I write to music. Not really an earth shattering revelation for a writer. Most of us write to a soundtrack. Some author's even publicize their playlists along with their books (Stephenie Meyer I'm looking at you and your Linkin Park/roc-pop love).

                The difference is I need a playlist to write. And that playlist changes frequently, depending on what types of scenes I'm writing. And culling through my playlists, editing them, and transferring them from ITunes on my old laptop to ITunes on my spiffy new laptop (dubbed 'Heart of Gold' because I love Douglass Addams) I realized just how bad my obsession with music and my writing has become.

                I not only have playlists for different types of writing (Action, Love Scene, Emotional Impact), I have different songs that mingle together for each character. And they apparently evolve, and might possibly breed. Like intergalactic musical plot bunnies. A Glee episode done with white rabbits carrying phasers from the old school Star Trek's with William Shatner.

                This really became clear for me with one of my secondary characters – Lisa.  Lisa is a Brittany Spears fan. "Oops I Did it Again" is her theme song when she's happy. When she's sad it's still Brittany but it's "Everytime". And she likes to watch the video. When she thinks of the guy she's into that's more Brittany, "I'm a Slave For You." Let's just say I've invested way too much in Brittany Spears music since the plot bunny for Luck of the Devil wiggled into my brain with it's phaser set to stun.

                Meanwhile, Lisa's romantic interest, Tolliver, has completely different songs running through his personal soundtrack when he thinks about Lisa. Tolliver is more soft, more romantic. Every time he thinks about her and she's not paying attention he's singing "Isn't She Lovely" inside his head. And we can't even talk about his love of Train. I have the whole discography on ITunes and the character's voice sings along inside my head while I write about them. His character has even got me dipping into Billy Joel.

                This probably isn't too strange. I'd like to think it's not too strange. Surely everyone has songs they identify with their characters? Just like you have songs you relate to your friends and family. What is surprising to me is that my character's choices of songs are evolving. Luck of the Devil has now been safely left in the care of Entangled Publishing until it's release into the world this August and I'm focusing my attention on Luck's younger sibling. And the music that once resonated with these characters well, it's evolving.

                I guess they've gotten older. Just like we all do. Character's grow up just like the rest of us and the music that shaped their world isn't the same from one place of growth to another. Sometimes they stay in the same genre but other times they move radically. And, as exciting as it is to see where this group of characters take me as this series of books unfolds in front of me, what astounds me still is that even fictional characters can take us on a musical journey to evolve along with them.

                If you'll excuse me, I'm working on some dialogue for my main character, Faith Bettincourt, and she's firmly rooted in a Fleetwood Mac stage. So it's time to turn my Glee playlist off and tune instead to some Stevie Nicks and some Christine McVie.

 

What do you like to write to? And how does music influence your writing or your characters?