Music I write to

Music plays a big influence when I write. I use it for mood, setting and pace as well as for blocking out noise and distractions.

When I first roughed out my draft for Song of Dawn, I wrote the majority of the story to the sound track of Gladiator. However, the story only contained the male protagonist in those days, and after completing the Open University’s degree in creative writing I found that when I returned to my precious manuscript that it was absolute and utter rubbish, (just like a lot of writers who doubt their ability).

After passing year one of the Masters in Creative Writing, I found the courage to return to the story and rewrite it. These days I find Ludovico Einaudi provides a good background which doesn’t intrude on your creative thoughts. I particularly like Einaudi’s In a Time Lapse, this provides a slightly eerie background and gives me the feeling that I’m trying to create, although I can occasionally still return to the soundtrack from Gladiator.

I found the music of Loreena McKennitt suitable for the development of the character of Serin. Loreena’s album The Mask and the Mirror sets the right tone for the landscape and the mood that I’m trying to create for Crystal Moon. I found the Marrakesh Night Market, evocative. Parts of An Ancient Muse, and The Book of Secrets have been useful too.

I cannot use popular songs or even my favourites, David Bowie or Joe Cocker as I find myself too distracted and singing along with their tracks. Film music is my favourite to use when I’m writing things other than Distant Lands, but I do tend to steer away from the music that was used for Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings as the images from the film are too memorable.

Below is a list of music that I have used.

The soundtrack for Inception composed by Hans Zimmer.

The soundtrack for Gladiator composed by Hans Zimmer.

The soundtrack for A Beautiful Mind composed by James Horner.

The soundtrack for The Matrix composed by Don Davis.

Mena - Middle Eastern & North Africa (Arab World: Classical, Moroccan, Egyptian, Lebanese, Khaliji & more).

Various albums of Loreena McKennitt – The Mask and the Mirror.

An Ancient Muse.

The Book of Secrets.

Italia by Chris Botti.

Various albums of Ludovico Einaudi - In a Time Lapse.

Taranta Project.

Islands

Nightbook.

Lofi Buzz - Arctic Lux, Cameron Ferguson’s music (listen on YouTube).

This is not the complete list just a flavour in the hope that you might try it if you don’t use this technique already.