Music While Writing
While I generally listen to music while writing, I don’t make playlists or anything for my books. I think it’s because I like to listen to songs I know really well, songs that fade into the background when I’m really into what I’m doing, only popping into my awareness when I’m sitting back to consider a scene. Even then, I don’t want to be distracted. I might get up and do something, but it’s always the kind of thing that won’t take up too much of my brain. Washing dishes, straightening up, feeding the cats, taking a short walk. Things you can do while half on auto-pilot.
I suppose I like to listen to “auto-pilot” music, too. Songs I can sing along to without having to think about the words. Because there’s always something going on in the back of my brain when I’m writing. It may not be conscious, but it’s still there, and it’s still taking up brain power. Which is why, when I come back to the writing, I can often start typing away, whatever I was considering having been resolved.
I suppose I like to listen to “auto-pilot” music, too. Songs I can sing along to without having to think about the words. Because there’s always something going on in the back of my brain when I’m writing. It may not be conscious, but it’s still there, and it’s still taking up brain power. Which is why, when I come back to the writing, I can often start typing away, whatever I was considering having been resolved.
Comments
But I always listen to music before I write. I need it, because it gets me in the mood.
I don't have a playlist either, but nearly all my main characters have their own song. A song that makes me think of them, maybe because of the lyrics, maybe because of the mood. Sometimes a song makes me think to a character and I don't really know why, but every time I listen to that song, that character get into my mind.
When I'm going to write a scene about a particualr character, I listen to that character's song. And it gets me there :-)