I have to thank Steph over at Steph in the City for putting “fuel in my writing engine.” I had no idea I was running on empty.
Do your books have theme songs? Do you listen to music while you write?
Funny you should ask, Steph, because as I’m furiously writing for NaNoWriMo (which I haven’t been so diligent with and I’m woefully behind in word count and I’m finding myself procrastinating, and I’m not all that much of a procrastinator, but damn it, someone has to fold the laundry and clean out the junk drawer…where was I again?)
Oh…back to whether or not my book as a theme song…
My book as a few theme songs. Part One, “There’s a Hole in my Life” by The Police. Part Two, “Shiver” by Coldplay and yes, I listened to their 2003 live CD over and over and over again during my journey through breast cancer. In fact, I brought my portable CD player with me to BOTH surgeries and drifted off to never never land listening to these words:
But on and on
From the moment I wake, to the moment I sleep
I’ll be there by your side; just you try and stop me
I’ll be waitin’ in line, just to see if you care
Part III – That’s a NO brainer – “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You” by Rod Stewart. “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys, “Love Song” by The Cure, “Keep On Lovin’ You” by REO Speedwagon, “Baby I Love Your Way” by Peter Frampton…do you see where Part III may be going?
Music is what I write to. Now that I have an iPod, I loop certain songs so that I can listen to them over and over and over again. Right now, my looping songs are “Clair de Lune” by Debussey & “Moonlight…Feels Right” by Starbuck. (I like my loops to have a theme!)
But…I’ll be looping Coldplay…Chris Martin can sing to me while I write. Any day. Holy Moly batfans…I think I just figured out how to write the back and forth story between my heroine and her love before they meet…
Thanks Steph…I think I can bang out 10,000 words now…
Hi Peggy,
Thank you so much for sharing your theme songs with all of us! Very cool.
I have so many theme songs and I pick one depending on the mood. The theme song for today is the new song by Bon Jovi called “We Weren’t Born To Follow”. Says it all for me.
Have fun writing and listening. And don’t iPods just rock?
This is so weird! I haven’t been able to listen to music when I write. It distracts me, isn’t that crazy?
Love all the songs though! Listening to your Coldplay right now.
Ang – I’ve been listening to it since I dropped the video file into my post…and I swear to God, I have a whole scene that’s just waiting for me to get my arse home to write!
I mostly listen to 80s music while I write. I don’t know if it’s mood music or not…I’m waiting to figure out what mood I need for this particular book! Maybe the Halloween theme song!
Steph – I think there’s a song from the 60′s or 70′s called “Spooky”
When I’m writing I tend to listen to whatever comes up on shuffle or nothing at all. I don’t know if the music inspires me, or simply keeps me going. For all I know, it might even be distracting me, but it doesn’t take much!
Hi Alissa!
The laundry distracts me! Seriously, I’ve been replaying the YouTube video over and over again at work (shhhh), yes – headphones are on – and I’ve just banged out an article that’s due tomorrow…
yeah…Chris Martin can keep singing to me…tonight I’ll make a new playlist and loop Coldplay…let’s see how far I get with NaNo
Hi Peggy,
I am with Angelia, when writing blog posts I cannot listen to music, but then I do not write for fun and that writing challenge you do looks worse to me than physical exercise.
But I will listen to your music, but during that I will look out of the window and warrant it as a mental pause.
I do not want my writing to spoil the music.
BUT having said that, I do feel energized after music, so it has got a place hmmmm. Never thought of it that way.
Hmm, I have an excuse to listen and not write, because after music I am more productive,,hmmm.
This was useful, very useful, honestly.
THANKS Peggy and Angelia. hmmmm.
Hi Wilma!
I had to laugh when I saw your comment. It reminded me of when I was in college and one semester I had four history classes and one English class. People thought I was nuts. Today, most of my friends think I’m nuts for taking on the writing challenge. They can’t imagine writing 500 words let alone 50,000. But I can’t imagine being an accountant or brain surgeon.
I find that when I’m listening to the music I love, I am far more productive and creative!
Hi Peggy!
Love the theme songs you have – can’t wait to read the book! I have music going all the time – except when I meditate. It varies from classical to new age type instrumental. I can’t deal with lyrics when I write, but I can’t handle the silence either!
My kids got me an iPod a year ago. HA! Me. The technically challenged!
No thanks – no thingies in my ears, hate the cords cuz I’m forever tangled. XM radio is just fine – as is the 300 disc CD player. I’m hopelessly old fashioned I guess. Oh well. I’m happy!
Hi SuZen!
It’s the lyrics that take me to another zone – I guess, the writing zone!
And I need the headphones or my earbuds (prefer headphones when I’m writing) because it allows me to block out the world. I love XM radio, though…no commercials =)
You know, while I can’t write or read with music on, I definitely have songs that highlight certain portions of my life. Jeff Buckley and Sarah Mclachlan will always be soundtracks to my 7-year relationship with my college boyfriend. Nowadays, it’s all new Indie stuff that I’ve never heard before, and find serendipitously (!!) on iTunes, via their genius function.
I love this post, Peggy, and LOVE LOVE LOVE that in the last part of it you figured out how to write a section that had been plaguing you. Awesome!
Hi Megan,
Jeff Buckley and Sara Mclachlan both made my wedding playlist – we used the instrumental version of “Hallelujah” (yes, from Shrek!) for the ceremony, Jeff’s version at our reception. We used Sara’s song, “Ice Cream” to cut the wedding cake “Your love is better than chocolate…” but it was this line that put her on the playlist, “it’s a long way down…back to the place where we started from…” So appropriate for me and Rick!
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Hi Peggy,
I don’t listen to music while I write. Never even gave it a thought.
I do love all music you mentioned and I’m going to try it. Who knows maybe I’ll be a better writer. Or maybe it will make writing fun when I’m stuck!
Hi Tess!
With or without music, I think you’re a fabulous writer!
Hi Peggy,
I do not write to music, I find it very distracting. However, I do cook to music and I suppose you can tell my mood/the mood I’m trying to create by the music I’m listening to as I cook. And I definitely run to music–definitely reflects the intention I set for each run.
By the way, I went to a Coldplay concert and did not bring my cell phone, and I am serious when I say my favorite song was “Fix You” and Chris Martin came into the audience four seats from where I was sitting– singing “Fix You” and I could not take his picture and use it as my personal screen saver because I did not have my phone!!! But, he can sing to me anyday
Hi Joy!
I’m so jealous
You were *that* close to Chris Martin!
After posting this, I plugged my headphones into my computer and played the YouTube video of Shiver over and over again. I went home and made a new play list for my iPod – I have 8 Coldplay songs and 8 Snow Patrol songs. Since Thursday, I’ve written over 5,000 words – most for NaNo. I even used lyrics from the song “Clocks” in the story I’m writing (“am I part of the cure or am I part of the disease”) – Maybe I’m weird, but this music and writing thing is working for me, right now
Oooh! I love Coldplay too. My biggest muses when writing are Radiohead and Muse. They help me dig a bit deeper and sometimes even lend me the bravery to hit the ‘publish’ button.
Hi Carolyn! LOVE both Radiohead and Muse. One of my favorite songs is “super massive black hole!” (just think baseball scene from Twilight…haha)