What Do You Listen to While You Write?

[Nik Houser]

The better question should be "what do you DRINK while you write?"

I have bad ADD, so I can't really write unless I'm sipping coffee throughout to keep me focused.

[RichardThomas]

Usually mellow background stuff. I've listened to a lot of Radiohead's IN RAINBOWS and old The Cure that I know so well I don't even hear the words to anymore.

[ozmosis7]

Seltzer for me. Once when I was 3 sheets to the wind so to say, I decided to write a few chapters. When I woke in the morning to edit them, I swear they might as well have been in Klingon.

[RJHubbard53]

hmm...I turn Pandora to my Jack Johnson station and listen to whatever they serve up.

The better question should be "what do you DRINK while you write?"

my choice is always - ALWAYS - tequila. No, not shots. Sips.

[KT Wagner]

For longer pieces (10,000 words plus) I create a soundtrack. Playing it helps me get my head into the right space to work.

I also use scented candles - a unique scent for each project.

It works for me, particularly when I am jumping between stories.

KT

[Draven Ames]

I will listen to music to pump me up before I write a scene, or if that song is in my scene. I do add music to my scenes a lot.

[Nik Houser]

For me it adds background music to the little movie in my head. :P

I know exactly what you mean. Perfectly put. For me, the best writing is often a transcription of that movie in my head, combined with insight into the heads of my characters.

[Nik Houser]

I like listening to Gustav Holst when I write.

The Planets? Hell yeah.

[Nik Houser]

Oingo Boingo/Danny Elfman nourishes much of my writing.

When I'm writing the right kind of story, Elfman's perfect. I pretty much listened to his Serenada Schizophrenia non-stop while writing a story called "The Finger Gave Itself" about a prosthetic limb salesman whose wares turn on him. Gonna be published next year in an antho with Draven (forgive a little self-promo there!).

[keithminnion]

Nothing. Silence = focus. I can have the current sentence scribbling on the pad while the next three are already forming in my head. Drawing and painting, though, is mindless. I crank up YES, RUSH, King Crimson, Green Day very very LOUD!

[RJK1981]

I typically don't listen to music when I read or write, though the TV is often on. If you are a fan of Brian Keene, he has put out free soundtracks to listen to intended for listening to while reading particular books of his

[ozmosis7]

Sometimes I find myself trying to tap the keys to the beat if I'm not careful LOL.

[Brian James Freeman]

I used to be able to listen to music or even have the TV one when I was writing, but those days are long past for me. Now, when I do get a chance to write, the room needs to basically be quiet and distraction free. I kind of miss "rocking out" while writing...

Brian

[malestrom]

Holst

I like listening to Gustav Holst when I write.

[ozmosis7]

For me it adds background music to the little movie in my head. If it isn't fitting to the work I'll change it though, but I can't stand total quiet. It makes me want to scream. Sometimes the music stops and I don't even know, then I start talking to my dogs because its so maddening. If they ever start answering me, you all have my permission to shoot me. :P