Musical Inspiration

I've never really written about music that inspires me to write, and after I read my friend, B. Miller's blog, I decided it's about time I should.

I don't listen to music when I write, I can't have any distractions or I get all scatterbrained, and if you know me, you know I'm easily distracted. However, I do THINK about music when I write. A lot, as music has always been an important part of my life.

I actually believe I there is a soundtrack to life, mine constantly changes, back in the 80's it would have consisted of bands like The Cure, The Smiths, Ministry, your 80's goth, new wave. In the 90's Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden would have been the soundtrack of my life. These days, it's a little less alternative (though it still has its place, for instance, Nirvana's Lithium) and a little more Indie. Some Brandi Carlile, Mat Kearney maybe some DCFC.

When I'm writing, it seems logical that when writing scenes I think about certain songs. I remember when writing my second book, Dena Powers: The Trouble with Boys there was one scene in which Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars played over and over inside my head. The scene was written, and it was perfect (okay, maybe not perfect, but I thought it was pretty darn good).

Writing Mending Fences, Indie music was
constantly on my mind. I even start each section of the book with song lyrics from Death Cab, Badly Drawn Boy, and Tiger Army. Death Cab's, I Will Follow You Into the Dark has a major part in one scene. Before revisions, Weighty Ghost by Wintersleep also played a major part. I ended up having to cut it.

My last book, Lockdown, I begin with lyrics from My Chemical Romance's Teenagers. While music doesn't play a major role in the book, music did run through my head, mostly Emo stuff, like MCR, and Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco.

So while I don't listen while writing, and while it doesn't always make it into the book, music is always an inspiration for me.