Every writer has their own opinion when it comes to music. Some find it too much of a distraction, some prefer instrumental tracks from film scores or classical music, and others (like yours truly) craft whole soundtracks for plots or single characters that help them get in the right mood for a scene. From time to time, I'll be sharing lists of the songs I listen to when I write. I'm not as savvy as I'd like to be with sites like Grooveshark or 8-tracks, or there would be a playlist file embedded here for you to click and listen away. Maybe with some luck, future music posts will have that ability! In the meantime, here are my favorite writing songs for Buster Heywood, himself (in no particular order, and without hinting at any major surprises):
- "The Little Things" by Danny Elfman
- "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega
- "Working Class Hero" by John Lennon
- "The Arrivals Gate" by Ani DiFranco
- "Tidal Wave" by Owl City
- "Everything is Alright" by Motion City Soundtrack
- "The Loner" by Neil Young
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Lorde
- "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" by Porcupine Tree
- "Wrong" by Depeche Mode
- "Exile Vilify" by The National
- "Big Casino" by Jimmy Eat World
- "He Films The Clouds (Part 2)" by Maybeshewill
- "Lost!" by Coldplay (Accoustic Version)
- "Look Out Any Window" by Bruce Hornsby
Look a few of them up, if you feel curious... I hope you enjoy them, and maybe even get inspired to create some lists of your own! Have you always had a song you associate with a character or scene? Or maybe you'd like to start using this trick to nudge your mind in the right direction, but aren't sure where to start? Drop me an email or a line on Twitter and let me know! I'd love to hear from you.