Thu 27 Mar, 2008
I’m sure many writers can attest to the fact that the having the right music
playing while they’re writing can make the difference between inspired and creative writing or writing that reads like it was a chore. Over at ThePublishingSpot, author Jason Boog asked what kind of music keeps you writing and pointed readers to a 52 Project’s post about the best music to write to.
For me it really depends. Writing, like music, is largely about mood. Not whether or not I’m in the mood to write or listen but rather what I’m in the mood for or what mood I need to create.
kmmad
I write about music quite a bit (that is after all what this blog is dedicated to), but I also write other cultural opinion pieces on other sites. When I'm writing an album review, I listen to whatever I'm reviewing. If I'm writing about pop culture I usually put on something fun and up-beat like "Tasty" by Kelis or one of the more up-tempo mixes I've made. Actually mixes are especially good for creating a mood because if done right they can have a very different flow than an album typically does.
If I'm writing about something relatively serious, I like moody music like "Dummy" by Portishead or "Extraordinary Machine" by Fiona Apple . Music without words is especially good for work that takes concentration (words can be distracting as I tend to sing along) and I've been listening to Nine Inch Nails new album "Ghosts" lately; it's awesome for focused writing.
As a default though, I prefer the mellow, moody and somewhat ambient music for writing. It has a way of yielding and becoming white noise as opposed to monopolizing your attention with infectious grooves.
What tunes do you like to write to?
Bridget says:
Interesting topic! When I’m writing, I tend to NOT like to listen to music because, just as you do, I love to sing along. I would end up writing the words to the song instead of the content of my articles. Although I LOVE all kinds of music, just not when I’m writing.
Brandon says:
Listening to music makes it harder for me to concentrate when I’m writing, although I’ve never tried ambient tunes without words before. Maybe some classical music would be good.
Kimberlee Morrison says:
I find the words to be distracting. Non-vocal jazz is also a good option too. Although I find myself whistling along to that sometimes. I’ve found that them more ambient and quiet the music, the easier it is for it to become white noise.