I love music. Mind you, I couldn’t play an instrument or sing a tune even if you paid me, but what I love the most is the different levels of emotions both music and song lyrics can evoke.
Music is a great stress reliever, and sometimes when I need inspiration for my writing, I turn to music. Here are some things that I found have helped me:-
- When having trouble facing a blank page, turn on some classical music or music from a movie.
- Listening to the lyrics of a sad song, can help with a sad scene or a romantic novel.
- Certain songs can evoke anger, which can inspire the determination to keep on writing after facing a rejection or help laugh in the face of doubters.
- Listening to music on headphones while out walking helps calm the mind and aids the imagination (just don’t forget the notebook).
- Watching music videos can help inspire things like moods, characters and themes. Gothic videos always work for me.
For my studies last year, I wrote an essay on music and politics, which ended up being one of my best essays during my 2 ½ years of study. So next time you listen to music, you’re not just relaxing, you just might be working on your next story.
I feel the same way about music. It’s amazing how just the right song can transport you into the world of your story. I love classical and movie scores. When I’m writing something fast paced I love cranking up rock.
Thanks Lisa. Music is certainly a great motivator.
I agree, music is a great resource. I especially like non lyric music, which has neither words nor images, leaving me to conjure both.
One of my side projects is to create a blog of music, with keywords to help sort entries by pace, instruments, and emotional tone.
Hi Adam. That’s an interesting side project you’re working on, I haven’t thought of that. I hope you find it helpful.