Words and music, again
Jul. 19th, 2010 09:42 am7. Do you listen to music while you write? What kind? Are there any songs you like to relate/apply to your characters?
Oh yes. Hell yes. If I have any rule for writing, it's that I have to be listening to music while I do it. At home, I plug headphones into the computer, whereas if I know I'm going to be writing on the go, I make certain to bring an iPod. Even if I'm alone, I prefer headphones, possibly because I've gotten so used to wearing them while writing.
I have two playlists specifically for writing; I also have a couple of character-specific playlists (Auron and Nooj) and one pairing-specific playlist (guess), and one that is designed for writing battle scenes. In general, I like music that I can push into the mental background, which often means music without vocals, or music in a language other than English. Sometimes words I can understand are distracting, but not always. I listen to a lot of soundtracks, classical, trancey-techno (a driving beat is usually not a plus, unless I'm writing something high-energy), folk-influenced artists like Loreena McKennett and Blackmore's Night and Qntal. New Agey stuff can also be good. Sometimes Final Fantasy music is good for transporting me into the world of the games; sometimes I need a break from it. Music I already know is better than new music because it's easier to background, but I am always hungry to expand my repertoire. Pandora has been a good source lately, as have recommendations.
And on that note, I'm going to open this question to the floor. Do you listen to music while you write? What kind? Any particular artists or songs to share?
30 Days of Writing: Complete list of questions
Oh yes. Hell yes. If I have any rule for writing, it's that I have to be listening to music while I do it. At home, I plug headphones into the computer, whereas if I know I'm going to be writing on the go, I make certain to bring an iPod. Even if I'm alone, I prefer headphones, possibly because I've gotten so used to wearing them while writing.
I have two playlists specifically for writing; I also have a couple of character-specific playlists (Auron and Nooj) and one pairing-specific playlist (guess), and one that is designed for writing battle scenes. In general, I like music that I can push into the mental background, which often means music without vocals, or music in a language other than English. Sometimes words I can understand are distracting, but not always. I listen to a lot of soundtracks, classical, trancey-techno (a driving beat is usually not a plus, unless I'm writing something high-energy), folk-influenced artists like Loreena McKennett and Blackmore's Night and Qntal. New Agey stuff can also be good. Sometimes Final Fantasy music is good for transporting me into the world of the games; sometimes I need a break from it. Music I already know is better than new music because it's easier to background, but I am always hungry to expand my repertoire. Pandora has been a good source lately, as have recommendations.
And on that note, I'm going to open this question to the floor. Do you listen to music while you write? What kind? Any particular artists or songs to share?
30 Days of Writing: Complete list of questions