How Music Elevates Your Writing Experience

Some writers have to have absolutely no distractions around when they spin their stories from nothing. Disrupt them with anything (phone call, TV, just plain talking to them) and they lose whole pieces of the story.

Thank God, I’m not one of those. Julie walks in and asks something, and I can go right back to where I left off. Phone rings, no problem. Someone at the door? Again, no issue.

It’s no mystery that I love music. Everyone in the family has some musical bent. My son plays guitar. My oldest daughter and granddaughter play piano and are awesome singers. My youngest daughter plays the flute. And youngest granddaughter has picked up piano like breathing. My wife, Julie, sings, plays guitar, piano, accordion, and sings. What can I say. Simply awesome.

And I reference music often in my books.

Me? On a good day I can play the radio. I’m the odd man out when it comes to musical abilities in my family.

But that doesn’t stop me from listening as I write.

Here’s a few things I like to listen to when I’m creating:

Athens Creek: House of the Rising Sun. Counting Stars. I think these guys are a talent the world has yet to find. So simple, yet so beautiful. I listen to them to help get in peaceful family moods in the stories.

Favorite praise and worship: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty (Haven’t a clue who does it, but WOW!). Anytime God is involved in the discussion.

Roxette: In a future book, Will Diaz will comment that Roxette formed the soundtrack of his military career. Here’s some of my favs they did as part of “Night at the Proms” on BBC. Marie spends most of the show sitting down. She was very sick with cancer when it was made. I like listening to them when writing flashback scenes. It transports me right back there.

Rick Wakeman: The Classical Connection. I’ve been listening to Wakeman since college. When he did Journey to the Center of the Earth? What can I say-Mind Blown! A beautiful piece by Wakeman is his performance of: Morning has Broken! Good for writing anytime.

Antti Martikainen: Lord of Iron (Celtic Metal), Pretty much anything this guy does is worth listening to. He’s another talent the world has yet to stumble over. I like using him during investigations, chases, and gunfights.

Mike Oldfield – Music of the Spheres. Mike is someone I’ve listened to ever since he did Tubular Bells. When dealing with the awesome mountains of Colorado.

Nightwish: My wife isn’t a metal fan but she’s a fan of this – Floor Jansen: Phantom of the Opera. Over the Hills and Faraway especially during chases and gunfights. This version has Tarja.

Celtica: When I need to pick up the pace. Amazing Grace. Megawatt. The pipes just get a person going.

Anything by Two Steps from Hell: This is a mix posted on YouTube but it will give you an idea. What can I say. I like Epic Music. Blame my discovery of Bach, Beethoven, and all the biggies.

A beautiful and haunting piece that helped me write the funeral at the end of Event Horizon. Lakota Lullaby by Alexia Evellyn.

Sound tracks: Tron Legacy Again, Epic Music. Good for plain old writing.

Something that has popped up on my radar recently is the soundtrack to 765874 – Unification by Michael Giacchino. If you’re a Star Trek fan you might enjoy it. It’s kind of 2001 like, but in a different way. The music is simple but Epic at the same time. The music is a place where less was certainly more and it taps into emotions easier. But what can I say about the video. Captain James T. Kirk lives.

Enjoy.