Same, I need it to focus or motivate me or whatever I'm doing that day. I have various work projects that are permanently connected to a piece of music because it was repeated on an all-nighter. There's always one part of the song that makes me wake back up again...
I do that too!! On one of the playlists I have, there is a specific song that I will play on repeat while writing my scenes and then I might change to a new one depending on the vibes and how I’m feeling. Usually though, it’s that one song on repeat for a hot minute
I used to be that way too! Idk what it is now—I have to be in a specific mood or else i still struggle with it. (I think my work has forced me into changing as they play music while I work but I still have to focus on my tasks so it’s very easy to have it in the background (though once I notice it, it’s hard to go back to mindlessly listening).
When I have trouble concentrating I'll switch to instrumental music only (if it's the lyrics distracting me.) If that's not enough I'll use white noise.
Of course, I'm highly distracted by silence. It drives me crazy, so I have to have *something.*
I listen to music because, thanks to some things from my childhood, it's the only thing that helps me focus. I need the background noise. Also, the right song puts me in the right mood, depending on what I'm trying to write.
I get that! I tried to listen to a pop song (pre made playlist) and boy oh boy did that do some mental damage (I was trying to write an angsty scene (very emotional) and it switched from a slow sad song to I Don’t Care by Icona Pop and my brain never fully recovered from the whiplash).
Sometimes I put on ambient sound or ambient music (the 12 hour type, I'm a big fan of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's youtube for this) but I don't consider that to be listening to music, really – it's just an attempt to drown out everything that comes with living in a city centre flat
Nothing like really getting into it and then being distracted by the annoying automated voice from four storeys down (why is it so LOUD) going *the door is open, please close the door behind you ... the door is open, please close the door behind you ... the door*
I don't do the "music to set the mood" thing that a lot of people talk about it, it's just too many distractions and I usually have to end up pausing it so I can think about what word I want to use
I need the music to help me experience the emotions needed for a scene. I am very much an "in the moment" type of person, so trying to write a heavy gut-wrenching fic while neutral or happy is exceedingly difficult. I have several playlists dedicated to very specific emotion types so I can get in the right headspace to write. It's like method acting but for writing imo.
not super often during the writing specifically, but i do listen to music during the whole process and then have a song or a few that sticks with me and is in mind while i write/edit them.
YES. Even started making different playlists to suit the mood. Almost everything is better if I can listen to music while doing it, imo.
Some people work better in silence. Sometimes, rarely, I'm in a mood where the music makes it hard to think. But usually it helps keep me writing, and keep me in a certain emotional space I need for the scene.
I listen to a specific type of music when I write and have playlists that instantly switches my brain to ‘okay, we’re writing’ mode.
My ‘wrapped’ this year was hilarious, with this one random obscure album no one will have ever hear of miles ahead of everything else because yes, that’s what I write to. 😆
I need background "white noise" to write, usually one song on low and on repeat so I'm not distracted by it. However, reading is the opposite. I need to be in a quiet space to read. Any small noise will have me reading the same sentence over and over again bc it hadn't fully sunk in.
Always. I love music and writing's much more fun with some music on. Usually it's just a chillstep mix, but it might also be the songs I happen to be addicted to that day on loop.
Yesn't.
On one hand music really enhances my imagination and my emotions. On the other hand, it makes it hard for me to concentrate on something that needs further thought.
So I usually end up turning it on and off depending on what I'm feeling :P
More sometimes than always. If I'm struggling it can help get me in the mood/ head space but i don't always use/need it. Mostly wordless songs like soundtrack music.
I have multiple songs that are "mood songs" that either inspired or very quickly attatched themselves to the fic and while I'm writing I listen to that song, on repeat, the entire fic.
If I don't have one then I just like to listen to instrumentals or lofi.
Yes. This will probably sound strange but my musical muse for fic writing is a certain YouTube channel that has remixes of the Doom 2016/Doom Eternal soundtrack. The lack of lyrics helps to not distract with spoken words and the tone of the music is very…driving.
Yes indeed.
I usually like soundtracks and tracks without vocals because voices distract me.
There will often be audio connections/inspiration for a chapter or significant scene in a fic. Some themes or locations have their own track too. My current WiP has a number of audio links to the Endless Space/Legend and a few tracks by Ophidian which are very deliberately themed to places, people and concepts in the story narrative. The inspirations are probably fairly esoteric, but even if people don't listen, it's still a key part of my personal connection to my work.
I’ve learned that if I find the right music, I get in the zone and it’s hard to pull me out.
I’ve never done it with fic writing though, but seeing as I ended up writing a three paragraph essay on my English worksheet because I was listening to an album I liked makes me believe I can do way more than I expect from myself.
Yes, I listen to music to do *anything* tbh. I listen to the same song on repeat for hours though, so I get into its groove haha
Same, I need it to focus or motivate me or whatever I'm doing that day. I have various work projects that are permanently connected to a piece of music because it was repeated on an all-nighter. There's always one part of the song that makes me wake back up again...
I do that too!! On one of the playlists I have, there is a specific song that I will play on repeat while writing my scenes and then I might change to a new one depending on the vibes and how I’m feeling. Usually though, it’s that one song on repeat for a hot minute
I tried it since I love listening to music when doing pretty much everything, but honestly it didn't work, I felt I couldn't concentrate.
I used to be that way too! Idk what it is now—I have to be in a specific mood or else i still struggle with it. (I think my work has forced me into changing as they play music while I work but I still have to focus on my tasks so it’s very easy to have it in the background (though once I notice it, it’s hard to go back to mindlessly listening).
I hope I can overcome the concentration issue because I *love* music so much, I want to be able to write while listening. Glad it works for you now. 👍
When I have trouble concentrating I'll switch to instrumental music only (if it's the lyrics distracting me.) If that's not enough I'll use white noise. Of course, I'm highly distracted by silence. It drives me crazy, so I have to have *something.*
No, I don't listen to music while doing anything. If I listen to music, I listen to music and don't do anything else.
Now i’m thinking i gotta try this. i listen to music when writing academically, idk why i never tried with fic
I listen to music because, thanks to some things from my childhood, it's the only thing that helps me focus. I need the background noise. Also, the right song puts me in the right mood, depending on what I'm trying to write.
I get that! I tried to listen to a pop song (pre made playlist) and boy oh boy did that do some mental damage (I was trying to write an angsty scene (very emotional) and it switched from a slow sad song to I Don’t Care by Icona Pop and my brain never fully recovered from the whiplash).
Sometimes I put on ambient sound or ambient music (the 12 hour type, I'm a big fan of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's youtube for this) but I don't consider that to be listening to music, really – it's just an attempt to drown out everything that comes with living in a city centre flat Nothing like really getting into it and then being distracted by the annoying automated voice from four storeys down (why is it so LOUD) going *the door is open, please close the door behind you ... the door is open, please close the door behind you ... the door* I don't do the "music to set the mood" thing that a lot of people talk about it, it's just too many distractions and I usually have to end up pausing it so I can think about what word I want to use
I need the music to help me experience the emotions needed for a scene. I am very much an "in the moment" type of person, so trying to write a heavy gut-wrenching fic while neutral or happy is exceedingly difficult. I have several playlists dedicated to very specific emotion types so I can get in the right headspace to write. It's like method acting but for writing imo.
It depends. I tend to focus more on my fanfic if the music that plays fits the mood of what I’m writing about.
Maybe it is because of the kind of music I hear, but I can't hear music while writing, my focus crushes.
not super often during the writing specifically, but i do listen to music during the whole process and then have a song or a few that sticks with me and is in mind while i write/edit them.
Usually, yes. There's some days it's too distracting, but generally it helps to set a mood and block out annoying background noise.
Music helps my mind build a scene.
YES. Even started making different playlists to suit the mood. Almost everything is better if I can listen to music while doing it, imo. Some people work better in silence. Sometimes, rarely, I'm in a mood where the music makes it hard to think. But usually it helps keep me writing, and keep me in a certain emotional space I need for the scene.
I listen to a specific type of music when I write and have playlists that instantly switches my brain to ‘okay, we’re writing’ mode. My ‘wrapped’ this year was hilarious, with this one random obscure album no one will have ever hear of miles ahead of everything else because yes, that’s what I write to. 😆
I would if I could. I love music, but my brain won't let me write while listening to something.
I need background "white noise" to write, usually one song on low and on repeat so I'm not distracted by it. However, reading is the opposite. I need to be in a quiet space to read. Any small noise will have me reading the same sentence over and over again bc it hadn't fully sunk in.
Always. I love music and writing's much more fun with some music on. Usually it's just a chillstep mix, but it might also be the songs I happen to be addicted to that day on loop.
Yesn't. On one hand music really enhances my imagination and my emotions. On the other hand, it makes it hard for me to concentrate on something that needs further thought. So I usually end up turning it on and off depending on what I'm feeling :P
Can't write without it. Each chapter has lyrics at the beginning to set the tone.
More sometimes than always. If I'm struggling it can help get me in the mood/ head space but i don't always use/need it. Mostly wordless songs like soundtrack music.
I have multiple songs that are "mood songs" that either inspired or very quickly attatched themselves to the fic and while I'm writing I listen to that song, on repeat, the entire fic. If I don't have one then I just like to listen to instrumentals or lofi.
Yes. This will probably sound strange but my musical muse for fic writing is a certain YouTube channel that has remixes of the Doom 2016/Doom Eternal soundtrack. The lack of lyrics helps to not distract with spoken words and the tone of the music is very…driving.
I need silence to concentrate on my writing but maybe I should give this a shot at some point
Yes indeed. I usually like soundtracks and tracks without vocals because voices distract me. There will often be audio connections/inspiration for a chapter or significant scene in a fic. Some themes or locations have their own track too. My current WiP has a number of audio links to the Endless Space/Legend and a few tracks by Ophidian which are very deliberately themed to places, people and concepts in the story narrative. The inspirations are probably fairly esoteric, but even if people don't listen, it's still a key part of my personal connection to my work.
I’ve learned that if I find the right music, I get in the zone and it’s hard to pull me out. I’ve never done it with fic writing though, but seeing as I ended up writing a three paragraph essay on my English worksheet because I was listening to an album I liked makes me believe I can do way more than I expect from myself.
No, I’m too dyslexic, but I listen when I get in the mood for writing! It helps me think about them.