Monday, November 7, 2016

Strike Up The Muse: Music Appreciation




As a writer, I understand the importance of being in a good mood.  For me, one of the most useful tools in my box is music.  I'm not tied to any one genre: as long as I can understand it, then I'll listen to it.  The point is that it makes me feel something.  I know that I write my best when I'm either extremely happy or very, very angry.  The key to writing is emotion.  As long as it matters to you, you'll be more motivated to write about it.  Think about how hard it is to do anything when you're depressed.  Now, think about how excited you get when "Twist and Shout" by the Beatles comes on the radio.  Or, how about "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen?  "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor?  "Cheap Thrills" by Sia?  "Thriller" by Michael Jackson?  "I Love It" by Icona Pop?  My theory is, if I can dance or head-bop to it, chances are it's going to improve my mood.

I know that some writers create playlists for certain stories or even some scenes because something about the lyrics reminds them of their work-in-progress.  For me, nothing works as well as "Hurricane" by 30 Seconds to Mars or "What if the Storm Ends" by Snow Patrol (both linked below).  More recently, "Believe" by Mumford and Sons and Keane's "Under the Iron Sea" CD have had some remarkable results.

Do you use music to help with your writing?  If so, what works best for you?

Hurricane by 30 Seconds to Mars (Thanks to 30 Seconds To Mars, DeathTouch9000, and YouTube).

What if the Storm Ends? by Snow Patrol (Thanks to Snow Patrol and YouTube).

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