Music and Writing
Posted by annastan on February 24th, 2010. Filed under: Random Fun, Writing Rants.These days it seems common to link writing with music by creating playlists for books and giving characters favorite songs. While I’d love to be part of this trend (since I love music), for the past couple of years I’ve had a hard time listening to music and writing at the same time. The music has to be really mellow and on at an extremely low volume in order for me to tolerate it.
I’ve found one of the few bands I can listen to while I’m writing is Deathcab for Cutie. I love their songs, and they’re just mellow enough that I don’t get distracted. Still, I really have to be in the mood for music in order to put it on at all. Does anyone else have this problem? What role does music play in your writing?
Since we’re on the topic, here’s one of my favorite Deathcab songs. Enjoy!
Also, this seems like a good time for a tiny music-related plug. My sister-in-law, Mary Bee, is an amazing singer/songwriter and her new album just came out! Her music is sort of Sarah McLachlan with R&B influences. If you have a minute, hop on over to iTunes to preview Mary’s songs. (I think the fourth track is my favorite.)
February 24th, 2010 at 8:11 am
I often listen to music when writing, but generally not music with lyrics. I love soundtracks, and I different playlists in which I have compiled songs for different moods–music to write suspense by, music to write heartbreak by, etc.
For me, music is closely linked to the emotional side of stories, so hearing a powerful song puts me in the corresponding frame of mind for the scene I want to write.
February 24th, 2010 at 8:27 am
I heart DeathCab!!
Have you listened to Iron and Wine? I think the lead singer is the same, but Iron and Wine is more folksy(?)… not sure if that’s the right description. It’s more gentle… slow… thoughtful… anyway… it’s good. 
February 24th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Oh, I love Death Cab too! I just came across another mellow rock band called Civil Twilight. I’ve only listened to a few of their songs, but my favorite so far is Letters from the Sky.
I’m one of those people who tend to need a little background noise when I’m working. I think that comes from growing up in a big family where there was always noise. I can really tell that I’ve been in a zone when all of the sudden I hit the end of the playlist and realize I didn’t really hear any of the songs.
As for my WIP (a rewriting of The Little Mermaid), I have a somewhat theme song for one of my characters (not Ariel, but her best human friend who is a 19-year-old guy). It’s Jason Mraz’s If It Kills Me. It’s about falling in love with your best friend and not telling them but wishing they would love you back.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:44 am
I love Iron and Wine! And DeathCab.
And I have just recently discovered playlists and they work for me so far. But the music has to be related to a feel I want and sometimes I have to turn it off. I can get overloaded.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:49 am
I find I work better with music, but the other end of the spectrum. I work with internet radio playing and put baroque music on, low (or sometimes an all Mozart station). I love the momentum it gives me when I’m at the keyboard. Current music and/or music with words—totally distracting.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:50 am
Another cheer for Death Cab!!
I generally listen to music whilst writing, but it either has to be super mellow, something instrumental (like movie soundtracks), or something I’m just so used to hearing that it isn’t distracting. Lately I’ve been listening to Laura Veirs’s “July Flame” album (over and over and over and over), as it’s just the right blend of mellow and lyrical.
I’m definitely a fan of making novel-specific playlists, though sometimes they’re too distracting to listen to while I’m actually writing. I’ve also had an entire novel and one short(ish) story inspired by an album (Keane’s “Under the Iron Sea”) and a song (Vienna Teng’s “My Medea”), respectively.
Yay music!!
February 24th, 2010 at 10:27 am
I have to have my music really low if it has vocals. But I tend to listen to classical music when I write. Chopin is my favorite.
Thanks for the link to your sister-in-law’s new album. She has a great voice!
February 24th, 2010 at 10:38 am
I like finding classical musical or even better – sound tracks that would work well. But music with the people singing ends up distracting me. Or my husband listening to football games on the radio. Can’t do it.
February 24th, 2010 at 11:08 am
We could so be best friends, Death Cab is second only to the Beatles on my list of favorites. When they performed “Transatlanticism” at the last concert I went to, I literally wept.
Here, add these bands to your writing music:
Fleet Foxes-whose album covers inspire writing in their own right, Iron and Wine, The Shins, Modest Mouse…okay, I could go on forever.
February 24th, 2010 at 11:41 am
I have to write in quiet. Any music, including instrumental, distracts me.
February 24th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Ben, creating playlists by mood sounds like a great idea. I might have to give that a try!
Valerie, I think Iron & Wine has a different singer, but I LOVE “Boy With a Coin” – it gets stuck in my head for days after I hear it!
Katie, I’ll have to check out Civil Twilight. I adore that Jason Mraz tune! I can see how that would be the perfect song for a Little Mermaid retelling!
Tina, I think I struggle with the same thing. Unless the music goes with what I’m writing, it only winds up distracting me.
Andrea, you really can’t go wrong with classical music. In fact, I used to listen to a lot of Debussy when I was writing. I might have to give that another try.
February 24th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Joanna, I love Keane! You make a good point that playlists can be inspiring, even if you don’t actually listen to the music while you’re writing. I might give instrumental soundtracks a try.
Karen and Laura, thanks to your comments and Andrea’s, I’m inspired to try listening to classical music again. It used to work really well for me as background, but I haven’t listened to in a while.
Jon, I’ve liked everything I’ve heard by the bands you mentioned, especially Fleet Foxes. I’d add Band of Horses to that list. And Muse. My husband got us tickets to go see Muse next month – I’m SO excited!
Marcia, I’m glad it’s not just me! I used to have a higher tolerance for distractions, but now things have to be pretty quiet for my brain to work.
February 25th, 2010 at 5:14 am
I’m big into music when I write. Before I start writing, I do a playlist, based on the emotional arcs of my characters. It’s kind of my outline, and I delve into the themes with that before a word gets written. It clicks me into my writing, without a ton of transition, and becomes like white noise to me…
February 25th, 2010 at 5:53 am
Heather, I love the idea of your playlist being your outline – it’s almost like the emotional outline for your WIP. Very interesting!
February 25th, 2010 at 7:39 am
Consider yourself envied regarding the MUSE tickets!
February 25th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
I have the same problem as you. Sometimes I can play music or have the TV on while I draw or paint, but not while writing. I’d rather have quiet for both. So different from a few years ago!
Let me know if you find a solution.
Thanks for the Deathcab song! I enjoyed it!
February 26th, 2010 at 8:14 am
Jon, I thought I felt some envy vibes coming my way.
Stephanie, I used to be able to have lots of background noise too, but now I find it far too distracting. I wonder if it’s something that comes with getting older, or maybe a result of getting more serious about your work? I’ll definitely post about this again if I find something that works for me. Happy writing!