You have to really be good with people too. My songs range from love songs to freedom songs. Inspiration comes from people, other musicians, friends, daily life, my children. Anything I care about can be inspirational. Especially when they're playing certain instruments not considered to be very feminine.
Singers especially have a hard time being taken seriously because anyone can claim to be a vocalist.
So stereotypes must be broken, and that's happening, slowly. I sit in with other musicians and announce my gigs at their gigs. I send flyers, and sometimes place flyers in the club or near the venue where I'll be performing. I send e-mail. I still get some butterflies, but not as many as I used to.