Writing, Self-Publishing, Book Marketing

Set the Tone: How Sound Influences Your Writing

November 5, 2009 at 2:45 pm angiekp Leave a comment

Each writer has their own method when it comes to sitting down and getting to work. But when it comes time to really get down to business, you need to focus – to get in the zone. Perhaps you have a comfy sweater that you put on, or you fold up in your favorite chair; but one factor that can have a huge impact on your writing is what you hear.

Listening to music while writing helps many writers relax and get into the zone. In fact, some might say that it is essential. But for many, the type of music is crucial. You may enjoy listening to rock while another writer listens to Christmas music. Or perhaps you need music, but you’d prefer to listen to songs and artists with which you are not familiar. You can find free live streaming music Web sites such as Lala.com are helpful in setting the tone for your writing.

Be aware of how music affects your writing. Listening to a cheerful show tune while describing the deep sorrow of your character’s loss of their beloved pet dog is probably not be the best match up.

You might try listening to music to get you into the mood of writing, but perhaps you prefer the sound of silence (actual silence … not the song by Simon and Garfunkel). To many writers, silence is the only way to write.  The only thing that you hear is your fingers clacking away at the keyboard.

For writers who enjoy silence while writing, you may not always be able to achieve this hallowed noiseless state easily. Whether you have children, a noisy neighbor or an office filled with co-workers, there’s not always an option for natural silence. However, a white noise generator could be the key to cure your distractions. Check out SimplyNoise.com, a Web site where you can achieve auditory Zen by streaming white, pink or brown noise for free.

What do you prefer as your perfect auditory setup while you’re writing? Experiment with different setups until you find one that works for you.

Keep writing.
Angie Kelly Pheifer

Entry filed under: Writing. Tags: music, simply noise, sound, white noise, Writing, writing tips.