How Music Influences Your Writing

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How Music Influences Your Writing

Posted on December 3rd, 2009 in Writing by Marie Antoinette

The role of music in inspiring a piece of writing.

Have you ever thought that what is playing while you are writing may influence your mood? Despite your writing style, and your taste in music, there is a correlation in the mood you write with and the music you happen to be listening to at the time. It permeates the piece you are creating at a particular moment.

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Many best-selling authors play a particular cd in the background to write a particular chapter of a book, or scene. It inspires them to create the mood in the writing. Next time you are writing a love poem, try some romantic music on the background. You will see the shift in mood. If you are writing a chapter where action takes place, play some rock or fast music.

Movie soundtracks are great too. The shift in music allows you to play with different moods. Sometimes, the best writing is done in silence, but for those moments when you need a jolt of sentiment, music does the trick. If you are stuck in a particular chapter of a novel, try listening to music according to the scene – this will help for sure.

There are many ways you can create a mood for writing; music is just a tool that you can use to shake your muse.

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Tags: art, Inspiration, muse, music, music and writing, poetry, Rock music, tools for writing, Writers Resources, Writing

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16 Responses to “How Music Influences Your Writing”

haikumad
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:13 am

Interesting article and well written.
Louie Jerome
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:25 am

Interesting! I find that it depends what I am writing. If it is light writing, articles, etc I can listen to music at the same time but work like the editing jobs I do takes 100% concentration and I have to have silence.
AlmaG
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:24 am

Yes music is a big factor to keep me inspired. Wonderful post thanks
ken bultman
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:13 am

Like your theory. Won’t work for me. I get an earworm and the music takes precedent…writing goes to pot.
Themax
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:30 pm

Thanks for the post, music is so inspiring for me too
Frances Lawrence
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:39 pm

I never play music when writing, I don’t like music, I listen to BBC Radio 4 all the time (no music).
Guy Hogan
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:47 pm

I totally agree. Music is a very important part of my life. For years I was the lead singer in several rock and roll bands when I was a young man. I have music on now.
Christine Ramsay
December 4th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

This is so true. It works for me and when I was teaching and wanted a good piece of creative writing from my children, I used to play Mozart to them. It definitely improved their work. A very good piece.

Christine
PhoenixRox
December 5th, 2009 at 8:05 am

Music inspires my poems. When I want to get into that mood, you can be sure that music is playing. Excellent article
MartineP
December 5th, 2009 at 8:34 am

Quite funny, but that is true. Fact is that I like metal and some forms of folk and folk metal.
I am not much of a romantic writer, more fantasy and yes, playing something about warriors and fights may help you create a battlefield on paper.
Fact is that I never had many great romantic encounters and that this may make me more a dwelling horror writer. Many of my stories are not that family friendly and maybe that is also because I don’t like romantic music that much.
Right now I think I can write a full horror novel based on just one song that I love.
R.B. Parsley
December 8th, 2009 at 2:12 am

Music is a great way to get the creative juices flowing.Many of my poems come to me while I’m listening to music. Another way to stimulate writing inspiration is to go to the nearest bookstore, or drugstore and read the first pages of books, and pay close attention to what your reading. I’ve got a lot of short story ideas by doing this.

Great article!

Randy
bailieman
December 8th, 2009 at 11:26 am

I like to have music in the background when I write. Many authors psyche themselves up to their writing day by using a routine which often includes listening to a favourite piece of music.
Tommy Tompkins
December 9th, 2009 at 11:35 am

I find it easy to write while listening to Mozart. The writing seems to flow more easily.
LOVELY HONEY
December 10th, 2009 at 5:54 pm

lovely gr88888888888
Valerie Curtiss
December 11th, 2009 at 3:22 pm

Doesn’t work for me either, I get involved in the writing and don’t hear a thing! Good article though
athena goodlight
December 24th, 2009 at 10:31 pm

In my case music keeps me awake when writing. Sometimes I have to turn it off when I need to focus though. The musicologist side of me hinders with my writing when I begin analyzing the chord progressions, rhythms, and countermelodies of the background music. Thanks for sharing.