Let's Get in On...

[Guest .:Deathbringer:.]

So, what get's you in the mood... for writing?

Music wise, I'm speaking.

I have a designated playlist on my iPod of chosen 'hot' songs that get me in the mood for writing. I like listening to slow sexy songs of any age. New, Techno, R&B, Rap, Pop, Emo, any genre with sexy lyrics.

Mainly because I write sexual fics, it's only fitting for me to listen to sexual songs to give me interesting ideas and feelings, emotions and the like.

But what kinda genres of music, if you listen to it while writing, gets you in the mood to unleash your writing skills?

[Nanaea]

As a general rule I can't listen to anything that has lyrics while I write because I'm too easily distracted.

I'm one of those annoying people who needs absolute peace and quiet to study or write. No TV, no music, no wild, heathen children running around waving their wands and yelling "Protego!" at the tops of their lungs.... Sorry, I digress. That leaves the HP soundtracks (since I write HP it helps get me in the mood - except for the fourth one which has The Weird Sisters songs at the end), and classical. Lately I've found that Led Zeppelin works for me as well (since it's mellow and I know it well enough to ignore the lyrics).

On the rare occasion that I put the earbuds in and blast something to drown out the kids it usually something smexy. I've used the Moulin Rouge soundtrack as well as the Ultimate Buffy Soundtrack (fan compiled ).

[Keith Inc.]

Several of my stories have been inspired by the lyrics and/or melody of a song.

They take me away somewhere, and i bring it back and type.

The sources vary. Thomas Dolby, Wang Chung, Steely Dan, The Bangles, Rhiannon, Jethro Tull.

Lamia was inspired by Billy Joel's "always a woman"

If i'm not interpreting word lyrics to fit the vision of my kink, though, i tend towards movie soundtracks. They usually are written to highlight a scene, so there's a definite narrative element to the music. The rise, the tension, the fight, the surprise, the escape, the relief, the sudden shocking death...usually it helps me graph out a scene in what i'm writing.

[Guest Big Samurai]

Normally, I do what Ms. 'Naea does and go with lyrics-free music, especially video game soundtracks. (Considering that I normally 'fic video games, I doubt that comes as a surprise.) There are exceptions, though, and the ones I can think up off the top of my head are Led Zeppelin, Queen, and Warren Zevon. They are very good for inspiring particular scenes.

[redsliver]

I named Rosalie after a Thin Lizzy song. Whenever I write her, I need to have it playing. Some of my other characters have theme songs that make me think of or like them but just nowhere near as much as Rosalie's. Gren - Fell In Love With A Bad Idea by Matthew Good, Cecelia - I'm Not Ready to Go by The Trews and Elfriede - A Piano rendition of Chrono Trigger's 600 AD World Map I downloaded from OCR.

Other times the songs I pick to write to need to have a good guitar player and lyrics I can ignore or no lyrics at all.

[NightScribe]

Like a few others, I can't have songs with lyrics, I end up singing along or accidentally typing them into whatever I'm writing. I usually don't listen to anything, but have the t.v. turned down to white noise level. I have listened to Vivaldi concertos at low volume; they're all pretty much the same so it's just a seamless blend of pleasant music.

[Guest Serenanna]

I have horrible taste in music, especially if you ask my brother. When I write, I need music play, almost any form of music. Oishii thinks it distracts me, but it doesn't I swear. It's everything else in my life that distracts me when I want to be distracted the least.

But I digress.

My playlist on Winamp for writing covers alot of genres and tastes for the intrumental, classical to the tastelessly overly sexual. Usually, my favorite songs to listen to though during lemon scenes are romantic. Yes, I know, how corny of me, but everything I seem to write can't be done unless it's infused with love. For those moments, I usually pick love songs, or movie or video game score music.

For action scenes, I usually load the most badass action rock songs I got, which seems to be primarily Rob Zombie, Metallica, and Korn.

Sometimes I give characters and fics whole soundtracks in my head at least. If there is music in the fic that I don't name, for such scenes as characters dancing, I at least have the song on repeat till I'm done writing or sick of it. I had that happen once already for a fic I'm slowly working on where one character is teaching the other to dance formally, but they're argueing in the middle of it. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps by Doris Day was perfect in helping get the rythem and the tension between them right.

So, ok, there. Does that make sense to anyone but me?

Sere

[Nanaea]

Several of my stories have been inspired by the lyrics and/or melody of a song.

Lamia was inspired by Billy Joel's "always a woman"

I often find inspiration in song lyrics as well. As a matter of fact, I wrote "Requited Love" while listening to "Blue" by Angie Hart over and over again, and I make mention of that fact in the author's notes.

I was planning on reading Lamia, now I'm definitely going to have to make some time, because that is one of my favorite songs. I've even tossed around the idea of writing something for it, though I haven't been able to come up with anything yet.

[Guest Agaib]

I usually go without sound, if I do write with music It'll usually be just some random classical blended together. If its not simple enough I can't think.

[Iggy_lovechild]

Usually when I'm writing I can listen to just about anything because I just end up zoning it out. But the emotions can effect me. If I'm writing for an angsty couple or an angsty story, I drag out The Cure; for something sexy, Genitorturers ( if the fuckig cd hadn't been stolen along with my purse late last year and yes I am still bitter); for everything else, NiN or Marilyn Manson usually does the trick.

[Guest .:Deathbringer:.]

Several of my stories have been inspired by the lyrics and/or melody of a song.

Same with me. Most of the time it's the punk, rock and alternative songs that give me inspiration for most of my fics.

I usually stick a certain song with a certain character and type based on what I know of the character and how I can portray them while I listen to their 'theme song'.

Makes it much easier for me to picture how they would be given if they were real.

"Animal I Have Become" from Three Days Grace is the song I chose for Hilda's demeanor in 'Never Goin' Down'. It seems fitting for her and her dark side...

[Leonhart29]

Usually I put in a movie that the kids can't watch so that they will leave me alone, but the ol' MP3 player is always turned on too. Don't ask me how, but I can tell you what's happening in the story I'm writing, what's on the TV and what I'm listening too. It's a gift and a curse.

Questions of Faith was born out of a Meatloaf song (My Life's a Lemon) and I was at work when it waltzed on in. I listen to everything but rap - rap is too hectic for my peace of mind. I've written to classical, pop, 80's, heavy metal, my Brother's band (Vex - which BTW was just named the Best Extreme Metal Band of 2006 here in Texas). So it really doesn't matter to me as long as it drowns out the every day noises that drive my muses to distraction.

[StoryJunkie]

I based one story entirely on the album "Apocalyptica", and one song in particular became the theme song for one particular character. needless to say, the storyline went way wild, and I ran with it, since I wasn't really expecting to publish more than "Death of the Queen" once I found out about fan fiction

Whenever I listen to "Life Burns", it brings to mind this darkly-clad king/warrior/mage went wrong, dashing about on his coal-black horse on the plains, trying to get revenge for some twisted reason, and having to kill his own son in order to save the world. It just kinda happened.

However, I would keep the volume at the lowest, or the lyrics would get in the way.

[TerraBreaker]

Ack, I can't abide mainstream music, without exception I never listen to the stuff, which makes me unique amongst my friends. I don't know, its almost as if the the lyrics ruin the music, I mean the track on the radio would start up and I'm thinking, "this is alright, i guess" and then some moron has to start singing and ruins it for me, oh well!

Video game soundtracks all the way for me, its the only type of music I can connect with and appreciate on any level - and yes, I get lots of funny looks and comments of "how can you not like music?" on a daily basis.

[StoryJunkie]

I used to be that way. I was SO into instrumental music when I was young, I abhored mainstream music. But then I worked at a group home for kids, and although they weren't into that sort of thing, I later heard that angsty heavy metal and was reminded of the sorrow in the world. What's a fellow to do when the world is so cruel? Grab an axe and sing will your entire soul, take drugs and don't eat. It's an ideal lifestyle.

When I met my SO he was into Leon Redbone, and that was a sort of music I hadn't heard except on the edges of my consciousness. Tastes change with time, and you are freer to explore different genres and find inspiration in surprising places.

Without my walking stick, I'd go insane

I can't look my best I feel undressed without my cane.

Must have my walking stick 'cause it may rain

When it pours can't be outdoors without my cane.

If I ever left my house without my walking stick

Well it would be something I could never explain

Oh the thing that makes me click, on lovers lane

Would go for naught if I were caught without my cane.

Be-bop-bop-de-la-dum

Be-bop-a-da-bum

Re-bop-be-a

Rop-a-de-bop

Rump-a-de-dum

Ra-da-da-de

Re-bop-bop-la-da-dum

Re-bop-be-de-a

Rop-a-de-bum

Rop-a-de-bum

Deet-de-de-a

Ra-da-da-dum

If I ever left my house without my walking stick

Well it would be something I could never explain

Oh the thing that makes me click on lovers lane

Would go for naught if I were caught without my cane.

[Valiant]

I'm working on a Devil May Cry story and for a certain scene I listened to Beyonce's Naughty girl. I really like that song...it's so hot! I also listened to Beyonce's and Jay-Z's duet for the song Deja vu. I listen to the lyrics while I type and I get influenced by the song.

I also listen the Cirque du Soliel music while I type. Especially music from Varekai. I highly suggest the song Le Reveur. Its slow, sensual, and beautiful.

[Hermione Malfoy]

I generally watch Television or DVD's when I'm writing as I live in the kind of household that is always noisy, no matter what, so I've gotten used to things being on and happening as I'm writing, music though is something I find very difficult to write to, as even classical music I tend to drown myself in a lot.

But anyway: Nightwish are my main inspiration along with soundtracks Harry Potter and Star Wars mainly, and classical... I listened to Alice Cooper the other day, he's pretty cool.

[WotanAnubis]

Since I mostly write videogame fic, I usually play the soundtrack of the game I'm writing about. It helps set the atmosphere and get the characters as right as I possibly can.

However, if I don't have that soundtrack I usually play some Baten Kaitos.

[dazzledfirestar]

I can't write without music. Certain songs or artists just call up certain characters for me and it becomes that much easier to write them. While I was working on Curious for example, there was a lot of Alannah Myles floating around, and the MSV has a very extensive soundtrack at this point... strangly enough, it consists of music that Nan, Poly and Mad have mentioned that they enjoy, so therefore it reminds me of them!

I suppose that's just how my brain works. I hear a song, and it takes me to something or someone else and I just write from that perspective.... wow... that came out way too cheesy!

[Guest Keaton the Black Jackal]

Music, music, music. All the way.

I can't remember what I was listening to when I wrote Coping Skills, though... then again Kelis's 'Bossy' and Rammstein's 'Bestrafe Mich' comes to mind whenever I re-read it. The latter mostly because a friend mentioned it.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

Edited April 13, 2007 by Keaton the Black Jackal

[Iggy_lovechild]

Usually I don't allow myself to imagine what some characters might listen to when it comes to my music tastes/collection (lest I just be externalizing), but I've been getting some very specific requests of late.

Interestingly enough, none of my current muses really like Marilyn Manson, though they'll deal with "Golden Age of the Grotesque" in certain situations. Pity I seem to have misplaced the CD.

[teeta]

Music, you ask ...

That depends on my mood, I have a large collection of music pieces I love but ...

I have this irritating habit. If I like certain song and it inspires me, I just listen to this one song all over again, on repeat mode. My last 'hit' was 'Panzer battalion' by Sabaton, I guess ...

[ladydeathfaerie]

music is the driving force behind my ability to write most days. since my son plays video games.... constantly.... i generally put in earphones and crank up my discman. yes, i'm so living in the 90's, technology wise.

as to what kind of music..... i have a few i work from constantly, though my music library is pretty vast and varied. it runs the gamut from rock to country to world music to thrash metal. mainly, i write to Godsmack, Loreena McKennitt, Evanescence, bag pipe music.... the list goes on and on. because i can write to anything. when i've got music on, it opens my mind and makes the ideas flow. my fingers follow suit and... bam!.... i've got tons of stuff written.

i have had one story inspired by music. i'd been listening to alot of Type O Negative and watching too much Queen of the Damned..... so it sort of ended up moving into a fic.

but for the most part, as long as it isn't rap, i can listen to it and write. in fact, i'm about to slip on the earphones in a moment and go to town.... maybe i'll get lucky and get a third of my challenge piece done tonight. *crosses fingers*

[FairlightMuse]

Light rock, Classic Rock, Jazz, Blues, Classic country, ( that means before the eighties) New Age, Classical, Songtracks, and 90's Alternative. When I listen to whichever genre depends on what type scene I am shooting for. It has to have good lyrics. Meaningful lyrics, anyhow.

When I wrote " I, Pormise" I listed to a lot of Enya, with most of the Harry Potter it was Simon and Garfunkel, and with this story it has been almost everything.

[Kyouryoku Senshi]

Most of the time it is rock, since that's what I use when I create music videos. A lot of the time it's Evanescence, Linkin Park, Daughtry, Hinder and etc. Depends on what sort of mood I am in.