Music

I don't know about you all, but nothing gets my creative juices flowing better than a good, powerful song in a language I can't understand (because it's all the better if I'm left to figure my own interpretation of the song). I'll just turn on something by E Nomine or something like that and sit there and daydream about a scene or character from my book. For me, anyway, it helps me invision things better and get a more dramatic feel for everything that's going on. Surely I'm not the only one who does this sort of thing? What songs work best for you?

Highland: O Fortuna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGqDPd8ZT-E

I use different types of music for different types of 'feel' in my stories- Decemberists are for general scenes, Cold War Kids for especially emotional ones, and Muse for battle scenes (hmm...).

On Green (my NaNo) I listened to a lot of Beck, and that got some interesting results.

We've had this topic before.

I think I made it.

Or not.

I don't remember.

I listen to everything.

I like that crazy latin stuff too.

I only listen to classical music when I'm writing and I have different composers for each story.

I can't listen to music while I'm actually writing, but if I take breaks between and listen to soundtracks, it really helps. My favorites are...

The Lord of the Rings soundtrack (for basically anything)
Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack (for subtlety and depth)
Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack (for fun scenes)
Munich soundtrack (for moody scenes)
Anything by Danny Elfman (for crazy scenes)
Cast Away or Forest Gump soundtracks (for moving scenes)

The Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack is the best for writing, I think? Does anyone else find that relaxing?

RR*

I need to get a CD of Irish music to inspire me for my novel. I know, I know, DD, you have some for me-just convince my parents to let me get messenger!

I like silence, I find music messes the grammar of my work and ruins it. Griffinkeeper felt the wrath of frantic typing whilst listening to meat loaf. lol.

If you listen to a song when you write, you have an extra mood that the reader doesn't have. If you are going to listen to music while you write, don't be surprised when the reader gets a totally different perspective on things, or thinks something that you don't want them to think.

Although I used to enjoy writing with music in the background, I found it did more harm than good in the long run.

- Andy

I can't listen to music and write. Unless its very quiet classical music. I'm not that good at multi-tasking. ^.^

I find that I'll stop concentrating on my writing and will start singing along to the song.