Music To Write By

Every time I start a new book I begin to pull together songs that fit the characters, the setting and the tone of the book. I didn't do this initially with Tho I Walk. And I have suffered.



I wasn't clicking with the story on an emotional level for a long time. And when I don't connect emotionally, I write in fits and starts. This makes for choppy writing and a really lame writing schedule. I almost threw the story out in order to start another one that's starting to whisper sweet nothings in my ear. Darn stories, they won't leave me alone for a minute! *grin*



This story has the potential to be a really good story if I keep with it, so I decided to spend some time with my draft, such as it is, and try to figure out what was holding me back. Other than my own fear that I'm really going to screw it up, that is.



As I got half way through my draft it dawned on me that I hadn't put together my soundtrack for this book. Not one song had made it's way into a playlist on my iPod for this book. Oh, at times I would hear a song and think about the characters. Once in the car with my husband I heard a song that summed up the themes of my book, but neither one of us had any idea who sang it so it's lost to me forever.



This week I started going through my iTunes to see what I had that resonated. I also started a section in my story notebook for potential songs or what types of emotions I'm looking for in songs. Here's my list so far:

• How Can We See That Far -- by Amy Grant
• Will You Be There (In the Morning) -- by Heart
• Woman in Chains -- by Tears for Fears
• My Sacrifice -- by Creed
• Eye To Eye -- by Amy Grant
• Easy Tonight -- by Five for Fighting
• Borrowed Heaven -- by The Corrs
• Come To Jesus -- by Mindy Smith
• Unwell -- by Matchbox 20
• Because of You -- by Kelly Clarkson
• September When it Comes -- by Roseanne Cash and Johnny Cash
• My Lover's Gone -- by Dido
• Most of the Three Musketeers Soundtrack (minus the theme song)
• A Little More -- by Jennifer Knapp

I'm still working on adding the right songs and some of these may disappear. But as I write I'm starting to feel the emotional impact of this story in my gut. Finally.


Do you make soundtracks for your life? What song or orchestral piece best describes this time in your life?