (Empty Nets) a few said "where in the hell did you get that" one mentioned that he'd only heard that once & it was up in Canada" then named the group & they were friends of Jims'. Then came "where's it from", Jim had to've been very proud to say it was one of his & to know in the eyes & ears of his peers that he had written a real gem. Barry