Quest for the Ultimate Playlist

I wish I was a soprano or even a musician. Someone who has magic at their fingertips. Alas the only magic I seem to have is the ability of the written word, and writing fiction has always been my favorite pastime. People often think that writers have to get into the mood to write, but with how long I've been writing, I know that the opposite is true. There's always a story at the tip of my tongue or fingertips. I have been known to weave a tale during Christmastime for my nieces whose favorite pastime is getting me to tell them a story. Or to look at a quote online, a writing prompt, and immediately have a fictional story with a believable middle and end, if not beginning.

I've never been one of those writers who have been fond of writing beginnings, but let me write a story randomly from the middle or towards the end, and I'm your girl. That aside, I know that half the reason writers claim writer's block, is not because they can't think about what to write next but that they aren't in the right mindset to work. For me, I've been battling writer's block in one way or the other, almost my whole life. So I've learned that the best way to overcome writer's block, is to change your outlook on life. The best way I have always known to do this is by music.

Spotify has been a godsend because no matter what I want to write about, I know that somewhere in its legions of curated playlists there is one waiting for me. Finding music has been easier and easier with Spotify curated daily playlists for me or my habit of making a playlist while I write.

The first time I did this is because I was writing a romance novel and found myself listening to certain songs when writing certain scenes. That specific playlist has become one of my favorite playlists to listen to. I have always found myself writing more fantasy scenes while listening to instrumental music, sometimes the soundtrack to the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit playing whimsically in my ear and other times the roaring sounds of Pacific Rim and Legend of the Sword ringing in my ears.

Now of course with Valentine's day upon us the playlists that Spotify has been showing me have been with the love theme in mind. I won't lie, I did listen to some of those, before coming to the conclusion that I wanted some of the nostalgia of my childhood. So I found myself back into listening to the songs of the 90s, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, even some Justin Timberlake ringing out in my ears. Geronimo and Twin Forks following it for some just happy jump around music.

Whenever I find myself listening to 90s music, I know that I will be listening to my favorite Bon Jovi music, followed by some Nickelback, before finishing it all with some Three Days Grace. Who needs love, when you can yell out your feelings at the top of your lungs?

For me, I will always love songs about love, but I will always lean towards the songs that have me screaming out my feelings, like Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, or Evanescence, or songs that are so sad, but you can't help but sing along to, like Sam Smith, John Legend and even the incomparable Ed Sheeran.

I am also extremely proud of my Canadian heritage so I will also be including Michael Buble, Virginia to Vegas, Carly Rae Jepsen, Hedley, and Avril Lavigne in that group as well.

For me, music has always depended on what kind of mood or mindset I'm in. It is one of those things that change with time. I never know what kind of mood I might be in, so having Spotify around will always make me happy as I can change what I listen to with a click of a button. Not having to depend on the radio has always been something that's made me happy, as they never seem to play music I want to listen to, not usually in any case.