The FAWM Manifesto

The FAWM Team (see below) thinks a lot about our purpose. Here you can find our mission, vision, values, and priorities: the ideas that shape FAWM and why we do it.

Mission

To provide tools and events that help people grow in musical creativity and community.

Vision

Everyone should feel free to pursue their creative potential in safe, inspiring, human-centered spaces. We think that demystifying the music-making process with others can unlock joy and energy, which spill over into other areas of life and into the rest of the world.

Values

Music First

FAWM exists to help people create music in all its forms. Any event we organize, tool we develop, or communication we dispatch is grounded in this core idea.
Community Matters

We are in this together. The FAWM organizers are “fawmers” ourselves. We believe in communities that reward participation over popularity and connection over clickbait.
Play (With Constraints)

Given a choice between work and play, FAWM is about play. And risk-taking. And serendipity. At the same time, we embrace constraints because limitations can be liberating.
Technology Is A Tool

New or old, hi-tech or lo-fi: it’s not about gear, it’s what you express with it. Friction can be a friend, though, so we are skeptical of technological shortcuts and pointless polish.
Stay Human

We honor kindness, curiosity, encouragement, and respect. We recognize how our different backgrounds, styles, and approaches inform what it means to live a creative life.
Indie Is Important

Art shouldn’t be distracted by outside interests. FAWM is ad-free, donation-funded, and uses independent providers where possible, all in the DIY spirit of the global music scene.

Goals And Priorities

Demystify Songwriting

FAWM is committed to helping more people make more music. Whether it’s lyrics, composition, performance, or production, we aim to offer unique resources that seem to exist nowhere else. Our goal is to help people get out of their own way, seek new skills, and just create. Songwriting is a journey of self-discovery and sharing that is worth doing for its own sake.

Protect Creative Energy

Making and sharing are vulnerable acts, and the required energy can be fragile. We sometimes need help to silence the inner critic, recover from imposter syndrome, and learn not to judge our process (or anyone else’s). FAWM’s job is to encourage, and to minimize distractions by fighting spam, moderating discussions, and empowering fawmers to set their own boundaries so they can stay focused on creativity and community.

Foster Community

A song is a form of communication: a word rooted in community. FAWM thrives when everyone feels connected, both with the organizers and with each other. It’s a place to find your people. We strive to help everyone understand the challenge goals, website features, and community norms through clear documentation and communication. We also support fawmers in grassroots efforts to form local, in-person, and off-season groups and gatherings.

Take The Long View

FAWM was born decades ago, and it should be relevant for decades to come. This means we don’t add features or adopt technologies just because we can — we innovate by measuring new ideas against our values and priorities. The volunteer team opts for depth over scale, and says no often. We ask, "Does this serve the community? Will it still matter in five years?" In an internet bent toward commodification, FAWM is a corner that stays focused on creation.

The FAWM Team

February Album Writing Month and other FAWM projects are organized and brought to you by an international team of volunteers:

@burr 🇺🇸 - website development & miscellany; founding fawmer 2004+
@ericdistad 🇺🇸 (and @jendistad 🇺🇸) - merch & miscellany; founding fawmer 2004+
@nancyrost 🇺🇸 - joined 2006; moderator 2009+
@helenseviltwin 🇬🇧 - joined 2007; moderator 2010+
@robynmackenzie 🇺🇸 - joined 2009; moderator 2021+
@headfirstonly 🇬🇧 - joined 2009; moderator 2021+
@ductapeguy 🇨🇦 - joined 2013; moderator 2021+
@zecoop 🇺🇸 - joined 2011; moderator 2022+
@beto 🇧🇷 - joined 2016; website development 2022+
@coolparadiso 🇦🇺 - joined 2018; moderator 2024+
@troubadette 🇳🇿 - joined 2007; support & communications 2026+
@aeye 🇺🇸 - joined 2016; moderator 2026+
@beacon 🇺🇸 - joined 2020; community engagement 2026+

Thanks also to @timfatchen 🇦🇺 who joined in 2007 and was a moderator from 2021-2025.