Untamed

I LOVE music. I have to have it playing everywhere. It sets my mood and can change my mood in every way. All different types of music, in any setting. In my car, it has to be as loud as possible, and I either sing along at the top of my voice or listen and just take in the sounds of the instruments and the words.

As I get older, I find I am listening to music differently. I am really taking notice of the words, the passion and the meaning behind the song. Songs that I used to sing along too as a teenager take on a totally different meaning when you listen to the lyrics and understand what the artist is writing about. I find I get more emotional. The songs can be covered by another artist and sung at a slower pace, and they hit you in a different way.

I have decided to start taking lines from songs on my playlist to inspire my writing. I am going to use this to challenge myself. Pick a line that holds a meaning to me and write something new from it. I will start listening to different genres of music to gain different inspiration and styles. It’s a good way to be creative.

Spend more time listening to music, live music, radio, good old-fashioned CD’s, Spotify, local bands, big concerts, festivals, background music in cafes, stores… wherever you are, listen for it. Notice how it makes you feel as this can also bring out emotions that can be used in your writing. Does it invoke memories for you, bad or good. Does it pick you up, make you cry, make you think of certain places? so many things can come to you just from music.

But don’t forget, there is also music in our everyday lives that is not man made, or not performed by instruments or machines… the music of nature that surrounds us. The bird song, water running over a waterfall, babbling in a creek, wind blowing through the trees… this is truly magical music when all of that comes together, and it is utterly beautiful. Those sounds can also inspire you and invoke feelings. Music gives us so many options to use in creative writing and a whole scene can be built based on description. Use your words, use your emotions, use your passions and invite music into your life. Without music, what are we? How can we even begin to express ourselves if we do not have music.