Music in Writing.

[Marco Polo]

Hey just a thought in passing through. I've found music has been an excellent stimulus so far in some of my writing. Especially Otherworld, trying to fit that mood of suspenese and disturbing with my writing was a task and a half so I browsed youtube and came across Roison Murphy's RamaLama Bang Bang. And it's managing to spur me along. It's not the only time.

 

When I was writing 'The Debutante' I wrote that entire short in the space of thirty minutes after a complete succession of songs hit me on my iPod.

 

So I was thinking we could talk about how music has either spurned you on, or created the right mood in you. It doesnt have to be music either. It's sort of like a 'what nourishes that creativity within you'

 

I think mine is music. : )

[Ashi]

Hey just a thought in passing through. I've found music has been an excellent stimulus so far in some of my writing. Especially Otherworld, trying to fit that mood of suspenese and disturbing with my writing was a task and a half so I browsed youtube and came across Roison Murphy's RamaLama Bang Bang. And it's managing to spur me along. It's not the only time.

 

When I was writing 'The Debutante' I wrote that entire short in the space of thirty minutes after a complete succession of songs hit me on my iPod.

 

So I was thinking we could talk about how music has either spurned you on, or created the right mood in you. It doesnt have to be music either. It's sort of like a 'what nourishes that creativity within you'

 

I think mine is music. : )

 

 

I think you're right. It could be any art form, too. My inspiration usually comes some movies, classic literature, or personal experience, and of course music, too!

[Nephylim]

I don't really know what gives me inspiration, it just comes. Music has never really been a big part of my life although I do like to listen to is sometimes. I get story ideas from everywhere... dreams, life, a conversation on a bus...everywhere. I just get a scene and I play it out in my head. I live the characters for a couple of days and it just grows. If I don't have that connection, that sense of being one with the characters I can't write.

 

Music does sometimes creep in and, in fact I have written whole novels around the feeling of a particular song or genre.

[thatboyChase]

I've written scenes in Elijah for instance to music.

 

The basement scene I did to 'The Black Blizzard' from the Carnivale soundtrack, its a creepy rolling piano melody that gives me the willies.

 

Marco Polo by Lorenna McKennit (a favorite of my, in regards to folk music) is a reoccurring song on my writing playlis. Damascus by Conjure One, a brief inspiration for the actual city.

 

I also cannot write without music, to be honest.

[David McLeod]

I can't write to music, but I almost always edit to music. Classical orchestral or piano, usually. Anything with lyrics would be distracting...

[Linxe Termoil]

I wrote the current one (posted in sneak peak (yeah, shameless plug) to music last night. i wrote the fantasy one to see Classical, I believe. It's not something i do very often. most of the time i try writing with the tv and that doesn't always work, and I get my inspiration from my fantasies, class (current one in sneak peak), or from day-dreams. usually I try to think about things first and if I like something enough I might actually sit down and write it. The only difference is this time I'm going from first person view rather then 3rd person view, which seems to be easier, so I'm giving it a try.

 

 

Me

[Circle]

I always find the music distract me though. It's strange that when the music plays, I'm always tempted to analyse it rather than writing. All the information about what key, chord, notes are playing gets flooded into my head!

 

But inspiration can come from music, though. I can remember a piece of music and try to bring out the mood into the story. I think I find that easier

[Marco Polo]

Hm, Well we seem to have an eclectic taste in inspiration. Although what else would I expect I love reading/writing to music. It's so much easier for my writing to flow that way.

 

Admittedly sometimes it can be distracting, especially during school work. : /

[Fishwings]

I must say, almost ninety percent of my writing is sparked by music.

 

Something about the way I can connect my characters to the lyrics of the music, and the way the melody and beat moves me makes a scene just play itself out in my head. I rarely write in silence, but I can't write if the songs keep changing, so I put it on repeat to keep the atmosphere constant. If I don't have a really good song stuck in my head, my writing tends to be bad. Actually, I tend to not write at all : D.

 

Also, I seem to be able to write really well when I'm sad or angry, so I'm guessing the reason why music inspires me so much is because it can more easily emotionally move me.

[Dolores Esteban]

I must say, almost ninety percent of my writing is sparked by music.

 

Something about the way I can connect my characters to the lyrics of the music, and the way the melody and beat moves me makes a scene just play itself out in my head. I rarely write in silence, but I can't write if the songs keep changing, so I put it on repeat to keep the atmosphere constant. If I don't have a really good song stuck in my head, my writing tends to be bad. Actually, I tend to not write at all : D.

 

Also, I seem to be able to write really well when I'm sad or angry, so I'm guessing the reason why music inspires me so much is because it can more easily emotionally move me.

 

 

 

That's exactly how I do it. I sometimes listen to the same song a hundred times or so. I entirely forget about it until I have finished my writing.

[Tipdin]

Growing up, I had a constant backdrop of classical music. My mother was a pianist and my father wired our entire house for speakers so his classical record collection could be heard everywhere - uncommon in 'the olden days'... (We're talking 50's and 60's)

 

For me, silence just hurts. Without music there is no life. Music can solidify, enhance, or change my mood - thus influence my writing.

[Howie]

i must be quite strange in this regard because i never listen to music. well, at least i don't have any cds or mp3s or whatever, but i often listen to something in my head. basically i can't stand listening to piano or vocal music because i always feel such a yearning to play or sing it myself. in fact i find almost all music in public places hugely annoying. i much prefer silence.

 

strangely, some of my writing reminds me of music after i've written it. the chapter of die rettung i posted here always reminds me of an anthem by woods called 'expectans expectavi' (in expectation i waited). it's a hauntingly beautiful work and one of my favourites when i was small. there's a general feeling of pure beauty being concealed or veiled, like a jewel poking through the sediment at the bottom of a pond.

[Phantom]

Personally, I usually listen to music when I write, but it varies not on the type of story, but the mood i'm in, which also comes out in my writing.

 

If I have a bad day, I tend to listen to heavy metal, and usually there's violence in my story.

If I have a good day, I tend to listen to pop, and usually something good happens in my story.

If I'm in a thinking mood, I tend to listen to alternative/inde music, and a realization happens in my story.

If I get laid, I tend to listen to techno music, and sometimes my characters get laid as well.

 

That said, I tend to write based on past experiences with my music. If I have a bad day and I listen to techno (for example) my character gets laid.

 

Weird? Yea. But that's what works for me.

 

Eric (who is currently listening to DJ Moby, a great techno/trance artist )

[Former Member]

Music has definatly been a big part in my writing. It can help me set the mood i'm going for or the help things in the scene. But at the same time i sometimes get distracted and start typing out the song lyrics.

 

I usually try and match the mood in the music to how i'm feeling at that moment and go with it. I guess it helps that i have a huge variety of music and artists.

 

Lately when i'm writing i been listening to alot of Thriving Ivory or Evanescence or Jewel.

[Marco Polo]

I'm glad people are taking an interest in this topic

 

Anyway, I've mainly been using alot of instrumental music to set moods as alot of what I've written is more psychological and I feel that music with vocals tends to interrupt my stream of thought

 

I'm a bit like Eric in that aspect. Depending on what mood I'm writing in, theres a designated genre.

[gardentuber]

I have a very different way of using music. I have only one (partial) story under my belt. I find music helps define the mood of my character in the story so I include his playlist to help set that mood. I assume some familiarity with music from readers. If not, I hope folks will check the web to familiarize themselves. If that's too much work... well... it's expecting too much, I suppose.

 

What do i listen to while writing (or reading)? I put my iTunes on shuffle and let it rotate through the list. The speakers are in the living room and kitchen, so the sound isn't too loud. My music is extremely varied: world (iranian, Corsican, Pakistani, Mexican, Algerian are especial favorites), jazz (new and old), classical rock and lounge are favorite genres. Favorite bands/performers: Brave Combo, Hossein Alizadeh, the Sabri Brothers, Chavela Vargas, Radio Tarifa, les Negresses Vertes, les Yeux Noirs, Cesaria Evora, Tenores de Bitti, Boswell Sisters, Talking Heads, Paris Combo, Andy Biskin Quintet, Cornershop, Gnawa Diffusion, Esther Lamandier, Cheb Khaled, Lily Yuan, Maurice el Medioni, Mercam Dede, Moveable Feast, Ozomatli, Natacha Atlas, Tarkan, Randy Newman, Vocal Sampling, I Muvrini, Combustible Edison. Is that enough? Too much? 'Cause there are so many more!

[Fishwings]

Personally, I usually listen to music when I write, but it varies not on the type of story, but the mood i'm in, which also comes out in my writing.

 

If I have a bad day, I tend to listen to heavy metal, and usually there's violence in my story.

If I have a good day, I tend to listen to pop, and usually something good happens in my story.

If I'm in a thinking mood, I tend to listen to alternative/inde music, and a realization happens in my story.

If I get laid, I tend to listen to techno music, and sometimes my characters get laid as well.

 

That said, I tend to write based on past experiences with my music. If I have a bad day and I listen to techno (for example) my character gets laid.

 

Weird? Yea. But that's what works for me.

 

Eric (who is currently listening to DJ Moby, a great techno/trance artist )

 

 

 

 

I would be writing hardcore erotica if I made my characters get laid every time I listened to Techno.

 

Moby is GREAT!

[Phantom]

This might go a little off topic, but since it does have to do with writing and music, I'll explain.

 

As a beta reader for Krista, I try to be careful of the music I listen to because it can affect the way I look for things and judge the quality and such. Basically if the music has a lot of Lyrics and/or can be very hard (like Metal, Hard Rock, etc.) it kinda distacts me from doing a good job. When I listen to some soft ambient music (NuJazz, Ambient, Classical, whatever is playing in Starbucks, etc.) I tend to have a better focus on my writing.

 

So keep in mind that music can have an effect on writing, editing, or beta reading...

 

Eric