Hi Jim,

I’ve been following your blog for a while and was wondering about the ‘From my Writing Playlist’ pieces you do. Maybe it’s because I don’t like the same music, but I’ve never found music especially helpful in my writing. Now that I’m suffering from writer’s block, I’m desperate to try anything. I read some of your other recommendations, but they only helped me for a little while. Now I’m back to square one. Can you help me understand how music translates to words for you?

Thanks,
Julie

Hello Julie!

Seems like you’re in quite a bind here. Honestly music doesn’t work for everyone and different people hear different things. For example, when I listen to Beast in Black:

It makes me happy and brews a story about someone who lost a love to a vicious evil. Years later, after suffering with her loss, he discovers she’s still alive and has to face down that evil to get her back. However you might hear something different.

Here’s what I want you to do…

Take a song that energizes you, one that really gets your blood pumping and makes you happy. Listen to that song twice. First time, really listen to the lyrics, then listen to the melody on the second run. Really focus on the melody and the notes. Then write what pops into your head. What does that song make you think of? Whatever it is, write it out and describe it in detail.
Once you have that all written out, go back and re-read what you’ve written. Next listen to a song that invokes sadness. Listen to it the same way said above. absorb the lyrics and then the melody. Close your eyes and let your mind wander. What’s the first thing that pops into your head? Write it down and describe every detail; every emotion, every thought, every scene. Use metaphor and alliteration when you do it.  I want you to write everything out.

Don’t worry about not doing it right, there is no right or wrong way of going about this.

Then repeat with songs that invoke other emotions. Keep doing this until your mind begins flowing again with ideas. It’s what I call a mental jump-start. Once you’ve done this a couple of times, you should find yourself writing a whole new story out… or several new stories… or you’ve described something in great detail.

Either way, you should be able to write again, and you’ll have started the process of training your mind to brainstorm to music. Keep doing this and when you feel you’re ready, start listening to music while you write. This is how I write my novels.

I hope this helps, please feel free to email me if you have any further questions!

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.

jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com

I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.

Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim