Check out a band called M.O.T.O. on myspace. Paul also has an extensive collection of his music on garageband. Everytime I hear (Masters of the obvious) I want to write!
My new stuff that I'm recording is catcher then anything I've ever written and the new stuff is a bit more polished then Earl Clifton and The Pin-Ups basic stuff. I read somewhere on the blog someone was telling you to just write down whatever comes to mind no matter how stupid it might seem and he is right on the money with that advice. I try to get a hook more so now then I ever did. Most of my older stuff is too slow and I want to play alittle faster tempo like M.O.T.O. or the ramones etc. I've also been working on the groove thing too. My songs (to me) don't have enough groove, and I think if the tempo is a little faster my new songs will be more exciting
I don't think skill is all to important as people may think. Just a good idea to know a little about song struture and how the dynamics in a song should relatively go
The greatist advice I can give to you, is to try and make your songs connect with people. If people feel a connection to your tune or your character in the song, you will have the keys to their heart. It's almost how movies are written