Former L.A. Times editor and staff writer (and occasional LA Observed contributor) Bob Baker makes his case at the Poynter Institute website — and puts up a podcast from the CD he recently cut in Nashville.

My experience (from which I have yet to earn a dime) has been that most of the structural values reporters bring to newswriting apply to songwriting, too. You have to (1) grab the listener's attention immediately, (2) establish context, (3) develop your thesis and (4) construct an ending that resonates back to your lead.

Baker writes about writing and the nuts and bolts of journalism at newsthinking.com.