I’m sure all of us have come to a point in our lives when we went blank and had no idea what to write about. When moments like those disrupt your writing schedule, how do you cope with it? Word Prompts? Picture Prompts? Video Prompts? Ever tried Music Prompts?
My unfortunate injury and my now deceased laptop had forced me into bed-rest for most of last week (no, the two incidents weren’t connected, but fate has been cruel to me). How did I spend that time? I survived by listening to music, anytime my daughter let me play anything apart from her nursery rhymes.
It’s helped me in ways I never thought were possible. It calmed me down, of course but more importantly, it centered me and gave me great ideas to write, like a word prompt. One particular piece of instrumental music from a favourite TV series brought on such a wave of inspiration that I finished three pending projects in one go. Of course I still have to go back to them and edit them, but the fact is that the musical piece ignited my imagination and helped my mind visualize the text in a similar genre as the musical piece. Does that make sense? Maybe I’m not able to explain it in words but it worked for me!
I’ve decided now that whenever I need to write and I seem to get stuck somewhere, I’ll try to play a musical piece (instrumental or vocal) to evoke ideas or to inspire me to write in a similar genre as the musical piece.
Have you ever had something like this happen to you? I’d love to know how and what you use to inspire you or to get you through your writer’s block. Please do share.
Goodnight folks!
Love and blessings,
Pradita Kapahi, 2017.
I am so glad you are out of bed rest, being confined to a small area can be awful. And using music for inspiration is a wonderful idea! I totally agree 🙂
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Yes…i couldn’t wait to get out. I was feeling so down and depressed all the while I had to be careful about my knee. But now I’m better. Thanks love 🤗🤗
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You are welcome Pradita! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Great way to spark thoughts!
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Yep. Try it some time 😊
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I do listen to music while writing. I do this basically to avoid disturbance.
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Thats a great habit too. I’ve done that mostly for exam prep but I would end up getting more distracted 😁
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I had that habit too, but listened to spiritual hymns then. Doesn’t help anyways.
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Oh… Me and spiritual hymns never worked out
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I listen to them when I feel lonely and worthless! I actually boosts my confidence. It’s good to be God fearing!
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Yes, in certain times in our lives, it does help. Thanks again for your comment 😊
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My ideas just erupt from nowhere!
Sometimes while I’m busy with a project and then it all comes rushing in.. or when I’m falling asleep and bam bam .. everything starts to rhyme!
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Happens to me too. But this time a musical piece provoked me on a certain topic. And that never happened before. Thanks for commenting 😁😁
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You’re welcome gurl . I’d love to read that piece! I hope you get well soon.
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Thanks a lot again 🤗😊
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Be observer!!!as you are!!!!construct it.there are alot of things which need to be written in the form that can inspire soul.write by imagination and convert them into reality.
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Thanks for the suggestion 😊😊
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Great post! There’s a book I’m working on, and I’ve done the entire outline using music. A song will inspire a mood and then I’ll flesh out an entire scene as though it were a music video. Scene by scene the entire plot was written that way, so in effect there’s also a soundtrack to go with the book. 🙂 My $. 02.
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Thanks a lot for your wonderful comment. Yes, sometimes I use that too – envisioning a scene like a music video or movie. It makes the text so much more believable when you’re trying to write from the POV of a viewer. All the best for your book! 🙂
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Thank you!
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You’re most welcome 🙂
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Great post 🙂 This is so beautiful 😉
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Thanks a lot. Glad you like it 🙂
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You are always welcome dear 🙂
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🙂 🙂
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😉 😉 You have a nice blog 😉
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Thanks 🙂 So do you. I’m going through your post Being a Male. It’s a very well written piece on how we should change the way we think because that is what will ultimately change the way we look at genders in this country. I wrote a similar post titled Fear of the Road: Street Harassment on eveteasing. Do check it out if you have the time 🙂 Thanks again for stopping by
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Went through your post found it very meaningful 🙂
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Thanks a lot 🙂
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You are always welcome dear 😉
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Oh I accept the power of music! I have seen it spark ideas and themes although in my case, instrumental music hasn’t been the spark.
What music did you listen to? The TV series one I mean.
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I have had mostly instrumental pieces inspire me to do things, not just write. Like the works of Chopin and Tchaikovsky have inspired me to paint, the track from Braveheart made me write poetry… The track I was listening to was Dance of the Druids from the Series Outlander. Lovely Celtics Scottish music
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I haven’t heard any of those. The last piece of instrumental music that I heard and absolutely adore is Light of The Seven from GoT.
More inspiration to you. Good luck.
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Aah GOT! Another nice, moving piece of music. Thanks and the same to you.
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hope you are doing good now……..prayers for your laptop……..and yes, songs work……and movies work everytime, at least for me! 🙂 🙂
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Thanks you for your wishes. My laptop sadly has passed away into the neverland of mechanical objects. Good to know that music helps you as much it helps me. Thanks for stopping by 😊
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all celebrities are passing away…..
pleasure reading you!!! 🙂 🙂
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😊😊😊
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Sometimes when I have a problem creating a part of my plot, I listen to music and close my eyes, playing the motions of the story in my mind like a movie until I find a scene that works for me. I use music without lyrics and then there is this one band that reaches out to me through lyric somehow. The Muse. Something about their songs that spark my imagination.
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I do EXACTLY that with music! You’ve worded the experience better than me. Music is indeed a powerful medium.
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Great minds think a like 😁It is powerful, indeed!
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Yep 😀😀 Great minds we are 😉
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😎😁😉
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I actually cannot wait to be blocked again so I can try listening to music to get myself out of it. Also, I’m so glad you have gotten better.
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Thanks a lot. Do give it a try. And why wait to get blocked. Go ahead and enjoy it while you write and watch the ideas flow 😉 Thanks for stopping by 😊
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I am a traveler at heart: places, ideas, hobbies, skills, food, teaching, meeting people from any culture, and all of the above. Writing happens when I sit😄
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Same here 😉
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I find if just play and instrument I automatically start singing lyrics without thinking about
This is how I wrote my first song
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Wow! You write songs? Amazing!
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Yeah just wrote my first one
I was really happy with it
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Nice! Is it posted on your blog?
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Just the lyrics but I will be uploading the recording soon!!!!❤️ it’s called Come To Me
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Lovely sounds to it already. Please send me a link when you do 😊
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I will be sure to do that😊
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I’m a fairly new Alternative Music and Culture blogger based in India. Here’s my latest post about the Alternative music scene in 2017 and the top 30 tracks so for. I think my blog will fit your vibe since I enjoyed reading yours. Do check it out and feel free to share your opinions.
https://theindianindiehead.wordpress.com/2017/06/11/2017-is-a-musical-goldmine-playlist/
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Thank you so much for visiting. I am not a music expert. Just an avid listener. But I’ll definitely check out your blog post. Happy blogging
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Thanks for checking out my post. I’m not a music expert, just an enthusiast, but I’ll be sure to check your post out. Thanks again
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Loved this piece.
Alternative music blogger based in India, here is a review/description of Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales by Car seat Headrest. Do check it out and share your opinions. http://wp.me/p7U3SC-6U
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Thanks a lot. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to look at your website beyond that one post. But I will ASAP. Thanks for visiting mine. 😊
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Sure, no problem 🙂
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😊😊
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Loved this article! Very well done.
I’m an alternative music blogger and fairly new at it. My latest post is about Royal Blood – a heavy alt rock two piece band from England and they’re taking the rock scene by storm. Jimmy Page approves of this band and they have also opened for Foo Fighters. Their music composes of heavy manic riffs, nothing like you have ever heard before. Do check it out, and my other articles and feel free to share your inputs!
https://theindianindiehead.wordpress.com/2017/06/26/riffs-for-everyone/
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Thanks a lot 😊 😊 😊
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