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Do you listen to music while writing?

Mr. Joker

keep calm & carry on
I remember this thread a couple months ago, and I liked it, so I am recreating it. I was wondering what my fellow writers listen to while writing. Plus it could give some people some new ideas.

I listen to Nickelback, Marilyn Manson, Muse, AC/DC, The Doors, Micheal Jackson, and other kinds of rock music while writing more fast paced and fight scene chapters. I listen to jazz when I am writing a laid back chapter. And I listen to Pop when I feel like it.

So what about you?
 

FlamingRuby

The magic of Pokemon
I do this all the time so I can think about what is happening in the scene I'm writing (if it's an instrumental), or who could be singing (if it has vocals).

80's/90's pop, Celtic, and Disney music work the best for me
 

Lorde

Let's go to the beach, each.
I've been writing my own fic that I plan to publish here soon. While writing it however, I haven't felt the need to surround myself was sound (no pun intended). Believe it or not, music and sound in general distracts me while I'm writing and it becomes sort of a bother to me. I usually need a quiet place to myself where I can gather my thoughts and just write down what needs to be written for the story's sake. I've tried listening to music like Pop and Rock but it's too loud. Even Classical music irritates me when writing so it seems I just don't like having sound around me while I'm concentrating.
 

Noheart

The Abysswalker
Yeah, I do.

I listen to metal when I write, mostly. Machine Head, Nevermore, Metallica, All That Remains, etc.
 

Azurne

~ ♥ ~
When in general plotting ideas, playing scenes out in my head, and writing only sections, I have to have to music that I feel fits the scene. Mostly instrumental pieces and soundtracks, though occasionally I'll have songs with lyrics that fit certain characters or themes of a story.

When sitting down and actually writing something, I need dead silence. Anything else breaks my mojo and frustrates me. Although if that happens, I just pop the earphones back in and play the soundtracks I want to get back in the fic.

My 6.9+ days worth of music keeps growing...
 
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TurtwigFan1

burning it down
I do. I tend to find it blocks out all other annoying noises with noise I want! I generally listen to Taylor Swift, rock or metal. Taylor Swift's songs are very soothing to listen to. Rock and metal is generally loud and for some reason just helps me get into the "writing zone".
 

D. Scott

Well-Known Member
Only instrumental music and the melody has to fit the scene. Music with lyrics distracts me while writing.

Same here, but for the most part, the same with instrumental. Don't get me wrong, I'm a gigantic music lover, but I only listen to it while writing if I need some sort of form of inspiration, otherwise it just makes me focus all my attention on the music... and not the story.
 

Duke Smugleaf

Eldritch Abomination
When I'm trying to brainstorm or update the information in one of my thirteen documents with background info or plot layout, etc., I'll listen to anything in my collection. However, when I'm writing, I tend to find singing distracting, so I put in instrumental music, Usually classical, Silent Hill, or Baldur's Gate.

I used to actually write in total silence, but then after I had gotten the aforementioned Silent Hill soundtracks (ten of them, to be exact), I decided to listen to them while surfing the net. Since then, I've found silence unsettling and boring. Thus, whenever I'm on the computer doing anything, I pop in some music.
 

Dragonfree

Just me
Sometimes. However, like Griff4815, music with lyrics can distract me while writing, depending on what sort of mood I'm in and what sort of music it is (sometimes I can ignore the lyrics, but other times my brain is too busy processing the words I'm hearing to be able to properly construct sentences to write - I adore Flight of the Conchords, for instance, but since they're a comedy band the lyrics are too hilarious to be easily ignored, so listening to them usually isn't the best idea).

Music in general helps to make me less likely to turn away form the Word document and start doing something else; then, during the inevitable times when I'm at a temporary loss, the music will give me something to put my mind to while not getting distracted by something shiny. I've found listening to music at work very helpful. When writing, as I said, it can be slightly less convenient, but still useful especially if it's instrumental.
 

NykkiC

New Member
Yeah, when I'm actually writing I've got to have music on otherwise I go at a snail's pace. However, when I'm working on plot, characters, all that kind of back ground stuff, I do better if everythings quiet so no music there.
As to what music I listen to, it depends on what I'm writing. For angst, linkin park and green day; adventure tends to be disney soundtracks; for romance, most pop music and so on.
 

SilentMemento

Lone Wolf
I only listen to music in order to play out scenes in my head. When I'm actually writing, music of all kinds is just too distracting to me. Don't get me wrong; I love music, and the world would be a worse place without it. I just can't deal with any other sound besides silence when I'm writing.
 

RoflLuxRay

Pokemon Physiologist
I like to write while listening to John Mayer... those blues help me focus. Ocasionally shifting to symphony X and then Taylor Swift or Keith Urban, those shifts keep my mind going and focused unto the writing. If i stay too much on one artist, i get waaay to distracted to continue writing,

However, i tend to write a lot better with music out loud and not on headphones
 
Oh, yes, OF COURSE. I usually listen to nice and soothing songs, though. I need to get that feel in order to produce anything remotely decent. :)
 

FocusPresenceEndurance

Aspiring Author
I find that for myself it really depends what mood I'm in. Sometimes it can help me focus while other times it can distract me.

I find that songs that distract me less are ones that I don't understand the words to, which is partly why I enjoy Japanese Pop (the kind you find in theme songs for the openings and endings of anime). Video game soundtracks are good too cause they can provide a nice background music.

As long as I don't start humming along and paying more attention to the music, then I can write really well... =)
 
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Zadros

Incorrigible slacker
It varies a bit whether I can work with music, or get distracted by it. When I can work with it I tend to spend a little while skipping through tracks, unless I go with my complete set of Lifehouse ^^ It tends to help me get the mood right.
 

Mrs. Lovett

Rolling writer
I listen to music as my inspiration. I listen to a combination of lyrical and non-lyrical songs, depending on the mood they give off. Sometimes, movie soundtracks fit a particular theme in my stories, and I listen to those to help me think, or when I'm stuck and can't write a scene. I think I even used a song to develop a character once. I was listening to it and it just came to me... The song had absolutely nothing to do with the story, but the mind can work in interesting ways sometimes.

The one thing I can't do is listen to music while I write. On rare occasions I can, but mostly the song distracts me from my main goal, which is to write. Songs make my mind wander.
 
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