Music is a big part of my life. I’ve grown up singing with my family and in church. I’m always listening to something in the car, at work, or around the house. The other day I was cleaning, and since the house was empty, I decided to play one of my favorite songs.
“Alexa, play Good by Cody Carnes.”
And I listened to that song on repeat for the next half hour.
So much can be said in the lyrics of a song. They’re basically short stories put to a tune. The older I’ve gotten, the more I pay attention to what the words are saying. Music can be a powerful tool if you let it.
When I come up with a story idea, it’s often inspired even more by music. With each book I write, I make playlists that reflect the story. Each one includes a variety of genres of music, from Christian to country, and even pop tunes make the list. I’ll hear something in a song that gives me an emotional connection to the character and add it to the playlist.
When I’m struggling with my writing, all I have to do is listen to music. I close my eyes and let the music do the talking. Somehow my fingers begin to hit the keys, and the story comes to life. Every time.
“Where words fail, music speaks.”
-Hans Christian Andersen
To me, music is a little something extra that gives life to the words of the story. It still amazes me I can listen to music and write at the same time. If you’d like to check out my playlists, you can find them on Spotify.
If I could pick one song from each of my playlists to say was the inspiration for each book, it would be the following:
A Half Made Whole – Survivor by Zach Williams
When I Found You – Til I Found You by Phil Wickham
One She Never Expected – Got Me by Gabby Barrett and Shane & Shane
Waiting for Right Now – Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
Coming soon! The Thing About Falling in Love – God Is In this Story by Katy Nichole & Big Daddy Weave
What are your thoughts about music and books? Do songs help add to the story?
K. Leah is a hopeless romantic and adores a good Hallmark movie. Growing up in the South, she likes her tea sweet and coffee strong. Family and faith are what matter most and she wears many hats, including being a wife, mom, and graphic designer. Other than being creative with designs or stories, she likes to spend her free time escaping reality into the pages of a sweet love story.
I remember having a cd on repeat like you did and there are a couple songs I still cant listen to in that CD without remembering the book I was reading at the time and just cant listen to them. It was a historical but dealt with how a religious group started and a lot of it was an eye opener. I am glad I learnt the history and how the people ended up joining the group and then them leaving and how hard it was due to the group trying to prevent it and hunting down former members. Everytime I would hear the music and one song inparticular I just couldn’t forget the book and the feeling I had
The same can be said for a few others where It takes me back to the book I was reading at the time.
I’ve never really thought about the connection that songs have to books. I’m thinking that it’s like a song taking you back to a certain time in your life.
Songs can definitely bring out emotions, and tying them to books can make the books different. I remember songs I heard for the first time on the way to GA with my parents when one of my uncles passed away. I remember the first time I heard the full length of another song when my parents and I were going to visit one of my sisters and her family in Mississippi the first time. I can read and watch tv, but I can’t read and listen to music!
welcome today. oh my but I so agree with you about music. I grew up singing from the time I could speak (so my mother said) oh key? no never but I loved to belt out songs anyway. I learned to play the piano and the alto sax. music in one form or another has always been who I am. I cant read and listen to music at the same time. LOL I start mixing up both of the words. Reading is in my blood also. when I am quilting, and I come to a tough spot or need some space from it all, I go and put on some of my favorite singers and get lost. when I go back to quilting I am ready to tackle what ever it is. my husband is in the choir at church since before I knew him. he plays the guitar and the electric guitar. and yes he does know how to sing on key LOL our son loves to sing and like me it is all off key. he learned to play the trombone and loved it for quite a while. our daughter will hum but not sing out loud. but she plays the flute and the alto clarinet. yup music is a huge part of our lives
Yes! This is so true.
It is! I connect songs with a lot of things in life, actually. :)
I can’t read and listen to music, but I can write and listen to music. It’s crazy! haha
I sang my first solo in church at age 3, so I guess that’s why music has always been so important to me. I can’t read and listen to music, but I can write and listen to music. Crazy…lol!
It’s really interesting to hear how music influences your writing so much. I love songs that tell a story, and like others here certain songs really bring back memories, capturing events and emotions from the past.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
We never have listened to music the only music is Christmas music or songs that we sing at our church but we don’t do that much only if we are traveling my baby sister has been all into baby Jesus/away in the manger and dashing through the snow but she likes calling it jingle bells cause when we were traveling for Thanksgiving we put the 2 year old and almost 4 year old on utube so now I have the Christmas songs she listened to stuck in my head .
Oh that sounds like fun… haha!
they can
I have always needed quiet to read or study. I cannot listen to music and read. I get caught up in the music and lyrics and have no idea what I read. Thank you for sharing. God bless you. Merry Christmas.
Funny thing is I can’t read and listen to music, but I can write and listen. Merry Christmas to you!