Pulse of Heroes blog tour stop! Guest post with AJ Sweeny!

Music and my Writing.

Many authors have set routines and methods in their approach to writing. Since I am a relatively new novelist, I am still discovering if I do some things consistently to go along with my writing, and at this point I have picked up on a few things. The biggest part of my writing inspiration other than a neurotic need to tell stories, to teach, and self-express, comes from music.

I am a music lover by nature. It can be almost anything, instrumental or with lyrics; as long as it has a melody I will find inspiration in it. These inspirations vary in form and depend on other things outside of myself. I never drive without listening to music and as you can imagine much of my inspiration comes when I’m behind the wheel. It gets a bit frustrating because I can’t write down whatever it is I’m seeing, feeling, and thinking. There’s no pulling over in the middle of the freeway, and I’m usually in a hurry because I’m one of those constantly late people. Not TOO late - but I have a “hard time making it on time”.

So what is it about the music that inspires me? Obviously lyrics are a treasure of depth. The subject matter doesn’t matter, as long as I can truly feel the raw passion behind them. Good lyrics are powerful emotions concentrated into just a few powerful words. Sometimes I will hear one sentence in a song and it will remind me of one of my character’s memories, or their feelings, or even something that they might say in a dialogue. Sometimes a certain verse will play perfectly with the scenery outside and will give me a picture-perfect moment that I might include in one of my stories.

Music on it’s own, at least for me, is also a powerful meter of emotion and mood. Where lyrics might restrict me into a specific direction of thoughts, melody on its own is as fluid as water. It can be complex with many notes, or just a few strums of a guitar, even just a consistent beat. No matter what, music transforms my consciousness into another reality. It doesn’t have to be far removed, but it’s definitely enhanced. Music makes my lungs take in more air and relaxes my entire body. I think more clearly about the world when there is music playing, and I feel more deeply and in touch with my true emotions rather than the everyday buildup of fronts we present as ourselves. With this type of clarity I write best because I can hear my own voice above all the noise.

With all this in mind, I have found myself making a listening soundtrack to play either while I write, or before, so I can get back into the mood. The CDs that I burn for this purpose end up getting listened to daily while I am drafting the novel. I have released the names of several songs that inspired me while I wrote Pulse Of Heroes and a certain band even gets a credit in there. For Of Blood And Pulse I found my inspiration coming from many different artists, and it is now the same with the up-and-coming Pulse Genesis.

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Happy Reading!

Kristina