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| Photo credit: tarop on Flickr |
I’ve heard some writers say that they need absolute silence
while writing, while others swear by writing to music. Some have writing
playlists and others like myself prefer a more eclectic mix, depending on
what’s being written.
For any of you who’ve read my blog for more than a couple of
weeks, it probably comes as no surprise to you that my music-listening habits
depend largely on the writing session. While first-drafting and trying to spit
out as many words as my fingers will allow in a crazy, half-hour writing
sprint, I usually turn Pandora on and listen to my Shinee radio.
Shinee is a
Korean band, so the station is filled with mostly Korean pop, which is helpful
for two reasons: firstly I don’t understand most of the words, so it doesn’t
interfere with my thought process (most, because I’ve discovered many Korean
bands like to sing parts of their songs in English or throw random English
words into their songs…go figure), and secondly the upbeat music helps me to
keep a quick writing pace.
Naturally there are downsides to using Pandora while
writing, namely when a particularly distracting song comes on and I have to
pause my writing to skip the song (or worse—when I run out of skips and have to
listen to it anyway or else switch to an English-speaking station), and I’ve
come to realize that if you listen to a song enough times, regardless of the
language, your brain will start to learn the lyrics (or at least mine does), so
I do occasionally find myself singing random Korean-sounding words while I’m
supposed to be writing. Oops.
However, as you might imagine, when first-drafting a
particularly emotional or intense scene, it can be a little difficult to focus
in the right mood with happy Pop music in the background, and that’s when I
either switch to a rock station or write in silence.
When I’m not
first-drafting, and I really need to focus on choosing the right words, I tend
to prefer silence (although there are exceptions). In those instances, any type
of noise can be distracting, especially if I’m already struggling to put words
down. This also applies to editing—listening to music while editing is very
near impossible for me, regardless of the language of the music. Silence (or
near-silence) is a must while editing.
So those are my music-writing-editing habits. But I’m
curious: do you listen to music while writing or editing, or do you write in
silence? Why?
I can listen to music while writing ONLY if it's instrumental. If it has any words, I'm too inclined to sing along, which is distracting when I want to be writing!
ReplyDeleteI can certainly understand that. Does the mood of the instrumental music change your choice of song or album while writing at all?
ReplyDeleteI not only listen to music when I wrote, but I create a specific playlist for each WIP.
ReplyDeleteWhile plotting, planning, and ideating, I'll play music that get me in the "mood." All my WIPs have a mood to them. Be it upbeat, sad, suspenseful, whatever. For that stage, I find that movie scores are best (Hans Zimmer's soundtrack for Inception is brilliant).
Once the characters have come to life (and I dream about them) and scenes are formulating in my imagination, I begin to create my playlist. Some songs come to me immediately, others over time.
By the time I'm ready to write (usually four weeks after idea) my play list has grown to at least fifty songs. Then I slip on my noise canceling headphones, shuffle the playlist, and off I go.
The songs carry a mood, a comment, a sentiment or a possibility for the WIP. The songs etch themselves into my subconscious and create new scenes, dialogue and opportunities that my conscious mind had not planned on. I am convinced that music is one of the reasons why my characters do unexpected things.
Never really tried listening to music while writing, but it doesn't appeal to me. I'd get distracted, I think. And influenced by the mood of the music. Besides, I think when I get "in the writing zone" I am not aware of my surroundings at all. I tune everything out. Except, of course, the baby :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, music is a way for me to zone out a distracting environment. Even in absolute silence, it feels eerie to not have headphones on. Which is something I should more often, especially in a school environment.
ReplyDeleteMusic, regardless of type, is more of a smokescreen to draw me into a writing mindset. The problem is following through.
I should try seeing if writing to Evanescence would help with the more intense scenes though.
Say, do you have any advice on revising at a fast pace?
So far I've been doing the silence thing but listening to a foreign language station is a great idea. I also like to write in crowded places where there is a lot of background noise that drowns out any particular conversation or song. I know some people who listen to nature sounds - rainstorms being very popular for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI am still experimenting with this. I can write with the t.v. on. I can tune out reality t.v. best. Go figure. I can write in a crowded coffee shop or restaurant which I actually enjoy. So, the noise factor doesn't bother me. I also created a soundtrack for my WIP, but I do find myself singing along, too much so I don't listen to it when I write. I use it more to put me back in that place before I sit down in write.
ReplyDeleteA
ReplyDeletefriend used to write to music. I've challenged him to try without for
a bit, and check the results. Some people can extract what they
want--mood, energy, creative inspiration--but others are easily
distracted. I think he'll find it easier to differentiate character
voices if he's not trying to tune out the iPod. Time will tell.
I'm one of those people who writes better when it's completely silent. It's easier for me to get into the head of my character when I'm not being distracted by a song that I love. But, that's just me!
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, the Inception soundtrack did sound pretty amazing...I'll have to look into that.
ReplyDeleteI find your process fascinating, and I've read before about people coming up with playlists for their WIPs, but I suppose I still haven't quite figured out how I'd even start a project like that (although I'd be interested in trying it out sometime). I'd be very interested to read a post about your process. Just a thought. :)
The mood of the music can definitely make a difference (there are writers who choose very specific songs to listen to for that very reason). Depending on how you work though, music can definitely be a distraction, especially if you aren't used to it. Interestingly enough though, I've sometimes found that for me, music can help me get in the "writing zone" and block everything else out. There usually comes a point where the music just becomes a background and I'm not really even aware of the songs that are playing anymore, and that's when I know I'm really on a roll.
ReplyDeleteEvanescence is a nice choice for intense moods. On a different note, I like what you said about using music to draw you into a writing mindset--I've used it like that too, especially when I'm having trouble getting into the zone and I really want to get a writing sprint in.
ReplyDeleteAs for revising at a fast pace...this probably isn't the advice you're looking for, but my advice would be...don't. From my experience, I've found that revising isn't something that can be done both quickly and efficiently. You either take your time with it to get it done correctly, or you rush through it and get it done quickly, but not nearly as effectively. It's a trade-off.
I love listening to rainstorms...particularly when it's a real rainstorm and not one played over headphones. It's very calming and atmospheric, so I could understand playing nature sounds while writing.
ReplyDeleteI've found that writing in crowded places can sometimes work for me, until a particular conversation or person becomes distracting to me, then I just find myself fighting to keep my focus on the writing and not on the irritating person or conversation. But that's probably just me. :)
That's really interesting--I can't get any writing done in front of the television. Even if something uninteresting is on, I still find it horrendously distracting. As for music, it can definitely get you in a certain mood, especially if you consistently use it to get you in the right mind frame.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it definitely depends on the person. It's pretty fascinating how our brains interpret the same distractions (in this case, music) differently.
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly not just you--a lot of writers are like that, and I completely understand why. Sometimes I even find it too distracting and I have to turn off the music because I can't focus on my writing. It can really vary.
ReplyDeleteA long time ago, I posted about this... but I've gotten better at it. Maybe it's time to revisit this matter again :)
ReplyDeleteHaha, now I can imagine you singing along to the music while writing. Well, apart from the fact I have no idea what you look like. But I'm similar int hat respect, except I usually listen to whatever my latest CD is, unless I'm craving a particular sound or band. For example, right now I am going through a Gorillaz phase. So I really don't mind what I listen to, but I must listen to music while I write. I hate silence. It's distracting. Music keeps me stimulated, awake and focused.If it's a song I love, all the better.
ReplyDeleteIt also makes the writing more of a subconscious process, and therefore frees me from thinking too deeply about the right words and such - something I can fix during editing.
Tho during editing, I don't listen to music, because I read my work aloud to get the right sound. I probably would otherwise though.
I hope that you do! ^_^
ReplyDeleteI really like what you said about music making writing a more subconscious process--I think that's probably why listening to music works especially well for me when I'm doing a writing sprint. It really allows me to write quickly without over thinking the words I'm putting down.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, I can't concentrate on stuff when I hear music, but I've recently started listening while I write. I tend to have three songs per story. One for the heroine (it's her "Theme Song"), one for the hero (his "theme song") and one for the storyline. They help me guide the story in the same tone throughout.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! So do you play the song over and over again while writing about the hero/heroine?
ReplyDeleteI like to write to natural sounds so I'm often found on the porch or at a Barnes & Noble or Starbucks. I get to observe the environment around me, but I can block it out easily. But if I do listen to music it's instrumental only and from either Sigur Ros or Olafur Arnalds.
ReplyDeleteI do the exact same thing.
ReplyDeleteAs annoying as that sounds, I sure do. Over and over while in that POV. It helps me keep the character's voice, as well. I keep it low, but enough that I can hear it drifting from my iPhone while I write. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't ever written at Barnes & Noble or Starbucks, but I've heard of a lot of writers doing that (and I could imagine it's a very nice, relaxing atmosphere that could be good for writing).
ReplyDeleteSo you also create a soundtrack/playlist for your WIP? How do you decide what songs go into a certain WIPs soundtrack?
I actually wrote nearly an entire WIP playing an album I'd just received over and over again, so I could understand listening to the same music repeatedly while writing. Granted the album I listened to had more than one song...but same idea, I suppose. :)
ReplyDeleteAs I'm listening to music -- and this will sound corny -- a character or will suddenly pop into my mind and whatever I'm seeing will often fit perfectly with the melody or lyrics of the song so that's how they're chosen (or choose themselves). Apologies for the belated reply.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that's corny at all--in fact, I think it's pretty interesting. Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteI listen to music, but I'm worried it'll slow me down, since I read an article about music and productivity (though I'm not sure if it counts, as they were testing memorization). Most of the times, I'm distracted by the internet. :(
ReplyDeleteLike most things in the writing world, I think how it affects our productivity (as far as writing goes) depends on the writer. Some people use music to really get into the mood of the story or to block out the world while they concentrate, while others prefer complete silence. If you work well with music, I wouldn't worry about it slowing you down. If, however, you find it distracting, then maybe you should try without (or try music without lyrics).
ReplyDeleteAs for the internet, I do believe it distracts most of us from time to time. If you find it distracting you while you're trying to write, you could try turning it off while you're writing, or if you're brave, try using Write or Die, which is very good at forcing you to ignore distractions.
goa or dnb. electronic music is very good for my writing
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of goa or dnb, but I do agree that electronic music can be very atmospheric and useful for writing.
ReplyDeleteI tend to listen to music, just because I've found a lot of songs that make me think of specific scenes or characters in my writing, but I'm not sure how much it helps during the actual writing process. I've heard two creative writing teachers tell my class that listening to music with words (in their opinion) isn't good because you already having words running through your head. That being said, I can get distracted easily by the internet or other things that are on my mind, so listening to music can really help get me in the mood while writing. Most of the time I'm able to turn it into white noise, but sometimes I'll listen to classical music when I really want to make sure I'm staying concentrated. If you do listen to music with words, though, I strongly recommend a playlist with songs that inspire the particular piece of writing you're working on. (At least, it helps me).
ReplyDeleteI find that when I first start to write, music with words I understand (i.e.: not the international music I like to listen to) can be distracting. After I've started writing, however, and I'm in the middle of a sprint, the music doesn't distract me even if it has English lyrics unless Pandora throws me a song that I find particularly distracting (which doesn't happen often but...it happens). As you said, once I'm in the zone, the music becomes very similar to white noise, and helps to keep me in the writing mood.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts!
Cool to see so many different opinions and writing processes in the comments on this post! :) I find much of my inspiration by listening to music, and have several pieces that serve as "soundtracks" for certain scenes in my mind; but I never actually listen to the music while I'm writing. Here's my own blog post about it (shameless plug for myself...)
ReplyDeletehttp://storytellergirlgrace.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/music-to-write-by/
It's cool to read that you listen to K-pop, Ava, and enjoy singing along with words you don't know. :) I love music in almost any language besides English, and like you, I find myself learning the sounds of the words, even if I don't know all the meanings. If I listened to music while I was trying to write, I'd wind up with some half-English half pseudo-Icelandic gibberish and it wouldn't be at all productive! :P
Now that's really interesting--you have soundtrack-like music but you don't listen to them while you're writing. Does that mean you listen to them before you start writing, as a sort of inspiration?
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I do enjoy K-pop and singing in my (probably terrible) interpretation of Korean. It can be pretty entertaining even though I know I most likely look (and sound) ridiculous. ^_^
Interestingly, our brains start to pick up on certain words and sounds once we listen to the music enough--we don't necessarily have to understand what's being said to learn the syllables that go with the beats of the music!
Amazing indeed, how the human brain works, especially with regards to sound, language, music, etc. ;) I'm sure my Icelandic singing is worse than your Korean singing, lol.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I listen to my chosen music tracks as inspiration either before I sit down to write, or if I'm doing a brainstorming session or maybe some research. But when it comes time to actually put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), the music has to turn off.
Very interesting. I've written with and without music playing, but when I don't have music playing I need very near total silence or I tend to get distracted. I use music to block everything out so my surroundings don't become distracting, but I can very easily see how the music itself can become a distraction (because yes, it sometimes does).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Grace!
Non-stop. I have dedicated playlists for every mood. And at last count, my music collection clocked in at... 22,680 tracks. So yeah. I listen to a lot of music. And needless to say I have something for every mood.
ReplyDeleteOver 22,000 songs! Wow, that's quite an impressive collection. I can definitely imagine how that kind of music library would have more than enough inspiration for every kind of mood. :)
ReplyDeleteYessss. I played one particular song on repeat to keep my blood racing while I wrote a thrilling action scene. Music keeps me going. It engages my subconscious so I can focus consciously on my writing... until Beyoncé pops up and I'm out of my seat, dancing like a moron.
ReplyDeleteI tend to write in half hour sprints, so while I don't usually write to a single song on repeat (I'd get sick of it too quickly), I HAVE listened to the same album or playlist repeatedly while writing. That tends to get repetitive too, but I don't mind it. After listening to the same list after a while, it almost becomes a fast tracked way to get into the writing zone. :)
ReplyDeleteI usually listen to music while I'm planning or researching a story. When I'm writing, it depends... it depends on how much 'noise' I have in my head really, if you know what I mean. Sometimes the music helps, sometimes it doesn't. At times the music inspires or sets the mood of a scene in the WIP. I listened to all kinds of music but I find the Rockabye Lullaby Renditions incredibly calming - quiets down the noise inside - when I write. Definitely a funny discovery I made last year. But it worked!
ReplyDelete"It depends" is the short version of my music tastes while writing, lol. Some days I completely block out the music and it works beautifully, other days I find I'm writing and suddenly I'll realize the music is completely inappropriate mood-wise and it'll distract me, so I'll have to change it or turn it off. While first drafting, I usually prefer music, though. It sets me in the zone.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, Rockabye Lullaby Renditions sounds interesting. I may have to check that out...
usually i write in silence, but i too love korean and jpop. and the theme for pallet town is so happy sometimes i catch myself humming along and writing:) i prefer longhand, then transferring it and i find it works well. i get to add more depth after. Have you done a post on longhand vs computer? And i always write details,everything like a novel for my long hand first draft. is that normal?? hahaha
ReplyDeleteI actually have written a post on the differences between writing by hand and typing, believe it or not! You can read it here if you're interested. :)
ReplyDeleteIt depends on what outside noise is surrounding me. If there's absolutely nothing around me, then I won't listen to music. However, if somebody is watching TV, then I"ll pretty much HAVE to listen to music. I prefer Chillstep :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I totally get that. Sometimes with silence I'll listen to music anyway, but if there's something distracting going on, then I definitely throw on my headphones and listen to something. I'd much rather have control over what might distract me over no control over what definitely will distract me.
ReplyDeleteI can't well I haven't try all kind of music but it doesn't help my writings. It does helps me imaging an new entire story though but I can't write it when I'm so into it (believing your the characters and everything). I don't know why. I don't even know if you understand what I'm saying it is quite hard to explain even for me.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone can write while listening to music, so I understand that it doesn't work for everyone. I can see how it'd be distracting to some. :)
ReplyDeleteI mostly listen to depressing songs. It somehow helps me get my creative juices flowing. Plus, I don't have as much songs as I would like since my IPod can only hold like 700 songs : (
ReplyDeleteHmm, 700 still seems like a lot to me...although you could have more on your computer, couldn't you? Just not mobile...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I could have more on my computer, but my computer I so slow that I have to use my iPod nano that can hold only 700 songs
ReplyDeleteAhh ok. That makes sense. Sounds like a new iPod is in order. :)
ReplyDeleteI listen to music often. If I'm writers block, but I am craving to write, (something that happens to me often) I put on music, and I find my fingers flying across the keyboard!
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