Writing with Music

Thursday, February 26, 2015
I've been playing the piano for nine years.
I play music while I work on school.
I hum when I'm bored.
I sing when I'm happy.
 I help with worship at our Church.
My mom plays the piano.
My sister plays the guitar.
 
Music plays a rather large role in my life. There is rarely a time when there is not something musical going on at our house. Though, despite all the musical influence in my life, when I first started writing, I never even thought of turning on a movie soundtrack in the background. I wrote thousands of endless words, all with no sound. (Besides the occasional conversation in the background.)
 
And then, one day, I'm not exactly sure what led me to do this, but I turned on some music, and started to type, and type, and type. The music inspired me. I was in my story, connecting with my characters, and the epic music I played raised the tension in the scene. In a way, it helped me to write better. 
 
Now it has become such a vital part of my writing process, that it's hard for me to write without music.
 
And here are three reasons why I think playing music while writing is important.
 
1. It can help set the emotion of the scene. 
 
To put it bluntly, without emotion in a story, the story is very boring. You can kill off characters and torture your darlings all you want, but without emotion, the reader won't feel anything. They won't care.
 
Emotion can be hard to write, especially if you aren't particularly excited or 'into' writing that scene. But when I put the headphones into my ear and put on the music, it helps immensely. Just like when the hero confronts the villain for that final battle in a movie, tense music plays and increases the suspense. If happy and bouncy music played... It would be a lot different.
 
Music is easy to find, but what about finding the right music for a certain scene?
 
Soundfuel.
 
I've mentioned it before, (in this post specifically) but it deserves another post. Soundfuel is a blog compiling hundreds of different songs into various albums mixed by genres/scenes/settings/etc. Below are just a few of the categories it offers:
 
http://soundfuel.blogspot.com/p/the-directory.html
 
The picture should bring you to the page, but otherwise here is the link for the directory: http://soundfuel.blogspot.com/p/the-directory.html.
 
2. Music is totally inspiring.
 
Unless you're listening to depressing music. But that's besides the point. It's incredible what the power of music can do. Before you start writing, turn on the music and listen. Picture the scene you're going to write. Get excited about it. Get motivated. Music is a huge help with that.
 
3. Music can help you focus.
 
Music takes away the background noises. You won't be tempted by the TV with headphones in your ear. You won't be distracted by other conversations in the house while you're typing away. Music brings you one step closer to that fantasy world of imagination and one step out of reality.
 
But that being said, music can also distract you. I don't listen to music with words. I become too caught up with the lyrics. I sing along and drum my fingers on the keys to the beat. I'm miles away from the writing zone.
 
Know what will distract you, and know what will keep you working. Adjust the volume. Try out different soundtracks. Find some songs with words, and then some without. Use music to your advantage.
- - - - - - - - - -
tcwt (3)This post is part of the Teens can Write Too blog chain for February, the topic being, "How does music relate to your writing?"
 
Byeeeee!
- Katie Grace
 
How does music play a role in your writing? Do you have some favorite soundtracks to share? Comment below!

30 comments :

  1. Great post! Have you ever heard of Lindsey Stirling? Her music and videos are very inspiring. :)

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    1. Thank you!
      I know I've heard of her before, but have never really explored her videos. She's a violinist, right? I'll have to check them out. :)

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    2. Yep, she's a violinist.:)

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    3. Awesome. :D I've always wanted to play a violin...

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  2. Music definitely helps set the mood for a scene and makes the background less distracting. I also love movie soundtracks because there's no lyrics to distract me and movie soundtracks are so epic. *cough* The Hobbit soundtrack. *cough*

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    1. Movie soundtracks are awesome.
      You know, surprisingly, I haven't looked up The Hobbit soundtrack. Thank you for reminding me to do that...

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  3. I love listen to the Narnia sound track and the LOTR soundtrack.
    I find music can be very helpful in blocking out background music as well. Which is nice, especially when you have a bunch of noisy younger siblings.

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    1. I love the Narnia soundtrack!
      Definitely. :)
      Thanks for commenting!

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    2. i got you with the sibling thing, i have about six too many

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  4. I sometimes listen to lyrical music while writing, but like you, it can distract me sometimes. I used to listen extensively to BBC's Robin Hood soundtrack; it has a mixture of all sorts of emotions. But now I mostly listen to Taylor Davis' movie soundtrack covers (she's a violinist). One of her originals I really like is "Awakening." It's really epic.

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    1. I'm listening to "Awakening" right now. It's epic so far! :D
      That is a great idea... I don't watch a lot of TV shows, but I should go through some of them that I've heard of and listen to their soundtracks.
      Thanks for commenting and the recommendations. :)

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  5. I don't write with music, but I sometimes do homeschooling with it. :) If you've listened to the same songs a billion times you can go right through and not even notice what you were listening to. :) I just got a For King and Country album (Run Wild) and really like some of the songs. Have you listened to them? Blessings!

    http://teensliveforjesus.blogspot.ru

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    1. Homeschooling with music is quite great. :D
      Ooh! I love For King and Country. I'm really excited, because my family is going to a concert in the summer, and they're going to be preforming there. :)

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    2. Yep. :)
      My favorite song is, most likely, To The Dreamers.
      Cool! What other bands do you listen to?

      http://teensliveforjesus.blogspot.ru

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    3. *nods* That's a very good one.
      Ah... I listen to a lot of different music. They're all Christian bands. I think some of my favorites are Mercy Me, Audio Adrenaline, Casting Crowns, TobyMac, and Chris Tomlin. There's just a very wide assorted selection of music artists and bands I like. :D
      What are some of the bands that you listen to?

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    4. Some of the bands I listen to: Fransesca Battistelli, Casting Crowns, Royal Tailor. I've also recently found Mandissa's Overcomer, which is a pretty good song. :) What would you say is your favorite song of all?

      http://teensliveforjesus.blogspot.ru

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    5. Um... That is a really, really hard question. To tell the truth, I don't think I'm able to answer it... I'm going to cheat and say that most of my favorite songs come from the band Mercy Me.
      Mandisa's Overcomer is pretty good, though I wouldn't say that it's my favorite. Is that your favorite song or do you have a different one?
      And now that I think of it... I also love Audio Adrenaline's Raise the Banner. I love a lot of songs. :p

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    6. Cool. What's your favorite song?

      That's one of my favorite songs right now but I change favorites pretty often. I like her "Born for This" and "What Scars Are For" too.

      I'll have to check that (although I MIGHT know which one you're talking about). :)

      Blessings!
      http://teensliveforjesus.blogspot.ru

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    7. i am so with you guys, these bands and solo artists are all amazing, i actually have i think three different francesca batistelli albums in my room right now.

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  6. Very true; especially music drowning out background noise. Sometimes I've had such a bad day that I struggle to even bear the noise of my family breathing—and that's where music draws me in and keeps me content again. :) Great points for pro-music writing!

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  7. I definitely write with music, but what I listen to depends on the book I'm writing...and what story I'm most into at the time. My book Across the Stars required The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Which didn't work for my WIP, and neither does LOTR (not very well, anyway). But I've gone through The Hunger Games (all three), The Giver, Doctor Who (every bit they have on Spotify), The Piano Guys, and recently Merlin. And I did type up one of them to Phantom of the Opera. But, um, Disney songs don't work. At all. I start writing the lyrics.

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    1. *makes note to check out the soundtracks of the movie and TV shows you mentioned*
      Haha. Yeah, Disney songs wouldn't work for me at all. I'd probably write the lyrics, like you, or start breaking out in song.
      "Wait, what was I doing? Oh, right. I was trying to write." *sheepishly turns off the music*

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    2. i know right, those are all amazing soundtracks, ill join you in saying that i can't listen to most disney music, well, i can, but you know i do most of my writing by hand and im not allowed to have my chromebook or tablet in my room so i can't, but if im doing it on the computer i can do it to almost anything. Phantom of the Opera is my life in music, then you add in les mis and i am a totally happy person

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  8. Music is the best for inspiration and concentrating. Music plays a huge part in my life too. I sing and play piano and I almost always have music playing when I'm working and writing. Soundfuel is a huge help to me when need music for emotions. I personally love the Motivating playlist from there. It is the best for studying to, or just for general motivation when I need to stop being lazy and do something.

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    1. You play the piano too? How long have you been playing for?
      I love the motivation soundtrack as well, just because I have so little of it when trying to edit or write a scene that I'm not feeling confident on. I haven't used it for any studying or school purposes, but I should try that out. It's probaly help a lot. :)
      Thanks for commenting!

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  9. Music is part of me now! I don't know how I'd live without music.
    I like what you said about being in your story with music. I get THAT SAME FEELING! Oh my gosh. I also feel like the music your listening to helps directs your story. If you're not careful then it could go somewhere you didn't even think about it!

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    1. AWESOME! *high-fives* I love it when I get the feeling, though it comes easier at night. Or whenever it is dark. *shrugs* It's weird.
      Totally. :D
      Thanks for stopping by! :)

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  10. i know this may sound crazy, but i swear it is music in my veins rather than blood, although my various cuts and scrapes could prove otherwise, put it this way, im very clumsy. I love singing though. Have you ever seen the movie "August Rush"?

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    1. Hehe, music is awesome. xD
      *shakes head* I haven't. What is it about?

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