Writing to Music

I know that the holiday season is rapidly approaching and sinking its teeth into our throats to drain every last bit of our joy and money (Oh, yes, bahumbug..) but I wanted to post one last thing before everyone goes away on holidays and stuff like that.

I love to write to music. It is like a metaphorical door which you close to keep people out. Unless you have small children (like me) normal humans will leave you alone when they see earbuds dangling from your ears. It is like a big "fuck off" sign on your forehead. Young children don't get this, though... and they tend to need me much frequently if I cannot hear them.

Either way, I still love to listen to music while I write. And I'll show you what I do. I'll link my Youtube Playlists here. Feel free to use them. 

Music to write to - Piratey

I write a pirate short series so, I have a playlist for pirate music. Makes sense, huh?

Music is such an important art form. It doesn't need language. It can evoke so many feelings. I feel that it is a really important tool that should be used by authors, especially when we are struggling to get into the mood, or we are stuck on a particular scene/chapter/book/career. Music can be the hammer that brakes down that writer's block wall and opens up our minds to the worlds we dream of, enabling us to see it more clearly and find the words to express the vivid life we see in our own heads.

If you have not listened to music while writing before, I strongly suggest doing so. Start off with music without lyrics. (I personally find lyrics to be distracting while trying to write, but I am a compulsive singer...) Find an instrumental piece that rings with the same themes you are trying to portray in your story. Ignore the titles and descriptions and decide for yourself how the music makes you feel.

Listen to the piece of music first and see if you can imagine it playing in the background of your story as it plays out in your mind. Kind of like a soundtrack for a movie. If you think it fits, pop on your headphones and open up that document writer or grab your pen and paper and see how you go.

This, of course, is not for everyone, but it is worth a go if it helps demolish the barriers that are preventing your creative flow.

On a side not I will be posting Chapter 2 of Between Lost and Found tomorrow as an early Xmas gift and the I will resume posting chapters weekly after then.

Good luck, happy writing and let me know how you go.

Hugs AMC

xxx