by: Staci Stallings
Okay, so you might not know this as a reader. It’s one of those first obstacles most writers have. It goes something like this:
“There’s this song I want to use in my book. It’s a really popular song, and it will fit really well with this story. So, what do I need to do to get permission to use it?”
The short answer is: Good luck.
Because of copyright laws and the way things are now, it is very difficult to get permission to use songs (or practically speaking anything else) in a book. What this effectively means is that when you write a novel that has songs in it, the easiest thing to do is write original songs yourself.
Now, I say “easiest” but I do not mean that is easy at all. It is NOT.
Ask me how I know.
The current series I’m working on features a set of young people who have formed a band. One of them writes the songs they sing. (Do you see where this is going?) Because I literally can’t have them cover any songs and actually write out the lyrics… There is one song they “sing” that is a cover, but all I did was give the reader the song title. Then I had to hope that the reader both knows the song and can pick it out in their head as the characters are singing it because I can’t give you any lyrics.
Anyway… What all of this basically means is, I’ve gotten to write a LOT of music for this series. Add to the challenge of writing the music trying to convey how it is sung to my readers. Add to THAT challenge that this talented group of musicians never does the same song the same way twice. So one time one of them will do the melody and one the harmonies and echoes, and the next time that’s flipped completely.
AND… it’s important who sings which line and how! UGH.
New Release, August 28, 2019 Click the Cover to Read MORE!
So, here’s just a snippet of my current challenge (bit of backstory on this piece: Paige went with Greg at one point, but now she’s going with Nelson). See what you think…
Melting back and down into the guitar strings, Nelson let himself fall into just making the most of the intertwining of the melody he knew like his own heartbeat.
“Hopeless,” Greg sang, leaning to the microphone by the keyboard. “Hopelessly devoted… to you. This is my anthem. This is my song. This will be my melody my whole life long.”
“You’re my fascination,” Paige joined in.
“My every temptation,” Greg sang with a timid smile at her, which she returned.
“You’re my solid ground.”
“My bluest sky.”
“My peace of mind.”
“My wings to fly,” Greg sang, and it was as if the longer they went, the less awkward it became between them. “And I’m hopeless…”
Wes and Nelson added the harmonies. “Hopeless.”
“Hopelessly devoted,” Paige sang, and Nelson couldn’t help but feel how truly beautiful her voice was. It was softer than Taylor’s, breathier and far less confident. Of course, he had sung Only Together and even a couple of other songs with Paige, but honestly, he’d never really thought of her doing more than filling in a few parts here and there. Now, seeing her like this, stepping so far out of her comfort zone, singing with Greg, hearing how her voice blended in with his so nicely, Nelson wondered why he’d never made it a point to have her sing with them before.
“To you,” Greg sang.
“And I’m hopeless…” she sang back to him.
“Hopeless,” Nelson sang the harmony of the repeat with Wes as he smiled and nodded at the feeling that he could get used to this. His song, her voice melding with theirs in raw perfection in real life. It was a dream he’d never thought to dream before.
“Hopelessly devoted,” she sang before Greg joined her, “To you.”
What do you think? Did I pull it off so that you can “hear” the song, how it’s sung and who is singing it, and get the thoughts and feelings behind it?
Welcome to one small piece of my current greatest challenge ever!
A stay-at-home mom with a husband, three kids and a writing addiction on the side, Staci Stallings has numerous titles for readers to choose from. Not content to stay in one genre and write it to death, Staci’s stories run the gamut from young adult to adult, from motivational and inspirational to full-out Christian and back again. Every title is a new adventure! That’s what keeps Staci writing and you reading. Although she lives in Amarillo, Texas and her main career right now is her family, Staci touches the lives of people across the globe with her various Internet and writing endeavors.
What I first thought was Oh the song is Hopelessly Devoted To You (Olivia Newton John) but I think could see it was different (although I know have that song stuck in my head!) Yes I got what you were doing.
What a challenge, wouldn’t it be good if someone you knew could put some music to your lyrics.
I could picture it, but not hear it. I am not musical at all.
Hi Staci! Well written scene and I can hear the music. Best wishes. Enjoy your week.
Hi Staci, wow, I did not realise that it was so hard to include songs. I would have thought that artists would be happy for some free advertising! I remember reading your earlier book, Lucky and Kalin’s music in that story. This new one sounds great too- looking forward to reading it.
Blessings:)
I could definitely hear the music.
Congrats on the new release!! I think you did a great job with the scene and I absolutely love the line about how he knew the intertwining melodies as wells as his own heartbeat. What an outstanding line!!
I thought Olivia Newton John immediately as well, so that was stuck in my head…sorry🙄.
I love reading the process of writing a new song, very impressive!
Perfect! My husband plays guitar so I could ‘feel’ myself portraying the character of the woman and him the man. Catchy song and I caught myself singing along. :)
I could picture them singing it together! It is beautiful! Makes me want to read this book! Great job. Thanks.
I like it! I also thought of Olivia Newton John, but it’s all good!! I definitely want to see where the book takes us!!
Oh, there is music. I could do it if I wanted to. I have before, but then it changes it from what’s in my head. :D
I actually never knew there was a song called that until I named the book that and then Amazon messed up putting it up. So every time I searched it for five days, all I got returned was Olivia Newton-John. HAHHAHAH!
Totally understand!
My daughter, who IS musical, says she just skims it when I get to lyrics because they “mess with my head.” :D
Thanks, Renate!
I hope your week is filled with music!
God bless you!
Wemble,
Yep, this ain’t my first rodeo with having to write original songs. I had to do it in Cowboy and Lucky too. Anytime I get a musician, I’m like, “Oh, boy. Here we go.”
I think this one has been a particular challenge because the series is so long. In the previous books, they only had like four or five songs. This one, I think I’m up to like 8 or 9 of them now. :D
God bless you & thanks for stopping by!
Cool!!! I think it’s so incredible that what’s in my head can get into yours with just some words on a page. :)
God bless!
Sally,
Sometimes certain lines are just…. bliss! That’s what makes writing worthwhile.
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have an outstanding day!
God bless you!
Paula Marie,
HAHAHAHA! That’s okay! Totally understandable.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing a bit of your life with me.
God bless!
Michelle,
I think it’s so interesting how every time I write these songs, they come out differently for who is singing what. I just wish I could see the characters sing it in for real–not just in my head. But I do know that musical people can really translate that well in their head because they’ve done things like this before.
Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Hi, Paula,
Thanks so much!
My problem is, I just want to go back and reread them over and over rather than write the next one. #8…. here I come!
God bless!
Trudy,
This journey has been so amazing to me. Making it with these characters as they grow and learn and change and… be-come! This has absolutely been one of my favorites, and there is still so much story to go! CRAZY!
Thanks for stopping by today!
God bless you!
Yes, I can hear the music. But I was a bit confused between Greg and Paige’s interaction through the song since she’s going with Nelson now….or was that Nelson’s take on what he is seeing between Greg and Paige? That tripped me up a bit in listening to the flow of the music.
Since music is a different medium, I think it’s hard to convey in writing, but you did a great job with the lyrics. I have also created my own lyrics for a couple of stories in which my protagonists sing. Since titles aren’t copyrighted, I’ve mentioned titles of songs that fit the story and then try to convey what the lyrics talk about without actually quoting the lyrics. That’s a challenge, too. Congrats on your new release.
Yes, this is from Nelson’s point of view! It’s Greg and Paige singing, and Nelson looking on. Funny, how even the POV makes a difference in how the song goes…
Thanks, Merrillee!
Yes, i did that mention the song title and try to convey without the lyrics a couple of times in this series. I’m not a big fan of that simply because if the reader doesn’t happen to know that song or can’t pull it up easily in their mind, it leaves something to be desired. It’s all definitely like walking a wire with no net!
God bless!
I love your books, haven’t read them all but it’s on “my list”! LOL I write some music, so far I’ve only completed one, which a friend of mine and I sang in my church on Easter Sunday. Of course we only had a small church of 30 back then, so they all loved it! LOL I did the same thing AusJenny did and thought of the song by Olivia Newton John, but I realized very quickly it wasn’t the same! Keep going you’re doing great!
Carol,
That is so awesome that you’re stepping out in faith and writing songs. It really gives new meaning to walking on water. :D
I hope you keep loving all the books. I love that there are readers that love them as much as I do!
Keep on being awesome!
I’m singing it :) It’s easy! Good job.
I had no idea that it’s so hard to get a permission to use it in the book…wow.
Blessings!
I think its actually from Grease . Also ONJ is an Aussie Icon and I had several of her albums.
That makes me smile! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
And yeah, getting permission…. it’s an issue!
God bless!
I think it might be from Grease 2 if I remember all the things I saw when I was trying to get my Hopelessly to show up on Amazon, but I could totally be wrong about that. :D
Staci,
Great work! I could hear the song in my head and I loved the tension between Greg and Paige. And also the longing of Nelson. I sort of feel like I need to be sorry for Nelson. He’s sort of in his own dreamland. Doesn’t he feel the connection between Greg and Paige?
I have a family member who’s in a popular Christian band and he writes most of their songs. I totally believe a songwriter has just as much difficulty in writing as authors do.
You did this scene wonderfully!
Very good writing Staci! I can’t wait to read this.
Ooh, I love it! I could totally imagine the music! 😊
Marylin,
The dynamic here is just heart-breaking to me because of Greg & Paige’s past relationship and now Paige is back with Nelson. Not sure Greg is really over Paige and Paige feels terrible for breaking Greg’s heart. Nelson’s back watching the two of them… and because it’s a song, no one can really say what they’re feeling or fix this by proximity. It creates a very interesting dynamic between the three of them.
So cool, Caitlyn,
I love it when it actually translates right so you get what I’m seeing!
God bless you & thanks for stopping by!
Yes I could hear the music also sounds like a great book Congratulations and God Bless You!
YAY! Awesome! Thanks for stopping by, Sarah!
God bless you!
Yes, I could hear the tune to the song!
YAY!
Thanks for stopping by and spending a few minutes with me!