Music to Write By
My mind is intent on getting snagged on tiny little fleeting thoughts that distract me and take me on endless tangents–hello, twitter, how have you been? My, what interesting new fangs you’ve got. Where did you acquire them? Will they do any damage? Let’s see.
Luckily, I’ve lived with my mind for quite a while now, and it’s served me well enough that I’ve learned to pay attention to it and understand how it can be induced to work better. More efficiently? Well, maybe just to keep on-task.
A soundtrack is the answer. When I work at the library, even if it’s the Reference Library quiet floors, I put on music. I find that it keeps that part of my brain that likes to wander and wonder nicely occupied. The soundtrack varies. I’m a fickle being, so my music has to match a mood–mine or that of the piece that I’m writing.
I find The National very good for writing angsty pieces. Beth Ditto is fantastic for the snappier, tongue-in-cheek moments of my MS. Florence and the Machine sings me triumphant, while Alt-J sees to my mellower times.
Knight of Pentacles: it’s time to work work work work work
Today–and for a long time coming, I’m sure–I’m editing. I finished the first draft of my middle-grade adventure MS featuring a group of kids from two different worlds working together to free one of their friends and right the wrongs that stubborn adults and their traditions have wreaked. It’s got a non-binary protagonist and lots of Tarot and a lovely, if over-protective dog, and I am pouring my heart and soul into it. The Knight of Pentacles helpfully showed up to tell me I just gotta put my nose to the grindstone and get on with the revisions and the editing and the making of this story into a less drafty, more submittable MS.
BUT! I need a soundtrack to edit by, and this is where I got stuck. Well, actually, I didn’t really get stuck, but I like to have good reasons for my procrastination, as any professional in the field should. And so music is mine just now.
So, what’s a good soundtrack for editing a middle-grade book with adventures and friendship and kindness and working-together? Hmm?
Wow, kudos to that!
I recommend Belle & Sebastian – Storytelling (it’s a full album). I listen to it on Spotify and skip the few ”pieces” where there is just dialogue.
Here is a link from youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQadV-PMWv4&list=PLB875NdHRlOGgB9a7XPf13O5yMaViEVHR
PS I think I got what you meant in the other post, with the ”N-ai voce”, I forget to write this there and wanted to let you know this. :))
haha, mai bine mai tirziu decit niciodata, asa-i?
thanks for the rec. i think i have one of their albums? i’ll def give them a try.