Man is it ever good to be getting back into the swing of e-mail, blogging, and writing!
I've stated this before, but listening to the same music every time I work on a project draws me into the project faster. I pick music that works for the characters and tone I want to set in the story. I try to get music without lyrics, but I've found that if I use the same music over and over the words tend to fade into the background and don't bother me. Right now, working on the contemporary western that has a rodeo cowboy as the hero, I listen to Chris Ledoux cd's. For those who don't know, he was a rodeo cowboy who became a songwriter and singer. Until he died a few years ago from complications from drinking too much alcohol. But- his songs really let you know how a cowboy feels. His thoughts when riding and his thoughts on women and life. His songs have been my background music as I write.
Another song that takes me straight to writing thoughts when I hear it and it doesn't have anything to do with any one story- to me it is what a writer has to ask the characters in their stories and the characters have to show the reader. It's Rascal Flatt's song- "Take me There".
You can hear it here.
And songs give me inspiration for stories. Last week while I was trudging along on the tractor discing, I had my mp3 player on, and a song I've heard many times before played and a story started forming in my head. I wrote it down (I always keep a pad and pen in the tractors when I'm driving) and kept what iffing until I had a story idea that excited me. It may be the next contemporary- who knows.
For me music and writing seem to go hand in hand. Could it be that though I lack the talent of my brothers who write songs and sing way better than me, I still have that gene that makes me have to create with music? Or do I just hear the beat of a different drummer?
Does music inspire you? To write? To see a story? Or slip you away into the other world you write about? Or are you a silence is golden writer?
8 comments:
Welcome back! :-)
Music definitely inspires me. When I already have a story I'm working on, most any song will start me thinking about how it relates to my characters/story.
Usually I find a few songs that I'll listen to over and over as I'm working on a specific story. Right now, though, I don't have a song list that fits the story I'm working on and maybe that's one of the reasons I'm having such a hard time getting into the writing. I wonder if the reason I can't find those songs is that I don't know the characters/story well enough. Hmm, I'll have to think about that a bit more.
There are certain songs that I'll use as my background listening for every story I work on. I think that's because they're songs I listened to during my first NaNoWriMo (because they fit what I was working on at the time) and I now associate them with the physical act of writing more than with a story. It's a short list: the complete CSI Soundtrack (especially "Everybody Out Of The Water" by The Wallflowers and "Unbound" by Robbie Robertson); Fragile Magic (Jimmy Buffett); Pacing the Cage (Jimmy Buffett); several Kim Richey songs (from The Collection album); and several of Enya's songs. Lately I've added the soundtracks to Pirates of the Caribbean and Stargate: Atlantis to that list.
If I'm tired, I can't listen to music and write -- it's too distracting. Otherwise, something about the music and lyrics -- even if they're just background noise -- helps loosen up those words stuck in my head so they flow down to my fingers. :-)
Great topic.
Welcome back to the "real" world, Paty.
I loved the link you included. great song.
I seldom listen to music when writing, I find it too distracting. Even music without lyrics distracts me. However, I do use music for inspiration as you do while driving tractor.
Fun blog!
The deleted post was just a second copy of the same thing. sorry...
Silence is golden writer here. I can't stand the distraction of music while I'm writing. I start singing the lyrics in my head and can't write a thing. Music without lyrics will put me to sleep.
I admire storytelling in music. It takes an extremely talented songwriter to tell an emotional story in three and a half minutes.
I love "Take me there", Paty. Great song.
I'm like you - music and lyrics stimulate book ideas in my head. And I put together playlists for my books based on songs that really speak to me as I'm developing characters and plot. I have an "extras" page on my website that's a small smattering of songs that helped me write each of my upcoming releases. I also make my own CDs with those songs and pop that in the CD player in my car so when I'm out I'm always "hearing" and "thinking" about my books. The only bad part about this (not for me), is that my DH gets really tired of hearing the same music over and over when he gets in my car. But it's my car, and I remind him, "If I drive, I get to listen to what I want." LOL
The interesting part about all this though is that some of the songs on my playlists aren't songs I'd consider my favorites - they're just songs that spoke to me or had something to do with a part of my book. For example, Sexyback, by Justin Timberlake, is on my STOLEN HEAT playlist because that song helped me get into the mood of one scene in that book. And I'm not a Justin Timberlake fan, that one song just fit the mood of the scene.
Like Alice, though, I have to have quiet when I'm actually writing, but music is a big motivator for the plotting and digging deep into my characters.
Fun post
Thanks Deb! It is really good to be back writing and blogging and my regular routine. I need to get more movie soundtracks. A friend and I went to see Mamma Mia and decided we had to have the soundtrack. She bought it and I'll put it on my mp3 player. Then I watched Hairspray with my daughter last week and I definitely have to get that soundtrack and I'll share it with my friend.
Alice, I think it's interesting how we each have our own way of finding stories and finding the words when we write.
Kendra, I agree with the storytelling in songs. Some of them are so poignant and yet so succinct.
Eli, I don't keep a play list, just listen to certain cd's while I write. But I could probably put one together for the last 5 books I've written. LOL Music is all about emotions and I think that is why it helps me when I write.
Thanks all for responding!
Welcome back, Paty!
I don't listen to music when I write. In fact, I like pretty much total silence when I'm intently writing. No music, no interruptions, no one else in the house (except the dogs, of course!).
Interesting how you use music to get into your story!
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