Selective Listening

I talk a lot about how I listen to music while writing. I won't say I make a playlist for every new project I have, especially since I have a much-evolved playlist I created for my first NaNoWriMo and manipulated a lot since. I don't always use that one, but it's there to fall back on while I'm writing. It tickles the right things.




And that's the main point of my obsession with music. The music I like, it tickles the right things. Some stuff is great to listen to in the car. Some stuff is great everywhere. And some stuff is great while writing. It can be a project by project basis; I've got my playlist from The Last Song (somewhat adjusted since this posting).

Sometimes the music helps direct whatever direction my subconscious is going in. I haven't started a new project just yet. I'm still working on subbing shorts, and have made some adjustments in some of them. I've done some writing for a Shadowrun game our friend is running (and it's an amazing game), but I haven't started a new novel, say, despite my planning efforts. The problem with planning, for me, is it can be paralyzing. I worry endlessly about getting it right, and never write.

But anyway. There have been a couple of songs that have wormed their way into my hearing lately, and that repeat in my head when I'm not listening to them actively. That's fairly normal, for me. And it means, to me, that my subconscious stew is getting about ready to be tasted. If that isn't a terrible metaphor for any number of reasons.

I've also had the weirdness of happening upon, with two different bands, the only songs by them I like. This doesn't mean I've listened to their entire catalogues and still only returned to these songs. More like "This song is awesome, I wonder if their others are like this....nope. Not that I can find."

The first song is by the band Atreyu. I got the MP3 years ago, before Limewire wasn't a no no any longer, and got it based on the title "Demonology and Heartache". The guitar is pretty awesome, the lyrics (once you can either discern them or look them up) are also pretty awesome.

The other song is by The Steepwater Band, and came up on my Pandora station for The Black Angels.


Now, I don't know yet where these songs are taking me. I've got some ideas, of course, I know it comes from me. But nothing's taken the spark yet, you know? This is a regular part of my writing cycle. I recognize it, and embrace it. I'm reading, I'm watching stuff, I'm gaming (a lot; there's 2 D&D Next games, a new World of Darkness Mage game, and that Shadowrun game going), and all of these things fuel the creativity, add to my tastes and thoughts and experiences.