Music is my muse at times - when I hear a song, great lyrics and melodies, I envision certain scenes, whether in my private life, or in the lives of my characters. While I cannot listen to music while writing, because my mind will run away on a melodic journey just when I need to focus, when I'm relaxing or taking a road trip, the first thing I do is pick out which CDs to bring along.For my last few books I've used music as chapter headings. It's so easy to find appropriate titles with messages that fit the scenes, and also, it's plain old fun.
The song used in the final chapter of my current novel is Where Does My Heart Beat Now, by Celine Dion.
What type of music makes your writer-heart beat?
Do you add song titles/lyrics to your stories every now and then?
5 comments:
I totally agree! The 2 things I collect are books and music and I listen while I read. Music will also sometimes set the mood of the story. I once got a soundtrack an author did for her book before I got the book. The music really made me want to read that story because of the theme, era, and story the music was telling. Music is the soundtrack of our lives.
If it weren't for books, music, and the internet, I would spin around aimlessly for days at a time. Music re-energizes me. Reading helps me refocus. And, the internet breaks up the monotony and challenges my views. You're an amazing person and there's no better choice than Celine - singing anything.
One book, one song - and I play it over and over and over again until all 300 pages are done. I put it on and instantly snap into world of the story I'm writing.
Progressive rock!
And my writing has loads of song titles. See if you can spot them.
I don't use lyrics in stories (not directly, anyway) because of the copyright hoo-ha, and I seldom listen to music while I'm actually writing, but music inspires me and helps me get into the mood of certain scenes, even when the music is just played in my head.
The title of my second novel (Give Me the Night) is stolen from one of my favourite George Benson songs because it fitted the mood I hoped to create in that story perfectly. Actually, I'm not sure which came first: the music inspiring the story or the story bringing that music to mind.
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