I’ll steal ideas from anyone, anywhere. I happened to notice that the Swedish book magazine Vi Läser had been asking around to find out if authors listen to music when they write.
Varied results, as was to be expected. As for your blogwitch, it’s mainly iTunes. I can get frantic trying to decide what mood I’m in, and the upset when I have chosen the wrong CD is not good for the creative juices. So a random mix of my own favourites upsets me the least – if that’s not too negative – and can on occasion make me quite happy when something especially nice comes on.
So, what do you do?
I am so disappointed that I can’t listen to music while I write. But any words distract me – and classical music is all wrong for my narrator. Sometimes I listen to some hip hop first to get me into his head. Not too much though – gives me a headache!
My book ‘The Mandolin Case’ was written to music. Every morning I would get up, have my coffee, string my mandolin around my neck, and play and write with as much emotion as I could wring out of both.
Then I’d put it back in the case and go to work as the mild mannered Doctor I am in real life.
Dr. Tom Bibey
drtombibey.wordpress.com
When writing non-fiction, NO music. When writing fiction, LOUD and sepcially selected music. Has to be anthemic, pulsing, melodic, something I know well. I’ll listen to the same album over and over and over and now certain albums remind me of writing certain books. So, Sleepwalking was written to Sting/ Police; Passionflower Massacre was REM, particularly Around the Sun; Deathwatch was Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand and Razorlight. Getting the right album on is an essential part of getting me into the mood for writing.
Nicola, I can tell you must be younger than me.
Well, I googled you to see if I could find out your age and I couldn’t, so I don’t know if you’re right but I suspect you may not be. I just don’t act my age. Not that I’m trying to say that you do … just that … gah! I don’t want to dig myself into a hole so I’ll just shut up.
I’ll see if I can heave you out of that abyss… (I wouldn’t publish my age!!) Let’s just say I like Roger Whittaker. Wouldn’t recognise Kaiser Chiefs if they popped up on my iPod.
I guess that since I had to google Roger Whittaker, that takes care of that. So – yay! – you’re even older than me. On the other hand, I also like Chopin, so maybe I’m older than you and just missed out on RW …. Oh, there’s only one solution: we have to meet and we’ll count the wrinkles beneath the eyes.
I’m not sure I can continue talking to someone who has to google RW… : (
http://culturewitch.wordpress.com/interviews/roger-whittaker-life’s-never-boring/
Wrinkles? Can’t see them for the black circles. I go for the racoon look.
Gosh, you’re cool. For an old ‘un.
Yupp. I really want to be a goth.