Night was beginning to fall over the forest as Alexander picked up his pace. The sun was casting a red-orange glow that cut through the trunks, dappling the path before him, while a cool breeze drifted through the leaves above. The sound of the wind joined in the chorus of insects that seemed to be screaming at him, causing goosebumps to run along his arms. Everything depended on him reaching the river that ran through the forest because if he didn't then he would be faced with the terrible specters and ghosts that haunted the forest at night. He shuddered, nearly tripping over a root, as he remembered the stories his mother told him and his little sister.  But if he made it to the river, the running water—just as pure iron— was a defense against the foul creatures of night. He would be safe. 

This scene conjures up some imagery for the reader. You can envision the forest, hear the wind & insects, and feel the cooling temperature transition of day into night. Now, the wind & insects provide the backdrop of sound to this scene, but if you read as I do, then maybe you are imagining it as you would see in a movie where the ambient music might be creepy or threatening in the background as Alexander hurries along. The music echoes and intensifies what the protagonist is feeling or doing.

Close your eyes…feel the ocean where passion lies. Silently the senses abandon all defenses. A place between sleep and awake. End of innocence, unending masquerade. That’s where I’ll wait for you.

Sleepwalker by Nightwish

Music helps me transition from my day-to-day work, chores, and worries to the world of my book. When I sit down it takes me about 30 minutes of listening to music in order to immerse myself in the mood of what I want to write and feel inspiration take hold. I can’t write a battle scene while listening to K Pop nor can I write a sorrowful scene to folk tunes. Above all else, writing in silence is difficult because it is music that fills my heart with the highest ocean waves, rocking me to the core, and moving me to type the ideas I want to convey.

Luckily the internet has made all kinds of music more accessible than ever. Youtube is my personal go-to if I don’t already have the song or artist in my iTunes library, but I’ve also used Grooveshark and Pandora in the past. Ad-blockers are a lifesaver with Youtube. Anyways, my point is that there is a song for everything you could ever want to listen to: “winter” music, to make me feel like I’m trudging through an icy, windswept, world; “enchanted forest” music to make me feel like I’ve stepped into a fairy tale; and “evil carnival” music to make you feel like a clown is going to step out and stab you. I usually, but not always, search out soundtracks with minimal vocals in order to cause less distraction. I’m an especially big fan of video game & anime soundtracks that have excellent violin or piano pieces.

Above, I’ve compiled a playlist of music that I use for my writing inspiration. Some specific artists that may not be included in this playlist, but that I also listen to are: Nightwish, Puscifer, Tool, Sarah McLachlan, Kishi Bashi, and Two Steps from Hell (<- the best music for writing epic battle scenes!!!). I love a wide range of music. If I had to choose between losing my sense of vision or losing my hearing, I would pick losing my vision hands down. The world is a beautiful place, but for me music is the heart.

Comment below to tell me what artists or songs inspire you! I’m always looking for more music in my life.

Music Makes You Braver

Two Steps from hell