I've always loved listening to music. Whether it's the cleaning, getting in the right mood for writing, or just wanting to dance about the house with my sons, music is what makes it happen. I love all kinds of music and use my favourites when I'm in different moods. But finding the right music to help you write can be tough.
Music when cleaning
Cleaning, chores, errands, whatever you choose to call them, having the right music to make the time go faster has got to be the way to go right?
Standing in front of the kitchen sink when it's full of dirty dishes waiting to be cleaned depresses me. I look at those dirty dishes and wish there was a cleaning fairy that would visit - you know, like the one the children believe visits every once in a while. But when I put on certain music I can tackle that sink of dirty dishes with a smile on my face. Be it ABBA, P!nk, or Taylor Swift, if it's got a beat and a cheery melody it'll help me get the job done. I can scrub those dirty dishes while I strut my stuff (yes, still standing at the kitchen sink) and not mind that I'm doing the cleaning.
Without music, life would be a blank to me.
Jane Austen
Music when photo editing
Photo editing is one of those things that I have to do after writing blog posts or social media updates. Almost everything needs a photo to go with it. But editing photos can be a repetitive task and it gets boring the longer you do it. That's why music plays a big part in my day when I have photo editing planned.
For this task I choose anything with lyrics, something I can sing along to or even try to rap (yes, I try - occasionally). Michael Buble, Meghan Trainer, and Eminem are amongst my favourites, and I'll often listen to new music (thanks to Apple Music) to find new tracks I love. I've discovered new artists like Shawn Mendes and Lukas Graham thanks to Apple Music.
Music when writing
In all the years I've spent writing there's one thing that has always been the case. When writing, any music with lyrics is distracting and is to be avoided at all costs. This may sound too strict but what I've found is I spend more time listening to the tracks than writing words on the page. The lyrics take me away from the fictional world I'm trying to create and whisk me to a fun place where I don't have to work hard.
Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music.
George Eliot
That's where Jazz and Classical music come in. My favourite music to listen to while writing, and actually helps me write, is Jazz. There's just something magical about hitting play on Miles Davis's Kind of Blue and getting into the writing zone. The music helps to inspire and surrounds me with creativity, giving me the right setting to conjure magic. Classical music helps too in that it plays in the background, drowning out any noise from the rest of the house or outside and helps me concentrate on what I'm doing, but nothing quite works as well as Jazz, it's like I'm working in a creative bubble that no one can pierce.
Having the right music to inspire writing can make the difference between being able to fill a blank page and staring at that empty sheet for the whole day. It can distract and confuse but it can also inspire and motivate, and that's why I love music so much.
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