Sound Tracks

Sound Tracks
For some writers, the only thing more intimidating than the blank page is a silent soundtrack to their wordsmithing. In a very unscientific finding, I would say that about half of my writer friends write to some sort of musical sounds—cosmic white noise, whales crooning, the buzz of nature, Tibetan singing bowls—whatever it takes for us to be enveloped in our own creative world.
 
It seems even best-selling professionals constantly seek ways to maintain the most direct route to their writing passion.  We all want to reach in deep and get our best version of personal truth and beauty on the page. For many of us, music helps channel the necessary mood to write or revise well.
 
In a recent webinar, author/presenter James L. Rubart presented his idea on how struggling writers can find the true heart of their work: name your three favorite movies and find the theme that unites them. If they’re truly your favorite movies, they probably have a common theme that spoke to you.  That’s the theme of your own life—that will be your best place to write from.
 
So, back to music. Movies have soundtracks, a good percentage of which are instrumental. If the movie’s theme speaks to you, chances are the sound track will, too. It will lift you to the same places the movie itself does. So, as part of  finding the most direct route to your writing passions, why not download the soundtracks of your favorite movies to write by?
 
I’ve got a very long way to go before being an accomplished writer myself, but this technique works for me when the sounds of nature through my window aren’t quite enough to help me reach in deep.  Happy writing!
 
BIO:
After nearly twenty-two years as a professional firefighter, Laura Kemp has turned to writing despite her discovery that it’s more daunting to craft good fiction than it is to run into burning buildings.
 
 

Laura Kemp