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Comment by Jennifer Chaussee on July 20, 2012 at 12:35am

What a great group idea! Music and writing! Yes, of course! I usually like to write to something without lyrics, but of course it's just about whatever moves you in the moment. If I listen to something too familiar, I won't get any of my own original writing done because the voice of the lyricist will get stuck in my head. I avoid repetition by listening to playlists online. Some of my favorite web streaming sites are 8tracks and Stereomood.

8tracks is a website where people can make their own playlists (both short and long). The feature playlists on the front page aren't usually my favorite, but you can browse certain themes and genres and usually find what you're looking for- and tons of new things too! You can save your favorite songs and listen to them in a playlist, also.

Stereomood is one of my favorites to stream while writing (poetry especially) because almost all of the music I have never heard before and they have some excellent background beats and tunes.

In college, my professor introduced me to Art of Noise. I really love their music for a pre-writing meditative lull period (of course, goes best with wine).

Comment by Amy Jo Sprague on May 19, 2011 at 5:22pm

a link to my music at box.net

Comment by Amy Jo Sprague on April 20, 2010 at 2:27am

ok, it's working. Victoria I'm so sorry it took me so long to get back to you but awesome question! LOVE LOVE LOVE the music and memoir. I'd have to say that i really tend to listen to music i know all too well or music where the singers' voices actually blend in with the song. I imagine their voice is like this stream of me and i'm finding my way through the tunes to see where i fit. Sound weird? In particular I think of Bon Iver, State Radio, David Gray, or Adele (her voice is such an instrument). But then there's the old greats (like Dylan as you said) that even just their sound tells the story of a time. Sometimes the song inspires the piece, sometimes the piece/idea inspires what i'll listen to. Its purely sound for me, not lyrics. Thanks! Hope i make a little sense!

Comment by Amy Jo Sprague on April 20, 2010 at 2:23am

testing testing

Comment by E Victoria Flynn on March 17, 2010 at 12:36pm

Amy, I keep thinking about this lately. I've really taken to Pandora and most notably to the Adam Green station which seems to play so many artists related to the parts of my life I'm trying to tap into via memoir--Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Neko Case...I also notice how easily distracted I am by the music, that I can settle into my chair with a glass of wine and get washed away. How do you maintain focus on writing while listening to music with lyrics?

Also, have you used music to get into the mind of a character? This is something else I have been experimenting with lately.

Comment by Amy Jo Sprague on March 17, 2010 at 12:31pm

ok, i'm listening to State Radio's song "Indian Moon" over and over. Something's comin'.

Comment by Amy Jo Sprague on November 10, 2009 at 11:34am

this is great! this could be alot of fun! uh i'm not too sure what i'm doing here as far as where to post stuff--but i did my first "flash nonfiction/music" under the discussion forum "music and flash fiction" up on time. thanks everybody!!!

Comment by Amber H.W. on November 10, 2009 at 9:55am

I like to listen to the music that I liked in high school like Placebo, its all very angsty and it usually fits the mood I am in when I write :)

Comment by Priscilla Maxine McGee on November 9, 2009 at 10:53pm

Thank you for the invitation. When I write I am inspired by nice quiet music with no words. I have a particular song that I like by Shekinah Glory (The Gathering) I love this song. It really inspires me.

Comment by E Victoria Flynn on November 9, 2009 at 9:46pm

Good idea for a fun group! Thanks for the invite, Amy. I don't listen to music all the time when I write because it can be distracting or I might make the wrong choice. Music can be so powerful that the wrong thing can send me elsewhere. Other times it's that power that drives a piece. I love those moments. Nina Simone really gets me.