Pump up the jams...

Many writers find inspiration in music, and I am no exception. Whether we're talking the LOTR film score, Beethoven, or Sia: music evokes so many emotions in me. Sometimes this is where the stories come from. I'll hear a song, and a scene will play out in my mind. {I'm a very visual writer, too. I stare at walls for way longer than normal listening to a song and replaying a scene until I get my mind around every detail. Once, not long ago, I paced the kitchen with my headphones on...and only stopped after noticing the kids strange looks. Another time...I acted out a scene in which the character was dealing with solitude and loneliness...trying to get in her head. I have a flair for the dramatic.}

It's important for writers to live with their senses on high alert. Take in the sound of rain outside your window—listen to the tink of the drops on the flower pots. Feel the way the wind glides over your arm, raising goosebumps over your skin. Remember the quick swell in your chest when you're moved to tears. See the small touches of a couple in love: his hand on the small of her back, her fingers touching his arm, the quick glances and connections of their eyes. There is so much to absorb in life, and writers must be the masters of observance.

Music, for me, is an amplifier. I feel the scattered raindrops just before a storm, and the right song will stir a feeling of nostalgia. I see a woman sitting on a bench, eyes unfocused, and the music in my earbuds adds to her story, until my mind has decided that she is mourning the death of a loved one...or aching for the return of her soldier. In reality, she's probably hungry and thinking about her favorite sandwich. But to me, her life is angsty.

And thus a story is born.

I know I'm not alone in this. Music is universally moving. That's why movies utilize them. That's why we cry when the orchestra hits a crescendo. Music is used in worship, perhaps because it feels like an extension of the emotions we don't know how to express on our own. And for me, music and powerful lyrics are a driving force in my writing process. There is no 'writer's block' that a hot bath and my playlist can't fix.

In case you're curious, here are a few songs that helped me through some tough scenes in my recent story: Slave.

1.) The first song to impact this story is called No Longer Slaves, by Bethel Music. There isn't a specific scene to point out for this song, but rather the theme of the story as a whole. There's a line that says: "I'm no longer a slave to fear..." We live in a culture of fear. With terrorism, civil unrest, social unrest, and many other issues trying to divide and conquer us, I couldn't help but narrow this concept down to a single individual, and write the story of her path to freedom from fear. As I said in the last post, overcoming fear is part of my worldview, because I have lived it. So this song was something of a catalyst.

2.) The next song is The Lonely, by Christina Perri. This song influenced the first scene of the book. In chapter one, we find Hannah in the solitude of her living unit. Dark and cold, the loneliness is consuming-a constant reminder of the parents she lost. The lines that stand out are: "Too afraid to go inside, for the pain of one more loveless night. But the loneliness will stay with me, and hold me 'til I fall asleep." This especially comes into play near the end of chapter three.

 3.) The last song from my playlist that I'll share with you is Bird Set Free, by Sia. I was late to the game and only discovered this song toward the end of the writing process. The lines that stand out for me are: "Had a voice, had a voice, but I could not talk. You held me down. I struggle to fly now. But there's a scream inside that we all try to hide. We hold on so tight, but we can not deny {it} eats us alive. It eats us alive. There's a scream inside that we all try to hide. We hold on so tight, but I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die." and "I have a voice, have a voice-hear me roar tonight. You held me down, but I fought back loud." The whole song sums up Hannah's journey for me. There are a number of scenes that come to mind with this song. Most of them would be spoilers...so I'll resist telling you.

Eventually I'll post my entire playlist. But not yet. What about you? Are there songs that inspire your writing? When I'm typing and lyrics are distracting, I very often turn to my Film Score Pandora station. Does music help or hinder your process?

Happy writing, friends!
I believe in you!

Always,
Laura Fran