Dec 03 2009
Music for Writers
About this time of year I see a lot of “great gifts for writers” posts on various blogs and in magazine articles. But one thing often missing from those lists is an essential tool used by many of us: good writing music! I write to movie soundtracks, Celtic and other world music, ambient, and sometimes folk or rock, though less often because I can’t concentrate if the music has words I understand.
The Advent, which is nearly finished, has relied heavily on the music of Engima, Amethystium, E.S. Posthumus, and Last of the Mohicans.
I’ve been thinking for a while about creating a review site/e-book that would list and review great writing music in many different styles. Do you write to music? What are some your favourites?
My brother has whole books plotted to soundtracks. He lives off of writing to music. His present WIP, a medival allegory, is based on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack.
I’ve picked up on that a little from him. Sometimes I’ll find a song that’s a “theme” to the story, or I’ll listen to songs that are in the story…my historical had a scene with the heroine playing Beethoven’s Pathetique, and my current WIP, a contemporary women’s fiction, was inspired by the song “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables.
Imogen Heap’s Instramental version of her latest album is absolutely spectacular. (note: one of her instramental versions was just nominated for grammy).
YES!!! I write to Celtic music (in particular a CD called The Mountains of Mourne), Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, various hymns, and occasionally, The Lord of the Rings soundtracks. I’ve found that listening to certain styles of music (fast-paced, melancholy, soaring) brings to mind words and mental images that match the music, and it’s a great source of inspiration.
I am so glad to hear that The Advent is nearly finished!!!!!!
Blessings to you and your family.
I don’t actually write while listening to music, because I find it tends to distract me in a way. I like to pay close attention to the music when I’m listening to it. But lately I have been finding that the lyrics of certain songs I listen to a lot are connecting with my plot. And I very often find myself picturing scenes when I listen to classical or soundtrack-type music. There is a bit of music in Elmer Bernstein’s score to The Comancheros that inspired a particularly vivid picture in my mind – I haven’t used it yet, but I intend to someday.
Alexandra, one of my first short stories, way back when I started thinking I might want to be a writer, was based on a Celtic-style instrumental CD I still love.
Josh — there’s an instrumental version? WHERE?
Elisabeth (the First), I used Lord of the Rings for the first two Seventh World books. They’re wonderful.
Elisabeth (the Second), that’s why I don’t often listen to rock or folk. If the music has lyrics, it distracts me. I can write to instrumental music much better.
Music is a must when I write – usually Celtic or classical, because words distract me a LOT. So does a strong, heavy beat, so I don’t listen to CCM when I’m writing – the exception was when I was finishing a book recently and the process was more will-power than creativity driven, so I played a lot of Twila Paris and Steven Curtis Chapman to keep me moving. When I’m writing historical fiction, I like to match the era of the music to the era of my writing. That really helps to put me in the right mood! :)