What is this Playlist Thing?
Creativity is a highly individualized process.
Some writers require stillness and solitude.
Some require wine! Some, coffee. (Ahhh, cooofffeeee....)
Some work best with pen and paper, others type. Still others use dictation software.
And then, there's music. Oh, yes. Music. Many writers today make playlists they run when they are working on a particular project. From classical to heavy metal, the mind can be stimulated by many things. All that matters is the all-important question (from where I sit):
Does it work?
If it does, rock on. Or, you know, don't. Write on. :)
Most of my writing life, I have not been a musically-enhanced person. I don't write better to music. What I am is someone who writes best in a busy place, with open blinds on my windows, with the sounds of my house in the background somewhere.
And if I have used music? It's been the stylings of Weird Al Yankovic, whose interesting lyrics play the role of "busyness" for me, compelling me to focus on the work in front of me.
However, my current project has required me to actually get some theme music.
As you may or may not know, Reader, I am writing for Sweet Promise Press for this current book. The series I am contributing to is the Sweethearts of Country Music.
Now, I'm not really a country music aficionado, though I have written a romance which touches on the industry in a way. So, I had to make an actual playlist.
I know, surprised me, too!
This playlist includes the following songs:
The House that Built Me by Miranda Lambert
Bye Bye by Jo Dee Messina
&
Can't Say I Ain't Country by Florida Georgia Line
To be honest, I don't listen to these songs while I'm writing, but I listened to them during my morning commute while play Mom-Taxi back and forth to my younger son's school. I chose them because they captured three "country music tropes" that I wanted to have in my head. The first is a plaintive song about a woman who is trying to find herself by revisiting her past and it's got one line in it that actually brings a tear to my eye. Give it a listen on iTunes and see if you can recognize which line that might be! The second is a fierce "leaving the unworthy romantic interest" number that Messina's voice delivers with unusual rhythm and terrific energy. The last I chose because it had "redneck" elements that I found fun. And country music can be a lot of fun!
One cool thing, of course, is that now I want to buy the albums, rather than just the individual tracks. You might, too!
I have finished the first draft of the book, the songs are permanently imbedded into my cerebellum, and I find the time spent has been worthwhile.
On to the revisions! The quiet revisions. The quiet, non-accompanied revisions.
Alas, I can't edit to a playlist.
Some writers require stillness and solitude.
Some require wine! Some, coffee. (Ahhh, cooofffeeee....)
Some work best with pen and paper, others type. Still others use dictation software.
And then, there's music. Oh, yes. Music. Many writers today make playlists they run when they are working on a particular project. From classical to heavy metal, the mind can be stimulated by many things. All that matters is the all-important question (from where I sit):
Does it work?
If it does, rock on. Or, you know, don't. Write on. :)
Most of my writing life, I have not been a musically-enhanced person. I don't write better to music. What I am is someone who writes best in a busy place, with open blinds on my windows, with the sounds of my house in the background somewhere.
And if I have used music? It's been the stylings of Weird Al Yankovic, whose interesting lyrics play the role of "busyness" for me, compelling me to focus on the work in front of me.
However, my current project has required me to actually get some theme music.
As you may or may not know, Reader, I am writing for Sweet Promise Press for this current book. The series I am contributing to is the Sweethearts of Country Music.
Now, I'm not really a country music aficionado, though I have written a romance which touches on the industry in a way. So, I had to make an actual playlist.
I know, surprised me, too!
This playlist includes the following songs:
The House that Built Me by Miranda Lambert
Bye Bye by Jo Dee Messina
&
Can't Say I Ain't Country by Florida Georgia Line
To be honest, I don't listen to these songs while I'm writing, but I listened to them during my morning commute while play Mom-Taxi back and forth to my younger son's school. I chose them because they captured three "country music tropes" that I wanted to have in my head. The first is a plaintive song about a woman who is trying to find herself by revisiting her past and it's got one line in it that actually brings a tear to my eye. Give it a listen on iTunes and see if you can recognize which line that might be! The second is a fierce "leaving the unworthy romantic interest" number that Messina's voice delivers with unusual rhythm and terrific energy. The last I chose because it had "redneck" elements that I found fun. And country music can be a lot of fun!
One cool thing, of course, is that now I want to buy the albums, rather than just the individual tracks. You might, too!
I have finished the first draft of the book, the songs are permanently imbedded into my cerebellum, and I find the time spent has been worthwhile.
On to the revisions! The quiet revisions. The quiet, non-accompanied revisions.
Alas, I can't edit to a playlist.
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