Today, we'll take a look at the beauty of a Writing Playlist.
The idea of creating Writing Playlists for each new writing project occurred to me when I was in high-school and I realized that when I listen to music while writing, it enables me to gauge how sharp my focus is. If I hear the music while writing, I know I need to shift and swivel so I sink more deeply into the story. If I go four or five songs and have no clue what four or five songs just played, I know I'm in a groove.
Every time I work on a new manuscript, I create an applicable playlist that consists of 101 songs. By "applicable," I mean songs that help inspire the mood I wish to create with that specific piece of writing; by "every time I work on a new manuscript," I mean "including the hundreds of times I have started a manuscript that I buried a week or two later." (Seems like I could save some time if I waited to make sure a manuscript survives before creating a Writing Playlist, huh? Hmmm...)
What I love about a Writing Playlist (besides the already-mentioned aim of creating a specific aura about the writing) is the sensory trigger such a playlist can pull. After hearing a song over and over while working on a specific manuscript, the merest auditory glimpse of that song is enough to plunge you into the sea of that story. When you have 101 songs that elicit this response, the effect is rapturous.
I'm not alone in creating Writing Playlists (although, off the top of my head, Joe Hill is the only writer I can think of who has posted a Writing Playlist online for me to see - I'm sure there have been others; can you think of any?), but of course, every writer is different.
How about it, Dear Writers? Do you listen to music while you write? Do you create a specific playlist, or do you just throw things in hodgepodge? Do you have any other "During Writing" routines of note? Whatever you have - let's have it.
Tomorrow we'll take a look at my Writing Playlist from The Great Lenore. I'll see you then.
Happy writing.
Other Places Where I Hang Out:
↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑
(Download A Delicious Sample Of The Great Lenore,
Available From Atticus Books Summer 2011)
Play nice and share with others
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
Posts
I have a writing playlist that I organize by scene. I even have character playlists. Sometimes I just listen to the same song over and over again if it captures the "moment" so to speak.
ReplyDeleteI love jam bands. I love the unpredictability and spontaneity of such bands. I love The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes, The Derek Trucks Band, moe., Umphrey's McGee, Dave Matthews Band, and a slew of other bands that jam.
ReplyDeleteTake the Grateful Dead for example. They never played the same song the same way more than once. They could jam on one song for 20 minutes or more, and make it beautiful from beginning to end. On August 28th, 1969 the Dead jammed on "Dark Star" for over an hour. It's an extraordinary experience every single time I listen to that song.
Anyway, I can't listen to jam bands when I write. I listen to heavy metal instead. It's easier to focus on the story. The heavy fast paced music helps me pound out words. I don't have a specific playlist of songs, but I do listen to certain bands: Metallica from the 80s, Tool, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Coheed and Cambria, etc.
Also . . . another writer I know that has specific music he listens to when writing is Dan Wells. This is a blog post where he talks about his Serial Killer trilogy and the Pandora stations he listened to while writing http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/?p=363. His blog post "I Want to Tear You Apart" is one of the best analyses I've reat on writing to music. This is the link for that post http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/?p=858
P.S. Sorry for turning this comment into a blog. ha.
Judy - That is AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteMark - Heavy metal? That would be freaking intense.
interesting. i was just pondering whether to write a blog post about the "anti-playlist" book - which is apparently the one i'm writing right now. i can't come up with a musical selection for this one. :(
ReplyDeleteErin - That implies that you usually write to a playlist? How odd that you've been unable to stir one up this time around. By the way, I peeked in on your blog - I like what you have going. I'm going to post a couple tweets this week in an effort to send people your way.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff JM.
ReplyDeleteI was going to blog about this also, but was too busy rewriting some of my scenes:) so here goes...
My playlist has been essential. I can't tell you how much the music has helped me develop the right mood and atmosphere in the key scenes.
Basic process for me: once the story grew in my head (the characters, their background, their hopes, fears and aspirations, the settings, etc), then the songs immediately followed.
I'm writing a love story. So very quickly a handful of Beatles songs ((like 80 of them!), Chris Isaak, Colbie Caillat, Metallica (just kidding... wanted to see if you're paying attention) and similar artists called out to me. I built my playlist while I was still developing the high level plot line.
Once I was in full steam write mode, every night the noise canceling headphones went on, the playlist started and the mood was set.
Now that I'm engaged in the rewrite of some scenes, certain artists are a lot more inspiring. Example: I was rewriting a scene where I wanted the dialogue to be heated... obvious choice: Shakira!
P.S. Nothing wrong with Metallica -- saw them open for Ozzy many moons ago... but that's not the kind of love story I'm writing ;)
Ara - Awesome set of thoughts. The Metallica mention woke me up. Noise canceling headphones, huh? That's pretty intense - that really submerses you in the music. I like the idea.
ReplyDeleteI listen to my playlist when I am writing outlines, or need inspiration for a scene or need "information" about a character or a "next step". I often listen on my morning walk, that's when my brain seems most "open" to ideas and thinking sideways.
ReplyDeleteRoberta - A) "Thinking sideways" is a beautiful turn of phrase. B) Thank you for reminding my how great walks can be for writing. I have neglected walks lately, and your comment brought to mind the fact that I need to reinsert those as a regular part of my routine.
ReplyDelete