Comments on: Let Song Lyrics Inspire Your Next Story

By: The “Write” Inspiration–Music « A Chip Off the Old Writer's Block

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:19:11 +0000

[...] Blanchard, of the Procrastinating Writer’s Blog, challenges writers to “Let Song Lyrics Inspire Your Next Story.” Blanchard explains how many of her short stories were inspired by songs or music videos. [...]

By: Music. Food for the soul & inspiration for writers. « Blissfully Me

Music. Food for the soul & inspiration for writers. « Blissfully Me — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:37:09 +0000

[...] of Blanchard’s suggestions for story inspiration really caught my attention. Let Song Lyrics Inspire Your Next Story discusses how she allowed the lyrics from the music that surrounds her everyday to inspire her [...]

By: admin

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:34:30 +0000

@Crystal E Thanks so much for linking to my blog! I’m so glad that your writing was inspired by this post. I wish you much writing success.

By: Crystal E.

Crystal E. — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:14:23 +0000

I hope that you don’t mind, but I wrote a blog telling my friends and followers about you and your blog. I love this idea of yours, as well as several others that I have come across in following you. I just felt the need to share some of your words of wisdom. If you are interested in what I said you may read it here http://crystalestell.blogspot.com/2009/08/music-food-for-soul-inspiration-for.html . Thanks for all your helpful advice for procrastinating writers like me.

By: jennifer blanchard

jennifer blanchard — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:36:55 +0000

@Andrew Toynbee That’s a great lyric! It makes me want to know what made the person get to that cliff. I’d probably write a version of the story that backs up and tells what happened. Thanks for sharing!

By: larry

larry — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:22:47 +0000

If you’re a writer, chances are song lyrics can crack open your heart like a Hallmark card from a New York publisher. Great songs are always some form of a story, and if they can move us in three minutes, we should be able to move someone in 400 pages. Great advice, Jennifer.

Another great way to use music to jack your creativity is to listen to it — I prefer movie soundtracks — while you write. Puts your head in the proper place and keeps it there why you wrestle your characters to the ground.

Both of these tips are among the 101 I’ve collected and made available from my site as an ebook. Seems like there’s a real “tips” thing going around these days in the writing community, which is a good thing. There are never too many ways to get better, faster.

By: Andrew Toynbee

Andrew Toynbee — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:12:04 +0000

I find music to be a huge inspiration to writing, but I haven’t yet managed to write whilst listening to any. My creative neuron seems to need silence whilst I’m busy. However, I’ve been inspired by many a lyric, most recently the line ‘Standing on the edge of Nowhere; Euphoria is a long way down there.’
This conjured up an image of a character perched on a cliff edge, the scene below obscured by clouds. Who knows what will happen if the chracter throws himself off?
There’s a whole fantasy story in there somewhere….

By: admin

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:16:50 +0000

@Julie I’m with you. I always pay attention to the words in a sing. Always.

@HD Silversmith When I was starting out as a writer, I had an extremely difficult time writing to music with lyrics. But over the years, I’ve taught myself how to stay focused and write with distractions. Just like you said, music of any kind helps you get in the zone.

@Sandra Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it!

By: Sandra S Richardson

Sandra S Richardson — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:52:51 +0000

I have written a few songs based on song lyrics or titles. I am in process of writing my first novel and it is based on a song lyric.

Singing has always been one of my joys in life so I’ve always been aware of song lyrics. It’s best to know the words if you’re going to sing along. Like HD Sliversmith I have to listen to instrumentals while I’m writing or I start writing what I’m listening too.

Thank you for this blog!

Sandra

By: HD Silversmith

HD Silversmith — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:58:17 +0000

Nice post. I always write to music, but *while* I’m writing the music musn’t have lyrics — because I do listen to them and then I get distracted from my own prose.

So, while I write, it’s classical music of various kinds or film scores. (I teach film in my “other” life). If I’m writing an academic article or book, I’ll often pick something that’s appropriate to the subject under discussion in mood or tone.

If I’m writing other kinds of non-academic material, however, sometimes I will choose music with lyrics and let it get me into the zone, so to speak.