Why Writers Should Have A Playlist For Their Stories

Every writer has their own way of getting into the right—or, rather, write—headspace for writing. They might need a hot cup of coffee or tea to get their ideas brewing, start off with meditation or prayer, light a candle for ambiance and aromatherapy, or spend a few minutes tidying their writing space before sitting down to work.

For a lot of writers, that routine also includes music.

Even if you prefer writing in silence, creating a playlist inspired by your WIP can give you an excellent tool to dive into the heart of your story and keep you in the zone.

Not to mention it's fun!

Here are some of the ways curating a playlist for your WIP can keep you in tune with your writing.

Focus

Many writers use music to stay focused, and creating a playlist for your WIP can take that benefit even further.

I personally prefer instrumentals when I write, and I have a separate playlist for my writing sessions featuring instrumentals that capture the essence of my project. In the case of my Regency romances, it includes a lot of gentle piano pieces and compositions from that time period.

Having it on at a low volume in the background is usually enough to drown out distractions.

The "Write" Mindset

Having music on when you write isn't about keeping you in the zone. It can help you get there.

Treating your WIP like a jukebox musical of sorts and assigning each scene its own track can help you figure out where you left off after stepping away from your writing.

It's also a way to shift gears into writing mode.

As an example, I don't particularly listen to classical music outself of writing, so pulling up my instrumental playlist (or a compilation video on YouTube as I more often do because I don't want to muck up my Spotify Wrapped with the chaos that is my writing playlist!) that has become something of anaudio cue that tells my brain it's time to write.

Time And Place

Music is indicative of where and when we are.

As soon as I hear "Low" by Flo-Rida, I'm thrust back to memories of it being blasted at middle school dances in the cafeteria. "Let It Go" became something of a personal anthem when Frozen was released during my senior year of high school. Every time I'm subjected to "Love Shack," I'm reminded of how it was somehow in the same setlist as artists like Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes on the in-store radio when I worked at Godiva.

Music carries memories of time and place, so if you're writing a historical fiction novel, you might find that a playlist of the music that would have been popular in the past can help immerse you in your characters' present.

Hitting An Emotional Beat

Speaking of memories, music has an intrinsic ability to stir emotions—even dredging up feelings we'd much rather tamp down—and that makes it a powerful tool for tapping into your characters' heads and hearts.

Got a character going through a breakup? If it's a heartbroken woe as they grieve the relationship, try putting on the sappiest lovesick tracks you can find! Are they dressing for revenge, champing at the bit to key their ex's car and slash a hole in all four tires? Crank up those F.U. rage fests! Celebrating taking down the big bad after a hard-fought battle? Power anthems and victory marches can really heighten the mood.

No matter the vibe, having a solid playlist can help you nail those emotional beats and evoke the same emotions in your reader.

Character Theme Songs

One of my go-to approaches for getting to know my characters is finding their theme song. There's a delightful rush when I'm listening to something and find myself thinking, "Ohh, that is soooo Eve-coded"; the song in question, by the way, was "6'2" by Marie Miller.

Giving your characters their own theme song can offer an intimate glimpse into their mindset. What they most want. What they value in life above all else.

That's why I have a couple of Christian pop and hymn stations in my Pandora rotation, even though I myself am not religious. My characters are (Protestant, specifically). Religion was integral to Regency society, and it would no doubt shape my characters' perspectives and beliefs. Although religion isn't a focal point of my stories, it's subtly there in the background, so those Pandora stations are a good source of inspiration and a way to understand my characters a little more.

On a similar note, researching and listening to music that's significant to your character's culture can deepen your understanding of their roots if they're unlike your own.

Pacing

One thing I remember from taking music theory in high school was my teacher mentioning that she set the order of pieces for school concerts so you'd have an upbeat song or two to get the audience into the performance, slow things down for a song towards the end, and finish with another upbeat one. Those shifts would effectively keep the audience engaged. Too many of the same could get stale or grating.

That influenced how I planned my radio shows in college, and it's also a technique to help you track the pacing of your story.

Let's look at High School Musical 2 as an example!

Yes. Really.

The movie opens with "What Time Is It?", a fun, upbeat number that introduces the cast and where we're at. We also get "Fabulous," "Work This Out," and "I Don't Dance" maintaining that momentum.

The mood takes a steep decline with the ever-iconic "Gotta Go My Own Way" when Gabriela leaves the resort, effectively breaking up with Troy (that one makes an appearance in virtually all of my WIP playlists BTW).

Things pick back up with the also-iconic "Bet On It" before slowing down for "Everyday"—which has its own emotional upswing, starting off slower and more mellow as Troy takes the stage alone, building as Gabriela emerges from the crowd, and even more so as the rest of the Wildcats join them, forgiving Troy for his multiple mistakes across the film. HSM2 closes with "All For One," a grand finale that's peppy and feels celebratory, bringing everybody (even Sharpay) together and leaving viewers on a high note.

Even if you were unfamiliar with the plot of HSM2 and only listened to the karaoke version of its soundtrack, you'd be able to pick up on the emotional beats of its story. Where the conflicts hit their lowest points and where they're resolved.

You can use this trick with your own writing, too! Finding music that fits the tone of each scene, even if it's not in a lyrical sense, can help you get a feel for its pacing. If you've got too many consecutive upbeat songs, that might be a sign to slow things down so your characters and your readers can catch their breath.

Too many slow songs back-to-back, on the other hand, might indicate you need to rev up the action to keep your readers from getting bored.

Pacing can be tricky, but a playlist might just be the unexpected key to finding your story's rhythm.

Many writers like to imagine what songs would be on the soundtrack of their book's film adaptation, what would play over its end credits or trailers, or what the theme song would be if it were made into a TV show. Some authors have started including their playlists in their books, giving readers insight into their writing process for their stories!

Creating that soundtrack with a WIP playlist has so many practical uses as you're writing that story. Whether you're setting the mood or connecting with your WIP on a deeper level, music can be such a powerful tool for writers.

What's in your WIP's playlist? Drop a favorite track or two in the comments!