Writing Tips!

Music and The Feel Of Your Story

Music is such as great inspiration tool, and I've recently found a new use for it.

When you are starting a new story/poem/whatever you're writing, try this. I'm sure it will make a difference.

Before you start writing, think about the feel of your book. You know the thing I mean. The general vibe of the story you want. Is it racing and adventure? Is it soft and delicate? Is it cigarette smoke and ink covered fingers, or is it dirty alleys and greasy hair? Get a feeling for your story.

Once you have that, pick a band. Preferrably one you like, but one that fits the feel of your story. It matches the mood, the tone you want to write in, maybe the lyrics of one of their songs even relate to your characters. Whatever it is, find a band that gives you the same or at least a very similar feeling as your story does.

Now, sit down to write, but as you do so, put on some headphones, and put on a playlist of nothing but that band. Write. If you run out of speed or ideas, let the music guide you. It'll keep you in the same mood as you want your story to be, and keep you on track. I even think it helps you write better, if I'm being honest. You'd be surprised how it can enhance the story for you.

Listen to what your characters would listen to as you write. Listen to music that could play in the background of the movie version of your story. It does wonders, really.

I tried this recently with a story I was seriously struggling with for my Fiction Writing class. I had recently started listening to the Lumineers a lot, and one of their songs gave me the same feel as the idea for my story did, so I put on their Spotify playlist while I wrote, and some of my personal favorite lines are in the story that followed. I just tried it again, listening to Two Steps from Hell while trying to write something new, since they were both epic yet mystical type things, and it's working genius.

You don't even have to pick a band that has lyrics. Sometimes the feeling a sole instrument gives you is enough. If you need some good instrumental bands for inspiration, I recommend these:

-2 Cellos

-Mozart Heroes

-Two Steps From Hell

-Relaxing Celtic Music (found on YouTube)

-Any movie or TV soundtrack ever (There are hour long compilations of these on YouTube as well, I recommend Smiling from Man on Fire, and the Game of Thrones soundtrack)

And if you're looking for lyrical stuff, try these great artists-

-Victoria Carbol

-The Lumineers

-Mumford and Sons

-Of Monsters and Men

-Imagine Dragons

-Barns Courtney

-The Struts

-Robert Johnson

-Musical soundtracks (I recommend Be More Chill, Chicago, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals, and The Trail To Oregon)

Seriously. Try writing to a band with the same feel as your story. You won't regret it.