It’s spring (in the northern hemisphere) and the birds are twittering and big changes are in the air. I’m moving this month so it’s been a very busy few weeks. I didn’t want to leave you without your monthly blog though. It gives me a chance to slow down and ‘chat’ with people who enjoy writing and reading. With all these changes in mind, I got to thinking about soundtracks. The power of music behind a movie or series is well known. But many people I know who write have some music in the background, and this usually influences their work. It does with me too so I wanted to talk about the music that played while I wrote my novels.
Julianne was the first novel that I ever wrote. While the second half of the book was substantially different than my first version, the feel was the same from the first to second version. I listened to a mixed CD of Evanescence’s music for the first draft. It had the emotional context I was looking for. While it formed the backbone of the second draft, there was a lot more music included. The soundtracks to Ever After and The Lord of the Rings were played regularly for this draft.
The answer to this question for the Pure Red Sand series is very easy. I listened to the Battlestar Galactica (2004) series over and over. The drums of the first and second seasons kept me on track for the building suspense and the huge expanses of politics and geography that I was striving for. I’ve got at least three more books planned for this series and I have no doubt I’ll be going back to that fantastic music to inspire them.
Another Chance in London had a very different type of music for its creation. I can’t remember what I had playing for the first draft of the first half. But I distinctly remember the type of music I used for the rest. I ended up writing the second half of the book in cafés in Scotland and finishing it off during breaks while working at a bakery. The inspiration to finish this project was Norah Jones’ Come Away with Me. There was a song playing in the café in Edinburgh and it just all came together. The music felt smooth and slinky, the mood I was trying for in this book.
I wrote The Red Rose Chronicles (under the name of Liz Smith) when I was in my late teens. I know I had Tegan and Sara’s This Business of Art playing a lot at that time. I listened to Metallica and Lacuna Coil too so I’m sure they had some heavy influence. It’s hard to remember exactly what was on rotation at that point. A lot of that music is still with me, if not as regularly playing.
My tastes change a fair bit as I age and take on new writing projects. I don’t really have a set soundtrack for the Terran B book (yet). I am listening the the season 1 soundtrack of Outlander (vol 1 and 2) by Bear McCreary, who is a favourite composer. The song I’m Not Your Hero from Tegan and Sara’s Heartthrob album has been very inspirational. If anything comes up as I continue to move forward, I’ll be certain to let you know. Once I finish that book, I think I’m headed back to the sands of Mars for another sojourn.
What music do you listen to when you’re creating whatever makes you happy? Do you watch British mysteries while knitting or cross stitching (I do)? Or maybe murder podcasts power your crochet? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s share our creative inspiration.
It's all about the words 