Comments on: In a Not-So-Silent Way

By: Peter Nye

Peter Nye — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:10:04 +0000

Listening to certain music helps me get in control of a restless mental feeling when I sit down to write, something I discovered while listening to Miles Davis, especially “Kind of Blue” or “Sketches of Spain,” which created the proper writing/editing thermal. Then reading Ian McEwan’s novel “Saturday,” I read a scene involving a surgeon in the operating theater who listens to Bach’s “Goldberg Variations.” That inspired me to go out and purchase a 2-CD set of the GV. I found, wow! here’s a grreeat thermal–you can hear the sublime piano to relax and then when your concentratin focuses, it feels so quiet and still. Like a magic carpet of thought.

By: The Hook

The Hook — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:45:24 +0000

The music in the lobby of my hotel (I’m a bellman) sometimes influences my mood, which in turn can affect my calls, which I will later write about, so music plays a big role in my life – and my writing, albeit in an indirect way!

By: Yat-Yee Chong

Yat-Yee Chong — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:29:45 +0000

Nice, starting with the subdominant like that. I like this rhythm! Huh, I would never have given that melody to the bassoon but I think it works. Wait, what’s that harmonic progression?

Yeah, turn on music and my attention is completely taken. There is no way I can write to music.

By: Rowan

Rowan — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:50:04 +0000

I definitely write to music, and if it’s the wrong music it can take me out of the flow of the story.

If I can’t have music, a coffee shop is good. There’s something about the noise of people that helps me relax. Or maybe it’s the coffee. A coffee shop with good music is my ideal.

By: Gill Avila

Gill Avila — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 05:04:46 +0000

I use a “white sound” generator. I like writing to wind, rain, random ocean waves. They’re conducive my fields of thought.

By: Tez Miller

Tez Miller — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:41:36 +0000

Ooh, I totally need to see Jens Lekman live someday. Shouldn’t be too hard, considering he’s a part-time resident of my city (Melbourne, in Australia). Still have “Pocketful of Money” on my playlist – that’s my favourite

By: Joelle

Joelle — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 23:09:40 +0000

Must have quiet to write. My husband is a singer/songwriter/guitar player and while I stole…I mean borrowed…a bunch of his songs for my new book, I can’t listen while I write. However, I crank it up every morning in my writing cabin before I start and there might even be a little dancing.

By: Nancy Davis Kho

Nancy Davis Kho — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 22:25:18 +0000

First of all, lucky you: Jens Lekman.

But to answer your question, I’ve always found it ironic that as a music/humor writer, I have to work in total silence. I wish it were not the case because then I could consume an extra eight hours of music each day. But I am constitutionally unable to let lyrics breeze by without concentrating on them, and then I start tapping out the beats with stray office supplies, and then I forget what chapter I’m even working on. It’s a mess.

By: D.C. DaCosta

D.C. DaCosta — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 21:41:45 +0000

I’ll edit to music, but not do actual, original writing with any sound other than the traffic outside the window.
I actively listen to music. That is, it engages my attention fully. I cannot relegate it to the background. Consequently, it’s too much of a distraction.
I am intrigued by the idea of music style influencing writing style, though. It makes one wonder whether Dickens preferred Mendelssohn or Gilbert and Sullivan.

By: Silver James

Silver James — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 21:09:00 +0000

I’m one of those writers who considers putting a “play list” in the back of the book. I often pick music that fits the mood for a scene I’m writing and all of my main characters have a “theme song”–one that reminds me immediately of their personality/story as soon as I hear it. This helps tremendously if I get stuck or if I get off track with a character. Every book in each of my series has it’s own “soundtrack.” For instance, Roxie’s “She’s Got The Look” is dead on for one of my female protagonists. I can hear the song randomly on the radio and have to stop to write notes to myself. Luckily, she is an on-going character is a series so those notes will all bear fruit eventually.

Like Kellie, there have been times when a song sparked the Muse and I ended up inspired to write a new manuscript. In the case of my second published novel, it was actually the soundtrack to “The Last of the Mohicans.” I wore out two CDs playing the soundtrack over and over. I can read the book and tell you exactly what track inspired a particular scene. Yeah…I know. *hangs head*

Interesting topic today. I’m always curious as to what other writers think about music.