Music

Music is one of those things that everybody likes. I love the fact that our society has access to music pretty much everywhere. Writers also love their music, but sometimes we have strange relationships with it.

Some writers can't write without music playing. Others can't write unless it's dead quiet. I lean far toward the former, but with some exceptions. When I'm writing, I usually need music, but it has to be the right feel. That depends on my current mood, the tone of the piece I'm writing, the time of day, and whatever other factors I can't think of. If the music isn't quite right, it won't help me write.

The problem I have is that sometimes the music that is just right still doesn't help me write. If I'm listening to a new song, I can stop writing to pay attention to this music I haven't heard before, but really like. If it is a song I already know, but really like, I can drift away from writing to start singing along at the good parts.

Sometimes I just can't listen to sounds when I write. When an idea requires my focus, like creating a new story or formulating the perfect argument, any sound will distract me too much. Reading is the same way to me. When I read other people's writing, sometimes music helps me read through it smoothly, but more often it makes it harder to enter their world. And when I read poetry, it simply must be silent. I think it's impossible to listen to music and really read poetry at the same time unless the poem was made for a particular music.

What really gets to me with music and writing is not in the writing itself, but the generation of ideas. I love to walk around as much as I can. I've gotten many an idea while walking. I'm getting constantly changing visual stimulus, but at such a low level as to allow my mind to wander. I rarely ever use portable music players, one of the reasons being that if I really like a song, I'll just sing it to myself while I walk. It occurs to me, though, that since I can so easily get lost in music, it can very well detract my usual musings and ponderings. Listening to music all the time could inhibit the ideas I would normally think from coming.

Now, I'm not saying it doesn't make me think. I got the idea for this post while listening to music on a walk. However, I can't help but wonder what other ideas I may have had without the music. I guess the prudent thing to say is that experimenting and figuring out what method works best for you will always be the best advice.