A Writer's Playlist

As a writer, I find setting the scene is what truly brings your story to life and immerses readers. It needs to feel real; the reader should be able to see the scene that you're seeing in your head. Going places that relate to what I'm writing about and documenting my surroundings helps immensely to create locations that my characters are experiencing but making time to write some days can be difficult, much less making time to travel. Of course, having those picture and notes to look back on aid in keeping a location fresh in my mind, but locations also trigger feelings. Listening to the right music that fits into what your writing makes you feel regardless of where you are or what time it is.

I've always loved music. Listening to it, playing it; like writing, music is a passion to me. But it wasn't until I began DJing at my college campus radio station that I figured out how powerful combining the two together could be. Even as a kid, I'd image my own scenes in my head that would play out based on what song I was listening to. I'd also pick out songs I thought my characters would listen to base on their personalities and what was happening in my stories. But when I became a DJ, I also began working hard on my first fiction novel and would put together playlists for my radio show while working on a chapter. As I multitasked, I started to pick music that fit into the scenes I was working out. Some of the songs even helped me develop my plot. For example, "Dark Paradise" by Lana Del Rey inspired me to temporarily kill off a love interest, then the main character knew she could rescue her since she dreamt about her. It also allowed me to get into the mind of my character's heartbreak to write a really dynamic scene.

When it comes to preparing the right playlist for writing, I very rarely stick to listening to just one. I like to make a general writing playlist and a playlist specific to what I'm writing (something that captures the mood, plot, and/or aesthetics). Typically, unless I have a more solid plan of what I'm writing, I begin with using my general playlist, then shift to a more specializing playlist when I need specific sounds to fit where I'm at in the story.

So how do I pick my general playlist?

For the general playlist, I typically go for sound rather than meaning. A mix of songs with and without words that aren't distracting yet makes me feel emotion when I pause to think or face writer's block. My writing playlist is as follows:

Midnight City - M83

Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun - M83

Saltwater - Geowolf

Baby Blue - Wolf Parade

Let It Happen - Tame Impala

Shake - The Head and the Heart

In A Week - Hozier

Seven Hours with a Backseat Driver - Gotye

I Care - Syd Matters

One Summer Night - Ariel Pink

Un Nouveau Soleil - M83

Pearly-dewdrops' drop - Cocteau Twins

Out of Mind - DIIV

Buttercup - Jack Stauber

Wolf - First Aid Kit

Almost (Sweet Music) - Hozier

Castle of Ice - Irene Weiss

Video Games - Lana Del Rey

Feelings - M83

From this list, a lot of artist repetition comes from M83. Their music pairs very well with writing, especially since the songs typically capture different feelings. I definitely recommend going through their albums for writing music inspiration.

In terms of creating a playlist more specific to what I'm writing, the following is the playlist I created for my completed novel. My novel, titled "The Untold Story of a Mermaid", is a YA urban fantasy/lesbian romance story.

Obstacles - Syd Matters

Pretty Girl - Hayley Kiyoko

I Love You - Beatrice Eli

Uninvited - Doll Skin

Can't Help Falling in Love - Haley Reinhart

Explosion - Zolita

Behind the Sea - Panic! At the Disco

Symphony - Michael Cera, Alden Penner, Charlyne Yi

Can't Stop - M83

Dark Paradise - Lana Del Rey

Library Magic - The Head and the Heart

i wanna be your girlfriend - girl in red

Fire of Love - Jesse Jo Stark

Wednesday Night Melody - Bleached

Jigsaw Puzzle - of Montreal

Caffeine - Foreign Air

Feeling Ok - Best Coast

Can't Hold Back - Midnight Riot

Simple Song - The Shins

Meet on the Ledge - Greta Van Fleet

Having the right music playing while you write can really help with both flow and creating a vivid scene for your readers. Whether or not my music fits your taste and writing style, I hope that I've at least either inspired you to create a writing playlist of your own or helped guide you to artists that fit your writing.

If you're really struggling with finding the right sound, sometimes going onto music platforms like Spotify and simply searching your title, desired mood, setting, or aesthetic can direct you to playlists composed by others that have the songs you're looking for.

Happy writing!