I write to music.

Pretty much always. I play it loud, preferably on headphones. Not only does it block the world around me out and let me focus on the story world, it also helps shape that story world.

In fact, soon as I get an idea for a new story, the first thing I do is start building a playlist, selecting songs that match the mood and atmosphere for the different scenes I'm planning to write. It's not so much about the lyrics,* it's about the feeling of a song.

For Coyote, I ended up building a playlist of close to 100 songs total, but there were 22 in particular I listened to over and over. Here are songs 1-11:

Steerage and the Lamp
















Sonic Wind
















Every Time a Bell Rings an Angel Gets His Wings

By Logh














Hello Darlin'
















Javelin - Canyon Candy Limited 10" RSD 2011
















It Still Moves [Vinyl]

By My Morning Jacket














These Boots Are Made for Walkin': The Complete MGM Recordings

By Lee Hazlewood














Liars

By Liars














Fear Fun

By Father John Misty














Transference by Spoon [2010] Audio CD
















Alligator

So that's the first half of the list. Stay tuned for part 2. 

Also, here's the list on iTunes.

And if you'd like to know more about Coyote, you can do that here.

 

*Side note: Don't you hate movies where the lyrics of the song they're playing match up exactly to what's happening on the screen? Except this movie. It's kind of hard to hate on this movie, even though the action matches up EXACTLY to the words in the songs.