I can't do it. It distracts my thoughts. I'm one of those writers who needs peace and quiet to allow my mind to run free. Otherwise it's distractions and I can never get thorough enough to write something good.
I can listen to anything, provided it's something I like. Type of music doesn't need to reflect the theme or scene of my novel, but certain stuff does. I have an 8gb memory stick, currently only holding about 200 hundred songs, which contains all manner of stuff; Bjork, Simon and Garf, REM, Hammer Horror film scores, The Shining soundtrack, Blade Runner soundtrack, ambient stuff, WWII music, 20s/30s stuff...
When I was younger I had a playlist (on the old winamp) full of ambient and melodic music that I needed in order to write my stories. Nowadays I need total silence. I know a lot of authors like to have appropriate mood music playing that helps them write particular scenes. But for me, the music is a distraction. Especially if it's music I know well. My fingers would rather play along to the music as though the keyboard were a piano and all sorts of nonsense comes out on the page. I don't know why or how this changed for me but it makes me sad. Silence is very isolating. But I feel that in that silence I am more observant, more alert, and able to fully submerge myself in my makebelieves. Do you prefer writing to music or some other form of background noise, or like me, do you need total silence?
Although I know it would help my writing, I simply cannot abide silence so before I write I search for the song I would play over use in a film adaptation or a suitable playlist of similar tracks for longer pieces. Often, this leads me to 'Space' instrumentals but when the mood calls for something more caustic, I tap the reservoir of my grunge years to strain my speakers. Many of my prouder conflicts have been written to a soundscape of Alice in Chains, barking dogs and complaining neighbors.
I cannot concentrate in silence at all. I end up getting distracted and losing my stamina. I like picking songs that suit the mood of the scenes I'm writing, right now that seems to be Bring Me The Horizon and Bright Eyes. Even in my academic writing I needed a bit of background noise, wrote my dissertation to Slipknot - had my fingers going so fast trying to keep up the pace, seemed to do the trick! Saying that though, I can only seem to come up with new ideas for scenes in silence (well as silent as journeys to work go), or with general background noise, rather than music.
Music, definitely. I have a playlist for every one of my stories. One time I was writing and the power went out so I just stopped, saved the file and all. I'm completely serious. So if I'm ever stranded on a cabin with no electricity/internet I'd be screwed
I can do either, but I find I can immerse myself better with some music playing, especially if it suitable to the mood of what I am writing. Often my ideas come while I am in the car, listening to some music and thinking about the lyrics or theme of the song. When I go to write, I usually need to play that song again to access all the thoughts and ideas I had about it.
Either, sometimes a mix. If my surroundings are noisy, background music helps. If I play songs that I don't know my attention can deviate.
For me, I don't often have a quiet space, so I use music to drown out the world. I prefer music without (intelligible) lyrics. This week my go-to has been putting Sigur Ros' Takk album on shuffle-repeat.
Currently I am trying this: first listen to some nice music. That helps me to improve my mood. Then, I try to write without the music.
I used to like silence, then I moved to listening to music and now I like silence again, I guess it depends on how I feel at the time
I listen to music before I start writing. Considering the fact that most of my writing occurs at night, silence is inevitable. Plus I like to hear myself think. But lately Dream Theater's octavarium has been my theme music. I sometimes feel as though it empowers me.
Music, usually epic battle music or emotional music. Helps me think of cool stuff. << "Cool stuff" 10/10 not listening to music atm.
I never really get to listen to music while I write because I'm usually at school when I write. But, I think music would distract me too much.
If I do have music its classical music, or binaural beats. I cannot have music with lyrics playing while I write. It causes me to lose focus on what I'm doing. I'm always curious about the different approaches people take to this question. I think it's wonderful that people can create under vasty different circumstances.
Depends on the mood of my subconscious. I usually start out in silence, but no matter how much I'm focused on what I'm doing, stray thoughts keep popping into my head and they drive me mad enough to stop. Music, especially songs I also play for some reason stops the stray thoughts and lets me focus for longer. I've come to the conclusion that my subconscious is focusing on the music. I've found though that I can't do that with instruments in the room because then the stray thoughts come back, mostly wanting me to play. I find this true for writing, painting, programming...
I like music when writing, but I prefer either ambiance (not white noise, but more like trippy instrumental/meditation music), or metal-like music where it's hard to hear the lyrics. I usually find lyrics distracting, especially if they're "too fitting." For some reason, if the story in the song lyrics is too similar to the scene I'm writing, it almost feels cheesy, for lack of a better way to describe it.
Silence for sure, and not just for writing, I enjoy silence for just about anything. After all whenever you leave your own home you're assaulted by music everywhere, for no reason, anyway.
For me it's either silence or classical music (very low). There is a 3 hour video of Mozart's piano sonatas on Youtube and I think I can concentrate better when I'm playing it.
Silence. I can't write when there is any form of distraction. I sometimes play a track prior to sitting down to write, if I need to cultivate a particular tone, but I can't write and listen simultaneously. I can't read when listening to music either.
I use silence or classical. Since classical has some scientific backing as good working music (tenuously). I might listen to music before I work though. If it's music I find inspiring or related in some way. I might envision something while I'm doing that.
