Comments on: Music and Writing

By: annastan

annastan — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:14:40 +0000

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!

By: sruble

sruble — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:33:51 +0000

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!

By: Jon Arntson

Jon Arntson — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:39:31 +0000

Consider yourself envied regarding the MUSE tickets!

By: annastan

annastan — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:53:25 +0000

Heather, I love the idea of your playlist being your outline – it’s almost like the emotional outline for your WIP. Very interesting!

By: Heather Kelly

Heather Kelly — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:14:40 +0000

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…

By: annastan

annastan — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:40:38 +0000

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.

By: annastan

annastan — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:32:30 +0000

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.

By: marcia

marcia — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:41:54 +0000

I have to write in quiet. Any music, including instrumental, distracts me.

By: Jon Arntson

Jon Arntson — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:08:55 +0000

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.

By: Laura Pauling

Laura Pauling — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:38:23 +0000

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.