Music & Creativity in Writing
Graphic created for Anna Karras // annakarras.blog
Music and writing are so much more closely connected than they might appear at first glance. Especially when it comes to creative writing and fiction, listening to music is one of the best ways to come up with fantastic story ideas and remain completely immersed in them throughout the entire writing process.
Music as a Tool of Inspiration: Not only is listening to music while writing fun and undeniably enjoyable, it is also useful. It can work as a powerful tool for inspiration, getting you into a place of certain emotions and setting a specific mood. It can also be used to change your mood as necessary. For this to work, it is important to know how music affects you personally. Not everyone has the same reaction to the same songs or soundtracks. For me, when I’m down and need something inspirational to kick me into gear, that means lots of hard classic rock (Guns N’ Roses at the forefront); for my sister, it means album after album of Taylor Swift.
Pay attention to what genres or artists generally make you happier, sadder, more pumped up, etc., and take that into consideration the next time you need a change in perspective or spirit before writing something. This works for both academic and personal writing. But, when it comes to fiction and story writing, things can get a bit more complex. Not only is it your own mood/energy you must think of, it’s also whatever is required for the world of the story you’re coming up with.
One tip to have an easier time getting into your story is to pick a show or movie that has a similar theme or concept to your idea and listen to its soundtrack while you write. For example, if you’re creating a serious high fantasy series, try listening to the music of something like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. The soundtrack will already have been designed to create a similar mood to that of what you’re looking to make, therefore efficiently and effectively transporting you into that frame of mind.
If you’re looking for a place to start, here is a small playlist of soundtracks and artists that work well for different genres: Soundtracks for Writing
Music & Visualizing: Another wonderful use for music is that it can help you visualize the scenes in your story. Many of my favorite scenes and plot points from stories that I’m writing have come from listening to a song and visualizing a scene playing out to it. Sometimes you already have an idea of what you want to happen, and the song simply carries you through the scene; and sometimes you have no idea what’s going to happen next and the song just shows you. In this way, music can quite literally help you see your story before you write it. And what an amazing experience it is to watch your characters and plot come to life, dancing in images that appear in your mind as naturally as breathing.
Character Playlists: To write a compelling story, you need compelling characters. And to have that, you must be able to get inside your character’s head. You have to truly know who they are and understand them from the inside out. And once you have a character in mind, one of the easiest ways to remain in their headspace is to have a soundtrack for them. It will bring you into their world, letting you see things from their perspective with an ease that is almost laughter-inducing in the relief it provides.
There are also some amazing pre-made playlists on Youtube that have been created and tailored for specific moods and frames of mind. If you’d rather not go through the trouble of making your own character playlists, I highly recommend checking out these existing ones. You will undoubtedly be able to find one that suits the feel of your character.
To get started, check out the playlists of playlists below: