Friday, March 23, 2012

Is music important to your writing?

Rediscovering music is one of my favorite things to do. Recently on Pandora I started listening to the Malice Mizer station, and every time one of their songs or Gackt's or Klaha's or Moi Dix Mois comes on I go through this whole cycle of squealing and flailing, and then tears, then The Sighs (a chronic illness at times), and then regret when the song is over, regret that I don't listen to these songs more often.

And this is all within the span of one 4 minute song. It's like the seven steps of grieving or something, except not. The whole experience for each and every song is something along the lines of


Not to mention Pandora does the  whole thing where, if I listen to this Japanese music, I should listen to the rest too, right? Simple and Clean comes on every five songs in its variety of remix flavors. Some Cowboy Bebop, some L'Arc. And I'm a sucker who listens to all of it.

ALL OF IT!

Certain songs also just have that nostalgia for me, things that don't mean the same to others as they do to me, and I'm sure that goes for you too. For me personally, it's a lot of Japanese music, because that's what I listened to in high school, and it's the bulk of what I still enjoy.

Why Japanese music?

Because!

But I find I just don't have the time to listen to music as much as I used to. Either I'm at work or Sarah's at my side scowling at the music I choose. Most of the time my very serious music moments are when I'm writing, and then it's absolutely crucial to have the precise song and genre type picked out. If I'm writing that gut-wrenching scene that's pivotal to the plot and makes my readers sob with angst, I need a song that makes me sob with angst! Or action scenes need music that gets my heart pumping, like movie scores. Movie music works so perfect for this, the epic kind that gives you shivers and chills and such.

In fact, if my books are ever legit published, my website will probably contain a soundtrack for each novel. Stupid, right? It is. But I wish more authors would do that. If I could know what music Suzanne Collins listened to when she wrote The Hunger Games, or the songs that just make Gail Carriger stop and pictures her scenes or characters, that's a whole new perspective! Isn't it?

What do you think? Do you listen to music while you write? Do you have any music to share? Let me know!


6 comments:

  1. I LOVE listening to music while I am writing. I'll always get certain artists that I'll primarily listen to for a certain story, and other times I'll have a specific soundtrack that I work on to add to it.

    And you always know I have music to share. But the best way to find it is my music tag on tumblr haha and anything you like on there I can send you. Or I can burn you a mixed CD!

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    1. I know you're chalk full of music! I love getting new music and going "YES. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEED FOR THIS SCENE."

      How the heck do you find all of your music?

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    2. I downloaded a lot of fanmixes from communities on LJ, either from series that I was into (like I have a lot of HP and HG inspired ones), or from when I participate in bigbangs. Also, my friend Cara use to always just IM me and go I HAVE MUSIC TO GIVE YOU HERE YOU ARE and send me a whole bunch.

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  2. Moi dix mois! Lol I used to listen to them, I met them. Got a poster autographed, was excited but its just in my closet taking space now... Anywho L'arc en Ciel is also an awesome band! I love them! Hahaha!

    Anyway, I don't remember a time I haven't listened to music while I write, unless you count class, but I always listen to music when I write. I can't write with silence I got to listen to music. I love music so much I even listen to it while i do hwk and read and well that's about it lol.

    But you know what when you become published I think it would be awesome if you did the whole soundtrack to your books that would be epic! :D

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    1. I adore Moi Dix Mois. I still love all of my nerdy Japanese music, it's kinda like my guilty pleasure now. .-. I can't help it. A lot (not all) of American music is just sub par to me now, especially after seeing...heck, who all have I seen in concert? Dir en Grey two or three times, D'espairs Ray, Mucc, and SKIN before, you know, it blew up. Which, who didn't see that coming? You can't put Sugizo, Gackt, Miyavi and Yoshiki in a band and expect it to live.

      Would you do a soundtrack for your books?

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    2. lol! Wow, yeah I stopped listening to Japanese music a long time ago. I am guilty to say that I listen to a lot of classical music now... lol weird I know, but I just can't get enough of it (mostly opera type music).

      You kidding me, I would love to have a soundtrack for my book! That would be something different. It would change the whole book world!! lol sorry had a piece of chocolate... :D

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