Comments | 10_ers: Tenners Tell All: Writing Music

jjhoutman in 10_ers

Tenners Tell All: Writing Music

Jan 05, 2010 20:40

When I'm writing, I like to listen to music, especially when I'm writing in my usual coffee house. There's usually someone at the next table complaining about the food on her last trip to Spain or speaking too loudly on the phone about profit margins or standard deviations. When that happens, earbuds are my friends.

But it can't be just any music. ( Read more... )

jacqueline houtman, tenners tell all

Comments 18

ditto boreal_owl January 6 2010, 03:03:11 UTC

Jesse Cook rules! :-)

I have a special playlist for my WIP that I listen to for inspiration before writing; but during actual writing time I agree with your method and choices.

radshaun January 6 2010, 03:24:29 UTC

I have certain artists like Dave Matthews or Aimee Mann or David Bowie that I've listened to so much that I can put them on and they blend into the background. Usually that's the kind of music I need. Sometimes I'm inspired by music and I'll listen to that, but when I need just a distraction, I go for one of those.

kristinamcbride January 7 2010, 13:05:01 UTC

I loveovelove DMB and Aimee Mann! But they'd mess with my process, so they're NOT invited into my work space.

blythe_woolston January 6 2010, 04:30:05 UTC

I like to use LastFM to discover new music.

I also avoid English lyrics while I'm composing. My "work" playlists are Icelandic and Nordic roots/electronica, Japanese anime sound tracks, and Beledi dance music.

I'm building a playlist that uses typewriter as percussion. (*No* Dolly Parton 9 to 5 on that.)

(JH: I know we share some "non-working" music like Jonathan Coulton...Code Monkey! Creepy Doll!)

jjhoutman January 6 2010, 13:18:57 UTC

I don't know Creepy Doll. Love Code Monkey and RE: Your Brains.

kierstenwhite January 6 2010, 06:40:21 UTC

I have a core Pandora station for every novel that I write, and I get to the point where I can't write without it. For PARANORMALCY it was Hellogoodbye. Very perky. When I really get into the groove with my writing, I don't even notice the music anymore, so lyrics don't bother me. I can see where they'd interfere, though.

One really great mood station I've found is Explosions in the Sky (on Pandora, again). It was perfect for a moodier book I wrote and recently edited again. (Also, it's completely instrumental, if anyone with lyric issues is interested!)

Then I have my standard "action" music (umm, not *that* kind of action, I mean the car chases or fights and explosions kind), and I supplement with other varieties depending on if the chapter needs a specific tone. I used a lot of angry girl music while writing Paranormalcy's sequel. Felt like I was really back in high school!

sharimaurer January 6 2010, 12:29:09 UTC

I love the idea of not listening English lyrics while writing -- it makes sense. I'm okay, as long as the songs are super-familiar, so I hear them, but don't really hear them.

And I do have a playlist on my iPod with certain songs that give me the right mood. I love my iPod for that!