For the perfect mood

What do you do to get in the mood to write?

I write chick lit (for those of you who didn’t know).

I like happy music… but I also love somber music. Here are a few of my choices while writing a story.

Wild Horses – Natasha Bedingfield

Comic Love, Dog Days are Over – Florence and the Machine

Animal & - Neon Trees

Anything by Adele, Kate Nash, Regina Spektor, or A Fine Frenzy

So there you have it, my secret weapons. A few songs to kick writers block out of the building. Or at least for something to listen to when I’m feeling the writer’s block.

Now many of you know when I’m really writing (big chunks) I also watch TV. I like something happening in the background. It’s a must. I may do nothing with it but it’s at least there.

What’s your method? Favorite songs you’d like to share?

where the music takes us

As writers we all have our own unique ways of learning more about our characters. We also use very basic tools to make us feel the emotions we want for our characters. One thing I do is scope out where I think my character might go, if she is an avid musician I'll go see live music play some place nearby to learn what an event would be like. If she loves coffee shops I'll visit a coffee shop and pretend I am her to get a feel of how I would act. It is nice to live in the life of your character, it only makes them more real.

I have recently found my playlist for my character Lauren in Finding Me... here it is

Cut by Plumb
The Moment I said it by Imogen Heap
Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap
Bird of the Summer by A Fine Frenzy
Swan Song by A Fine Frenzy
Walking on Air by Kerli
The Creationist by Kerli
Droplets (feat. Jason Reeves) by Colbie Caillat
Imaginary by Evanescene

Music can take you almost anywhere, make you feel sadness, happiness, betrayal... that is the true beauty. Some of these songs may mean something entirely different for you than they do for me. Lauren's song is Cut by Plumb, the feel of the song and lyrics define her. I wasn't even thinking of giving her a song, but thanks to pandora.com they put it on my playlist and I immediately loved it. As for Bird of the Summer and the Swan Song I love a Fine Frenzy and they give me the feel of Laurens personality.

Do you have your playlist created? What works best for you when creating your character? What kind of feelings are you striving for the reader to feel?

hide and seek

Thanks to the lovely Imogen Heap and her song Hide and Seek she gives me much inspiration when I am writing, I love her voice, and the feeling her music gives me... she is amazing!!!

where are we?
what the hell is going on?
the dust has only just begun to form
crop circles in the carpet
sinking feeling

spin me round again
and rub my eyes,
this can't be happening
when busy streets a mess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy

hide and seek
trains and sewing machines
all those years
they were here first

oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before the takeover,
the sweeping insensitivity of this still life

hide and seek
trains and sewing machines (oh, you won't catch me around here)
blood and tears (hearts)
they were here first

Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmm that you only meant well?
well of course you did
Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmmm that it's all for the best?
of course it is
Mmmm whatcha say?
Mmmm that it's just what we need
you decided this
whatcha say?
Mmmm what did she say?

ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs
speak no feeling no I don't believe you
you don't care a bit,
you don't care a bit

(hide and seek)
ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs

(hide and seek)
speak no feeling no i don't believe you
you don't care a bit,
you don't care a (you don't care a) bit

(hide and seek)
oh no, you don't care a bit
oh no, you don't care a bit

(hide and seek)
oh no, you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit
you don't care a bit