I admit it, I'm a music addict; one of that strange breed who can identify any song in their music collection within about ten seconds, and who can't do anything without a soundtrack.
I'm currently stuck listening to popular club-type music because my main character would. not. stay. home. when I wanted him to, and went out instead. So my Cinematic Orchestra soundtrack got thrown out the window with all my notes, and I turned up the Cascada (tricky, because as a general rule I do not listen to club music, and the only people i know who DO are in Leeds. Not helpful!
Because I'm always looking for ideas to poach from people ( ;) ), tell me:
What are you writing to? Do you create intricate playlists in the run up to November? Is what you write affected by what's playing? Tell me all about your noveling music!
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33,229 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 06 49
My only real rule is that I'm not allowed lyrics when I'm writing, because I start singing and then I start typing lyrics instead of novel. I got a new recording of the experimental classical piece 'The Sinking of the Titanic' by Gavin Bryars (this one assisted by various hip noise makers) the other day, and that's worked beautifully for creating an atmosphere for writing. It's muchly non-musical in the traditional sense, but it's thick enough to fill the space. It's good. It also resulted in some of my dream sequence taking place in a sinking ballroom...which was nice.
Now I'm listening to the latest Portico Quartet (semi local pop/nu-jazz group)album, which is making me want to turn my novel into more of a sleazy thriller. The music is good though (incredigood, really).
I've got all sorts of interesting dancey music I could try and send over by the way, but it's mostly a little pretentious or weird or entirely unlistenable.
My tastes are very representative of my personality...sometimes.
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This was unlike the story
it was written to be
I was riding its back
when it used to ride me
- Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plum, Pear
37,667 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 09 15
I've become a spotify addict. If you haven't tried it yet i'd heartily recommend it. Lots of free music (with the occasional advert).
For some reason generic hard rock and metal really helps when i'm writing. I think it's because the lyrics are often obscured so I don't try and listen to the lyrics so much. Plus it tends to block out any external noise, and creates quite a heightened atmosphere.
But I never listen to that type of music otherwise!
V
6,501 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 12 26
Oh I don't believe that for a second Victoria!
Generally make up play lists for whatever I'm writing - thing was writing earlier this year which is set in Manchester 1997 just threw Oasis, blur, Verve, Stone Roses at my ears (plus some God awful stuff that was popular at that time like Hanson (Mmmmm Bop), Spice Girls & (please don't tell anyone) 'Barbie Girl' by Aqua.
This one as it features the 1980s LA rock scene I'm raiding my old record collection for Motley Crue, Ratt, WASP, LA Guns, Guns n' Roses, Cinderella... All very well & good except I keep needing breaks to fix my lippy or stuff a couple of socks down the front of my spandex strides.
12,743 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 18 17
I’ve tried classical, meditation music, rock and metal but none of it was doing anything for me. Just turned on the radio and I’m now writing away!
9,342 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 06 36
I have a new favourite song. I'm really in the mood to be mean to some of my male characters now.
Alexandra Burke - Dumb
----------"There are no laws for the novel. There never have been, nor can there ever be." - Doris Lessing, British Author
57,600 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 05 05
Strangely, I'm writing without music. For what has turned out (unexpectedly) to be a trilogy, yes, I write with music on as the characters are musicians (I spend much of my 'real' life around musicians, so the research is basically just watching and observing). That works well. But for this, nothing. I can write in the library (better than at home, where I could set a world procrastinating record) and don't even bother listening to my mp3 player. It's really quite odd for someone as music-ified as me.
----------Kung fu changed my life
44,001 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 10 32
I made a playlist for my NaNo once I'd decided what I was writing. I just went through all my music, and pulled out any song that grabbed my fancy. At least a third of them (the playlist is 44 tracks long) have either inspired a scene, or become the soundtrack to one. I guess my instincts were good on this one...
----------2006 - Dance of the White Smoke: 51,191 words
2007 - The Wyching Hour: 50,100 words
2008 - Lost In Thought: 35,504 words
2009 - Queueing For Purgatory: ?
The Tsp as in teaspoon.
44,327 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 09 45
I can't write with lyrics either. At the moment I'm on Charles Mingus but my absolute ideal would be something like Warren G without the words... Any ideas??
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