I listen to music when I write. Always have, probably always will. Once I get deep into writing mode, I can't say that I hear the music anymore, but it's always there.
Song lyrics have provided great inspiration for my stories, too. I have two different series which have song titles as the book titles.
My Darkness on the Edge of Town series is based on songs by Bruce Springsteen. Dancing in the Dark, Born to Run and Hungry Heart are three of my favorite stories, and some of the first where the book has been written to fit the title. They're also about gay cops, which are hands down some of my favorite subjects. LOL
Jude Mason and I each wrote two books in our Slippery When Wet series, based on Bon Jovi songs. I wrote Wanted Dead or Alive and Never Say Goodbye, and Jude penned Livin' on a Prayer and I'd Die for You. They are also particular favorites, these are about ex-cons which was new for me but great fun to write. For the BWL boxed set we added another set of novellas Jude and I wrote, Willing and Able, about (you guessed it) gay cops.
The advent of USB drives in cars has opened my music playlist to include all kinds of songs. With the availability of music on the internet, if I hear a song that I'd forgotten about, I'm able to get a copy and stick it in my playlist for posterity. This makes for some very random and unusual playlists.
I'm basically into oldies from the 70's forward and recent country music. My current likes also include Train, Jason Mraz, and anything Billy Joel or Keith Urban. The guilty pleasure songs on my current playlist include 'Something Stupid' by Frank and Nancy Sinatra, "Silhouettes' by the Herman's Hermits, 'I Say a Little Prayer' by Dionne Warwick and 'Conquistador' by Procol Harum. I mentioned random, right?
My husband prefers solid gold oldies and hard rock like CCR and Janis Joplin. Today when I drove his car and punched on his media drive, 'The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia' started playing. Not the classic Vicki Lawrence version, either, the Reba version. *sigh* I guess we all have our musical guilty pleasures!
What's the most unusual song on your current playlist?
~ Jenna Byrnes
Page Scorching Erotic Romance
I love all kinds of music, depending on my mood. At one workshop I went to the presenter played different kinds of music, just short pieces, and then we had to write whatever came to us. It was amazing how different each piece was. An interesting concept for sure, but I need to have peace and quiet when I write. Thanks for your take,Jenna.
ReplyDeleteMusic when writing. I'm a classical music lover and the 1812 Overture always is played when I'm doing fight scenes. Ballet music is great for love scenes. I can't write when hearing people singing though
ReplyDeleteHi Jenna,
ReplyDeleteThat sounds interesting, I am the opposite, I like to write in deadly silence. Music distracts me.
I'm the same, like peace and quiet when I write. The only time I play music here on my computer is when the dog next door won't shut up and I play my favorite Alan Jackson or Kenny Rogers tracks to block him out. But my fav or all time is a Kenny Rogers track-I Can't Make you Love Me. The saddest song written but also the most beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGreat post , Jenna. Music has always played a large role in my writing. When not at the computer, I listen to compositions (mostly classical) that have become the soundtrack to my work in progress, but never while actually working. As with song lyrics getting stuck in my mind, I find myself humming along to the music du jour. It's too distracting. But to keep me "there," I never go anywhere without my ipod or the CD that sets the mood. It drives my family nuts :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone for stopping by and commenting. Music is wonderful, I can't imagine life without it! Have a great weekend.
ReplyDelete