How Music Can Affect Your Writing

We all know that music can help with writing but did you know there are 4 ways it can?

I’ve personally used music to focus and have more fun with the process. But music can do more for our writing and I want to explore that.

Here’s how music can:

• Help You Relax, Focus and Stay Awake

• Help Immerse You In The Tone and Setting of Your Story.

• Help You Write Characters

• Help You Write Battle Scenes

Let’s get right into it with the first bullet point.

Relax, Focus, and Stay Awake

If you haven’t heard this before, here it is now. Lofi, nature sounds and music can help you focus on your writing.

Lofi and nature sounds specifically can help you relax and get in the mood to write. If you make it a habit, certain tracks can make you want to write. It will be a trigger telling your brain it’s time to write.

If you like rock or other blood-bumping tracks then playing it while you can keep you awake. I know we all have coffee to fight the sandman but a backup wouldn’t hurt.

If you’re really sleepy this will only delay the inevitable by at most 15 minutes. Better than nothing though.

Set The Tone and Setting

We’re writing books, short stories, and more. These mediums don’t have music attached like video games and animation. But imagine if they did.

When writing a scene, think of a track that would play if it’s adapted into a game or movie. Same with a setting that you want to describe in detail.

Nature sounds work really well for ambiance if you want to feel like you’re actually there in the setting.

Playing the track while writing will help immerse yourself in the scene and set the tone. I personally did this when writing Last Gods chapter 16. Not the best but it did help set the tone for me.

Instead of thinking of what the tone should be, you’ll feel it. You can do this with characters too.

Character Attuning

I’ve advocated for finding or making themes for characters, this is one reason why. If you listen to it while writing character-centered scenes, it will help you get into their head.

Do this while writing character profiles too. Just in case the theme doesn’t fit the scene, you can still use it to flesh and outline characters.

Combine this with the previous section and you’ll achieve greater immersion. Finally, you can enhance battle scenes with music too.

Battle Scene Engagement

There are so many amazing battle tracks that can enhance your battle scenes.

Immerse yourself and get bumped with the right music for the right battle. It makes writing scenes so fun and helps make sure it’s exciting.

After you finish writing the scene, read it back with the music. Ask yourself, did it flow well and get across the feeling you want?

Rinse and repeat until you get the feeling right. If you feel it then your audience will too to a lesser degree without the music.

Doesn’t work well with short battle scenes so you don’t have to read back with music for those.

Conclusion

A shorter post but I hope it still helps my fellow creative writers out there. Use any tool and method to improve your writing.

A quick summary:

• Relax, Focus, and Stay Awake: Use lofi, nature sounds, and music to focus on writing. If you’re tired, use blood-bumping music to stay awake a while longer.

• Set The Tone and Setting: Use music to set the tone of a scene. Use nature sounds and music to immerse yourself in the setting.

• Character Attuning: Find or make character themes to get into your character’s head.

• Battle Scene Engagement: Make writing fight scenes more fun with fitting music. Use it to help make the battle exciting.

Comment below what songs or sounds you listen to when you write.

With that, I’m done.