Welcome to Music Monday! As many of you know, music contributes a great deal to my writing process. Whether it’s a song’s lyrics, beat, rhythm, or tone, I find myself constantly inspired by it.
As you might have (or might not have) noticed, I didn’t publish any blog posts last week. I decided to take some time off to relax, spend time with family, and work on my manuscript. It ended up being a great week. I took a day trip to Vail, visited the Denver Zoo with my nephews, and even won the Wicked lottery with my sister!
Not only did I have fun during my week off, but I made tons of progress with my new novel. I managed to write over 26,000 words in five days. Ahhh! Seriously, it’s amazing what you can do when you shut the world out and focus. Hopefully this major boost means I’ll be able to meet my goal of finishing a first draft by July 31st, when the first round of the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge kicks off.
Anyway, on to Music Monday! Today, I thought I’d share a song that helped inspire me as I wrote my booty off last week: OneRepublic’s “Love Runs Out”.
The number one thing I love about this song is its rhythm and beat. It’s edgy, energetic, and even a little dark. Every time I listen to it, I close my eyes and get lost in the incessant thumping of the drums, piano, and cymbals. And every time it finishes, I realize I’ve thought of a new layer to my story. A new drama, a new twist, a new character trait, a new something.
As always, the lyrics provide oodles of inspiration as well. I didn’t really listen to them the first few times I played “Love Runs Out”, but then I Googled them and I realized they fit my story perfectly.
Ooh, we all want the same thing.
Ooh, we all run for something.
Oh for God, for fate,
For love, for hate,
For gold, and rust,
For diamonds, and dust.
I’ll be our light, your match, your burning sun,
I’ll be the bright and black that’s making you run.
If you’re looking for an energetic song with an amazing rhythm and inspiring lyrics, then check out OneRepublic’s “Love Runs Out”.
What song(s) are you in love with right now? Which one(s) offer you inspiration? Let me know! I’m always searching for songs that motivate my writing.
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As much as I love writing, there comes a point I need to stop, step back, and regain my breath (and sanity). So, that’s what I’ll be doing the next couple of weeks. However, just because I’m not working on a project at this very moment doesn’t mean I’m not listening to music and finding inspiration in it. That’s like asking me not to breathe!
This is one of those songs that always ends up on my latest book playlist. No matter what story or character I’m creating, “Shake It Out” sparks my imagination, helps me deepen a plot, and pushes me to develop stronger emotions.
My favorite thing about this song is its lyrics.
So, if you’re looking for a song to add to your book playlist, check out Florence and the Machine’s “Shake It Out”!
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