Every writer approaches writing differently. Some wake at the crack of dawn, others burn the midnight oil. Some write on legal pads, others bang out words on keyboards. Another difference is tolerated noise level. Sound, silence, something in between. Sometimes I prefer silence for writing. I’ve been known to plug the headphones in, put them over my ears and then forget to turn on the music as the story sucks me in. Other times I just can’t get a feel for a story until I make a playlist specifically for that story. Other times I’ll develop a new playlist just to write by. I have a number of playlists on my iTunes, here’s a few:
Kicking butt and taking names includes Prophecy by Remy Zero, Pump It by Black Eyed Peas, Make Yourself by Incubus, Stronger by Kanye West, and more
God, I’m so in love includes The Night is Still Young by Billy Joel, Ride by Cary Brothers, Have a Little Faith in Me by John Hiatt, Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel, Answer by Sarah McLachlan, Secret Smile by Semisonic, Wild Horses by the Sundays, and more
Race against time includes Tonight, Tonight by Genesis, What I’ve Done by Linkin Park, Bitemarks and Bloodstains by Finch, Teardrop by Massive Attack, These Things by She Wants Revenge, and more
Sad song mix includes Come What May by Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor, Tell Her This by Del Amitri, Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World, Sideways by Citizen Cope, The Weakness in Me by Joan Armatrading, Rest Stop by Matchbox Twenty, I Can’t Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt, Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap and more
Movies have soundtracks and if you listen closely so do books. So here’s the current soundtrack to my WIP -
Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace, Teardrop by Massive Attack, Disarm by Smashing Pumpkins, When We Dance by Sting, Elsewhere by Sarah McLachlan, Cautioners by Jimmy Eat World, Closer by Nine Inch Nails, Apologize by Timbaland, Sooner or Later by Switchfoot, and You by Fisher.
Actually it was harder than I thought. The hard ones were the end and the lead into the black moment.
So what’s your preference, sound or silence? What do you listen to? Does you book have a soundtrack?
I have to have sound.
If a story is really hot, then I just sit down and work with the tv on in the background. It’s on as I write this and I’m barely aware of it. Most of the time I will plug into my iPod and listen to something. I have for my current wip a 3 hour playlist that starts up tempo then winds down to the slower, more emotional music.
Playlists are new for me though. My previous mp3 player wouldn’t allow me to create playlists so I would just pull up a song and listen to it on repeat. One of my favorites is Stairs by INXS. I had one story where the hero was a Blondie fan so I would pick a Blondie song, usually Call Me, and write to that for hours.
One of the greatest gifts my mother gave me was to do homework to noise. I did my homework amongst the sounds of the house. She wanted me to be able to work anywhere and I can.
I would like to think that the pacing in my stories reflects the music I was listening to when I write, but I have absolutely no objectivity on that point. So for now, that’s still a mystery.
2008
Cynthia