Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

Hello all!

Back with another random category out of a hat! (Afraid Thing 1 is under the weather and Thing 2 could not attend due to a prior engagement.) Currently listening to 'Night Walks' on Black Mountain's second album, which is a song of a great deal of atmosphere. Wondered what the collective is currently up to and what's good?

What do you write about when you're listening to music?

I listen to 1980s and 1990s oldies while writing my sci-fi novels.

Michel wrote: "I listen to 1980s and 1990s oldies while writing my sci-fi novels."

Oldies but goodies, assuredly. Are you partial to any particular sound? More pop or experimental or alternative? (Black Hole Sun has to be pretty perfect in some circumstances!)

Mostly pop hits. I particularly like Abba, Roxette, Asia, The Corrs, REO Speedwagon, Ace of Base, Belinda Carlisle, Sarah Brightman, Enya, The Backstreet Boys and George Harrison. I am also partial to Taylor Swift and to FAUN (a German medievalist music group).

I have Spotify playlists for different mood targets :) But all instrumental, so the lyrics don't clash with my thoughts.

For more standard 'generic' writing music I have a playlist of Thomas Bergersen and movie soundtracks, including the musically delicious Hans Zimmer

I guess I'm the odd one out, but I don't listen to music whenever I write. For me, the house has to be quiet for me to concentrate. When I was growing up and trying to do homework, my mum would always have the TV on with the news and I had a hard time concentrating. I think it's too much of a distraction, at least for me.

Now, as for the kind of music I like to listen to, my absolute favourite is Sarah Brightman. I also enjoy Abba and a LOT of really old stuff that I grew up on i.e. the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.), the Big Bands (Glen Miller, the Dorsey brothers), Al Jolson, etc. I also love classical music like Mozart and Greig and love the 3 Tenors. We always watched their specials on PBS when they were on and enjoyed them over and over. I love jazz, too, especially Miles Davis.

Well, that's about it for my unusual taste in music. Everyone enjoy whatever you listen to and don't stop writing!

Hi,

I also can't listen to music and write at the same time - I end up just listening to the music. I also love ABBA - is there a connection there?!

But often I have a song or two in my head when I'm writing. As I've mentioned elsewhere, when I was writing Dragon, ACDC's thunderstruck was in my head constantly. You can practically hear it in the book. And more recently when I wrote Prince of Stars, it was Crosby, Stills and Nash - Southern Cross. I even named a spaceship from it.

But these last couple of years I've started writing a lot of detective with touches of genetic engineering, and for some reason the Hollies - Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress has been yammering around in my head. Also the Kygo / Whitney Houston remake of Higher Love. And of coulse the Jolian Petch remake of Dreams. Does it mean anything - save that I like classic rock? Don't know.

Cheers, Greg.

This is exactly the kind of response that makes a topic like this worth reading. :) Thanks for everyone who has thus far contributed.

Love the idea of Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress being an inspiration on some level.

I use to listen to rock while writing then the songs became disruptive. Now, I listen to instrumental music or simply calming music from my CALM app. Recently, I listen to Star Wars Jedi meditation on YouTube, it works to flow my creative juices!
Here is a link to one of my books if interested.

Shadows Within the Empire, The Nephilim War, Book 1

Honestly, I think Chappell Roan's music gets me in the mood when I'm writing something romantic. She has many different styles that can connect with the style of my writing.

I created a playlist called "Amped 2024" with Street Sweeper Social Club, Rage Against the Machine, Zeal & Ardor, and Clutch. I'm writing an action slasher satire (horror-comedy) at the moment.

Kermet wrote: "I created a playlist called "Amped 2024" with Street Sweeper Social Club, Rage Against the Machine, Zeal & Ardor, and Clutch. I'm writing an action slasher satire (horror-comedy) at the moment."

Boots and Tom Morello, it's almost like a comic book. How did you find something this awesome? (Must admit I've probably settled down as much as Tom, because the last thing I knew he did was Nightwatchmen, lol.)