30 Days of Writing - Day 7

[lar_laughs]

I have one completed story for my whedonland Heart of Gold project. There's another one safely in my notebook but it's not complete and it's turning rather... epic. Part of my problem is that I'm bringing in several different people so I have to tell their stories. It's been in my head for several weeks now but I just started the actual writing a couple of days ago. Not bad for something I've known about for a month. Why, oh why, do all the good ideas come right at the cusp of the deadline!?! I'm thinking it will just be the "back story" and kind of leave it at "And they lived happily ever after..." which is horrid but I don't have the kind of time I really need. I'm sure it's going to work out.

Now I'm hoping to get to the MBB possibilities in September. Who cares that it's due the 10th. Not me. The stupid story keeps rewriting itself every thousand words or so. I'm too fluttery to work on that many words right now. *sigh*

Now, on to the real reason you're here.

7. Do you listen to music while you write? What kind? Are there any songs you like to relate/apply to your characters?


I love to listen to music while I write. There are times it needs to be a specific song and I will play that over and over. Mostly, that gets me into a proper frame of mind but sometimes I just need to be able to zone away from the reality in front of me and replay is the best way to zone into the place I want to be. That sounds a bit muddled, didn't it? I will try again. Have you ever replayed a song so much that you aren't really listening to it anymore. You're IN the song. It's part of you. You're breathing to the beats. You're living the lyrics. That's where I need to be sometimes when I'm writing. It's impossible to get into all the time and you need to be able to live in that reality for long periods of time.

Needless to say, it's not conducive to everyday writing. A lot of times I just try to listen to the same sort of songs. That's why I like Pandora because it gives me songs that all sort of flow. Genius on iTunes also helps me out.

But sometimes I just want to listen to music so it doesn't matter what I'm listening to.

Now with the songs! Here are some that I love to use when creating:
We Are - Ana Johnnson
(there's an awesome HP fanvid to this song but that is another meme)

Lost Without You - Delta Goodrem
(most of her songs have the ability to put me in a character-driven mood)

Lullaby for a Stormy Night - Vienna Teng
My Medea - Vienna Teng
Both of these are beautiful in their own ways! These were songs I used for specific characters at one point.

These days, more and more, I like to write to Florence + the Machine because well... they're awesome! Here's just two of the ones I like the best.

Heavy in Your Arms
Cosmic Love

One of the earliest songs that I had on my iPod and I used to get "in the mood" for certain characters was It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing by Shania Twain (off the Red album, if that means anything) and it still can the potential to take me back to that world in a way that very few other songs do.

If I could find my iPod, I would tell you about more songs but I can't find it right now. I really need to find it!