Writing With a playlist

I’ve got a question for all my fellow writers out there! How many of you play music while you write? Is it lyrical? Instrumental? Lo-fi? Or do you somehow manage to write with something playing on the TV? 

I typically enjoy finding music that has lyrics with a clear theme and emotion behind them. The genre I’m writing dictates what music I put on. 

For sci-fi, I usually go with indieronica, punk, alternative, and dark pop. I lean towards bands like Glass Animals, my favorite songs of theirs are “Wonderful Nothing” and “It’s All So Incredibly Loud.” You can’t go wrong with anything by the band Muse, they’re perfect for sci-fi in my opinion. I’ve recently discovered a song called “Starburster,” by Fontaines D.C., and practically play it on repeat. 

When it comes to writing horror, I play southern gothic, dark pop, or eerie lo-fi. Anything that would make me feel uneasy on a night when I'm home alone is just what I need to bring out the suspense I want in my stories and novels. Specific bands and musicians I lean towards are Sub Urban and Cults. 

Poetry, I keep it simple with soothing lo-fi or instrumental in the background. I tend to play peaceful lo-fi if it matches the theme of my poem, but if it’s a more dramatic or darker poem, I go instrumental. 

I also make different playlists for different characters when I write in multiple POV. I customize multiple playlists with music I feel represents them. It allows me to flesh out my characters. 

Let’s say I have a female protagonist running away from danger. The reader isn’t sure she’s going to make it out of this situation in one piece, let alone alive. She hides behind a bush, holding her breath, hoping to not get caught. The music I would have blasting in my headphones would be eerie lo-fi that leaves me just as unsettled as my character. 

In a way, it’s like turning my writing into a movie without literal visuals. I see what’s happening in my head and hear the background music that elevates the scene. Having the assist of music gives my characters depth and creates stronger scenes. 

With all that being said, I am going to add a poll to see if you have the same habit of making playlists for your specific writing projects, or if you enjoy the silence. Let me know!

Do you listen to music when you write?

• 0%Yes! Absolutely!
• 0%Nope, I need silence.
• 0%Only music without lyrics.
• 0%I prefer a show or movie playing in the background.