Inspiration of Music

In any moment that allows me to, I listen to music.  On the drive to work, at home while cleaning the house or playing with my daughter, and even at work.  I'm thankful my work doesn't mind that I listen to music through headphones on my iPhone.  Music is powerful.  It can help you cope with a difficult time in your life or remind you of good times.  It can also be an inspiration to get up and do something productive.

Many writers prefer not to listen to music while working because they find it as a distraction to their thoughts, and rightfully so.  I can understand how that happens.  When I was first working on my novel, brainstorming ideas and character arcs, listening to music actually helped the process.  I knew what sort of mood I wanted at each moment in my writing and was able to pick the music that would take me even further to that place in my mind.  Or sometimes, when I was having trouble moving forward with it, I would stop for a while and just listen to music.  Any kind of music.  I would sit and listen to the words, allowing my mind to escape into the song.  It really helped my own creativity to listen to someone else's, and music just happens to be my choice. After a while, ideas would start filtering into my head and I jotted down anything and everything until a new idea came.


In many ways, music inspired me to write.  When I was younger, I would spend hours in my room just listening to music and singing along when I knew the words.  It was my escape from the world.  But as I got older, moved out of my parents house and into the real world, graduating college with no promise for a good job, that passion faded.  I never stopped loving music but it wasn't my escape any more.  I needed something more, something I could create for myself.  A few years ago, it came to me.  What replaced my passion for music was reading.  I spent all of my free time with my nose in a book.  When I put it all together in my mind, music and books and passion, I thought - why not try to write a book?  I love reading them so much and I don't have the musical talent to become a musician.  I've attempted learning guitar and piano without much results.  But it would be amazing to be able to give others what so many authors and music artists have given me.

As I started writing, my interest in music began to grow stronger than it had been before.  I explored more outlets of music and found that, just like my favorite books, they inspired me to do something amazing with my life.  And as the creative writing process began, music was a constant part of it.  Now, I can't live without my writing or my music.  These people - authors and musicians - made their dreams become a reality by never giving up on what was truly important to them, and they inspire me to do the same - through their music and through their books.  Everyone has their place of inspiration.  It's up to you to figure out what it is and never give up on the dreams that inspiration gives you.

Alysia