I can't emphasize enough the importance of collaborating when writing a song. Just having the instant feedback on your work is important enough, but the real value lies in the basic fact that collaboration will make your song stronger, which of course is the ultimate goal.
I think there is only one real cardinal rule when collaborating, and that is make sure that you work with someone that can actually benefit you and contribute to your work. It's great to run new songs by your best friend, or partner, or a neighbor, and they will certainly have some feedback, some of which may be valuable. But I have found that this feedback tends to lean more toward encouragement rather than improving the song, which is fine. There is definitely a place for that, and encouragement is always both needed and welcome.
However, when I really get into the latter stages of a song, I seek out musical counterparts to work with, whether it be my friends Steve and/or Chris of The Hard Road Trio, or John Payne, pictured above on piano, working with me on The Wild Horse of Passion. These guys, and lady, always seem to have some keen insight and subtle changes that greatly improve what I'm doing. They make a good song great. And they also have no hesitation in telling me that one is, well, "just ok"....of course meaning it sucks. Or that it needs a lot of work.
My approach is to write a song and work on it until such time as I'm comfortable playing it for someone before I start this collaboration process. I'm really not good at working with someone from scratch, as I probably don't have the whole song conceptualized at that point. There are others that are quite good at this. Each songwriter needs to find that "comfort zone" where they can work with others comfortably.
Collaboration doesn't necessarily mean joint songwriting, or joint credits; but it does mean working with someone at some stage to get your song to be the best it can possibly be. Which is the ultimate goal. It's all about the song. Not the writer. As a writer, you want your message, or story, or feelings to come across clearly and effectively. Both lyrically and musically.
In my collaboration efforts, usually the focus is more to the musical side rather than the lyrical side. I purposely work with others that are far stronger than I on that aspect. Chord changes get suggested, maybe a key change, or perhaps a structural re-arrangement. In any case, the song is what benefits, it comes out stronger.
Collaboration can also take place in the studio, during the recording process. I often work with produce Pat Regan, pictured below, in this manner. His ears are great on picking up on aspects of the song that can be strengthen during the recording. This is still collaboration.
The bottom line is, that you want your song to be the strongest song ever, a masterpiece. Feedback, via collaboration, achieves this goal. Never take it as diminishing your own efforts. That's missing the point. And that's not what happening either. So go out and write your masterpiece. And collaborate.
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