Music to Write to in 2012

When I made my lists of the best writing songs of 2011, I mentioned that most of them were released earlier in the year. This is the list of songs that didn't make the cut solely because they were released later in the year, and I haven't had a chance to write to them. These are the songs of 2011 that I'll write to in 2012!

5. The War is Over – Kelly Clarkson

All I have to say is you don't deserve me.

While I adore Kelly Clarkson, I was underwhelmed by Stronger. However, I fell in love with “The War is Over” the first time I listened to it. It’s a great anthem for characters realizing they deserve to be treated better than their partners are treating them.

4. Safe and Sound – Taylor Swft ft. The Civil Wars

Don't you dare look out your window darling/Everything's on fire.

When this song appeared on my Twitter feed, I thought I’d imagined it. Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars are two of my absolute favourite artists, and they colloborated on a song for The Hunger Games? Come on, that’s too good to be true. But the song was everywhere within hours, and I fell in love. I always write to Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars anyway, but since I associate it with one of my favourite books, hearing it makes me want to write. It’s the perfect song for those romantic scenes when the characters escape from the chaos arround them, and focus on each other.

3. Over You – Miranda Lambert

But you went away/How dare you/I miss you.

It’s both exciting and frustrating to discover a song that’s perfect for your novel when you’re not working on that novel. So much about this song reminds me of the climax in my novel, and I know I’ll have this on repeat when I revise it in 2012. But, this song is appropriate for any novel in which characters miss someone. The emotion that Miranda sings with in the chorus captures the feeling of being left perfectly.

2. No Light, No Light – Florence and the Machine

I never knew daylight could be so violent.

Again, while I love Florence, I was underwhelmed by Ceremonials. Honestly, the only songs I like on it are “Shake it Out” and “No Light, No Light,” but I love those songs. This song is so dark and dramatic, which makes it perfect for any climax.

1. This Isn’t Everything You Are – Snow Patrol

Just take the hand that's offered and hold on tight.

Oh guys, this song. I’ve never seen to many writers tweet or blog about a song before, which tells me that you all love to write to it, too. The lyrics are the perfect anthem for any character who’s defined by something that, well, isn’t everything they are. The music fits well, too; it’s hard not to feel empowered when that music kicks in. The song is both subtle and dramatic, and listenting to it helps create both kinds of moments. It’s a great anthem for writers, too. Your word-count, number of followers, pile of rejection letters? It’s not everything you are.

What songs will you write to in 2012?

The next lists will be my favourite books of 2011, so look out for that! :)

Best of 2011: Fifteen Writing Songs - Part Two

Here's the second part of my countdown of the best writing songs of 2011! You can read the first part here.

7. The Lonely - Christina Perri

Dancing slowly in an empty room/Can the lonely take the place of you?

I usually write to songs because of their lyrics, but it's the mood of this song that inspires me. It evokes this haunting type of sadness, which helps me get in the mood to write the more depressing scenes.

6. He About to Lose Me - Britney Spears

I feel it burning and I know I'm standing far too close.

And yet again, I hear a Britney Spears song as full of angst. Cheating, or even being with the wrong person at the wrong time, has been a common theme in what I've wrote this year, and this song captures the feeling of the cheater perfectly. They know that they're doing something wrong, but they "can't overcome this chemistry." And, as they cheat, they know that their partner, or the person they want to be with, is slipping away. It's hot and heart-breaking at the same time. 

5. Skin and Bones - David J. Roch

So don't try to save me, and please God forsake me/I'll suffer alone, I just want to be left.

I posted a dance for this one because it's where I first heard the song, and now I always associate the two. I cried the first time I watched this dance, because to me, it and the song are all about giving up, even (or especially) when there are people who will do anything to help you. It's the song I play in my characters' darkest moments.

4. Bird of Winter Prey - William Fitzsimmons

We're more than just the blood of what we've done.

This song is on the list because of the lyric I quoted. This CD came out when I was writing a part of my novel where my characters were just destroyed by guilt. The reassurance that they were more than their actions was exactly what they needed and, ultimately, what they gave each other. Guilt is almost always a theme in my work, so there's always a use for this song.

3. Someone Like You - Adele

We were born and raised in a summer haze/Bound by the surprise of our glory days.

Well, obviously. This is the angst anthem of 2011, so of course I wrote to it. Much like the other Adele song on this list, I wrote to it because I danced to it. My characters are really too young to relate to the lyrics, but they understand the emotion behind it, and when I danced to this song, I was able to put that emotion into my writing.

2. Poison and Wine - The Civil Wars

I don't love you, but I always will.

I wish I had the space to quote all the lyrics, because they're all perfect and poignant. Joy and John Paul didn't waste a single word when they wrote this song, which makes every line feel like a punch to the gut. The song is a messy love story, and those are what I strive to write. I could put this song on for almost every scene I write, and either the lyrics or music would be appropriate. It's beautiful in how it's both heart-healing and heart-breaking.

1. Falling - The Civil Wars

Tell me it's nothing/Try to convince me/That I'm not drowning/Oh let me tell you, I am.

This is, by far, the most scene-specific song on this list. But, it was such a significant scene, and the song was so important to it, that now whenever I think of that novel, this is the first song that comes to mind. My character, Callie, danced to this song, and it was her first real breakthrough, the first time she realized there was something seriously wrong with the way she'd been treated. And her boyfriend, Chase, guided her through it. While I never explicitly stated this was the song she danced to in the scene itself, I described it, and   danced to it as though I was Callie to know what she'd do. This song brought me closer to my characters, reminds me of the novel I spent most of the year working on, and is the one closest to my heart. 

And that's it! I'll post my 2012 songs closer to the new year. If you celebrate it, have a wonderful Christmas!

Best of 2011: Fifteen Writing Songs - Part One

I’m obsessed with end-of-the-year countdowns, so from now until the new year, I’ll be talking about what I believe the best of 2011 was in terms of entertainment, which may take the form of music, television, celebrities, and of course, books.

I knew I wanted to post about music, but there was so much incredible music released this year that it was impossible to create a list of my favourite CDs or songs. So, instead of talking about the best music of 2011, I’m talking about the best writing music. This list features fifteen songs that were released in 2011 that I loved to write to. They’re not ranked in order of how much I like the song themselves, but in order of how much I wrote to them. That means most of the songs were released earlier in the year, because I haven’t had a chance to write to some new releases. So, when I finish this list, I’ll post a smaller list of songs I know I’ll write to in 2012. Here's the first part!

15. Housewife’s Prayer – Pistol Annies

I’ve been thinking about setting my house on fire.

One of my characters, Tiffany, is only seventeen, but already feels like a housewife. Though she’d never admit it, it’s her anthem. But, that’s not the only reason I write to this song. The theme of it, the desire to do something crazy and wrong that comes from dissatisfcation, appears in most of what I write, in one form or another.

14. Tough – Kellie Pickler

There ain’t nothing wrong with a woman that got a little backbone.

Like most writers, I torture my characters, and they come out stronger for it. This is their theme song when they realize that, and are ready to fight for themselves.

13. Learning to Love Again – Matt Kearney

That was the real you running through the fields of gold wide open.

 I write to every Matt Kearney song, and it’s always because of moments in the songs rather than the songs as whole. This one’s a little  different, though, because its theme of the real you is why I love to write to it. The theme of someone revealing their true self to someone else and then falling in love either because of or through that is always present in my work.

12. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall – Coldplay

I turn the music up, I’m on a roll this time/And heaven is in sight.

Ever since this song was used for the final montage on So You Think You Can Dance, I’ve heard dance in it. The two projects I’ve focused on this year feature dancer, and I hear everything my characters feel when they dance in this song.

11. She’s Dope – Down With Webster

Girl you’re a star, attention’s nothing new to you.

This is such a jam, and sometimes you need to write to music which pumps you up and makes you go, “Yeah, I’m awesome.” It’s also the way my male love interests see my female MCs ;)

10. Inside Out – Britney Spears

You touch me and it’s breaking me down.

 Oh gosh, I don’t even know how to explain this one. Basically, the song’s story of break-up sex is quite similar to a storyline I wrote this year, except mine was full of angst and didn’t involve dubstep. So, because I associated the song with my story, I started to hear it as full of angst, and I had it on repeat when I wrote one of the saddest scenes in my novel. Seriously. Also, believe it or not, this is not the only Britney Spears song on the list!

9. Turning Tables – Adele

Under your thumb, I can’t breathe.

I write to this song because I dance to it. It’s one of my favourite songs to dance to because it forces me to break down, and I’m able to write in that emotional and honest state it brings me to.

8. Beautiful Girl – William Fitzsimmons

Beautiful girl/May the weight of world resign/You will get better.

I always write to William Fitzsimmons because he’s so honest in both his lyrics and his voice, and it makes me honest. My characters always need to hear that they’ll get better, and this song promises them that.

What do you think of these songs? Any guesses as to what songs will appear in part two? What songs did you write to in 2011?

Road Trip Wednesday: Do You Hear What I Hear?

Road Trip Wednesday is hosted by YA Highway.

This Week's Topic: The Five Senses. How you use them in your writing, how you are inspired by them, pictorial essays, that character with smelly socks, books that have used them well, the ones that are currently missing from your work, etc.

Guys, I'm so bad at this. Detail is not one of my strengths as a writer, so I rarely write passages which describe a sunset, the sound of a train, the texture of snow, etc. 

My current WIP, Duets, calls for description. My last novel was intentionally set in Nowhere Specific--it's a nice place--but Duets is set in the maritimes, where I've lived all my life and love too much to misrepresent. Also, the three main characters in Duets are musicians, so sound and how that affects all the other senses is incredibly important.

I'm going to share what inspired this novel in terms of the five senses, and hopefully it'll help me see what details I need to incorporate in this novel.

Sight

The ocean, especially when the waves are big

The inside of a cottage, where my characters stay

Smell

One of my absolute favourite smells: Sunscreen

 Touch

The texture of saltwater-hair

Taste

Barbecue!

Sound

Since Duets is about, well, duets, there are so many songs I could've picked for this. The Civil Wars' album Barton Hollow pretty much is my playlist for this, and I chose "Forget Me Not" to represent it because this video is adorable and captures everything I love about The Civil Wars. Most of the music in Duets is folk or country, and this is its playlist (which is also a work in progress) if you're interested: Duets' Playlist.

How do you use the five senses in your writing? 

Road Trip Wednesday: Sing, Sing a Song...

Road Trip Wednesday is hosted by YA Highway. 

This Week's Topic: If your WIP or favorite book were music, what song(s) would it be?

I love this topic so much. I posted Building Forts' playlist awhile ago, and though those songs are still on it, it has changed from a focused playlist of twenty-three songs to a mess of, uh, 161 songs and counting, which you can see here if you're interested. Any song that reminds me of a scene in my novel makes the cut--whether because of music, lyrics, or both--and I can justify every song on that playlist (yes, including Like a G6), even if the connection's a bit of a stretch.

Needless to say, it was difficult to narrow my novel down to one song for this post. Many of the songs in the playlist represent specific scenes, so those are out, but there are also a fair number which fit the overall theme. So, honourable mentions go to every song by Thriving Ivory, "Car Crash" by Wakey!Wakey!, "Fix You" by Coldplay, "For Blue Skies" by Strays Don't Sleep, "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry, and "Falling" by The Civil Wars. 

The song I think best represents my novel, however, is "Corner of Your Heart" by Ingrid Michaelson.

This was not the first song that came to mind when I read the prompt, because I don't write to it near as often as I write to the songs above. But, it is exactly what my MC, Callie, does throughout the novel. She has two romantic relationships, and though one is considerably healthier than the other, in both she gives the guy everything she has for next to nothing in return, her whole heart for a corner of his.

I also want to share this dance to this song, because I discovered it long after I began this novel, and was shocked by how the male dancer just is Chase. It's kind of ridiculous. He even has the right hair!

What song would your WIP be?

Best of 2010: Music and Television

I have a slight obsession with end-of-the-year specials, so it's only fitting that I do a Best of 2010 miniseries on this blog. Today, I'll talk about my favourite music and television of 2010, and tomorrow I'll talk about my favourite books published and read in 2010.

Music

Best Albums Released in 2010         

Taylor Swift - Speak Now
I wrote a post in November about how Taylor Swift is one of my inspirations, in which I talked a bit about my love for her newest album, Speak Now. Well, I've listened to it a lot since then, and it's become one of my favourite CDs to write to. It's just such an honest representation of a young adult's life. I've added the entire CD to my playlist for BUILDING FORTS, because at least one of my characters has felt what Taylor sings about.

Maroon 5 - Hands All Over

My love for Maroon 5 tends to surprise people, because I'm a bit of a prude, and...well, just look at the cover art. But, their slower songs are incredible (seriously), and to be blunt, the rest of their music turns me on. I'm a prude, but I'm human. Maroon 5 tends to release their worst songs as singles ("Give a Little More" is my least favourite song on the CD, and I'm not crazy about "Misery.") The best songs on the CD, by far, are "How" and "Just a Feeling." But as a whole, Hands All Over is a solid album, with the perfect mix of emotional and sexy songs.

Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

I saved the best for last. Mumford & Sons are not only my favourite new band, but one of my favourite bands of all time. It's so refreshing to hear new music that really doesn't sound like anything else, and I don't know of any bands with Mumford & Sons' sound. My favourite thing about them, though, is not how unique they are, but rather how emotional their songs are. I feel every single note, to the point where it's almost uncomfortable, and I love that. They're just so brilliant.

Best Single of 2010

Whip My Hair by Willow Smith

I'm only half-kidding. Honestly, my favourite single of 2010 was probably "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry, which is weird, because I have many issues with Katy Perry. But, it definitely has something to do with the fact that it's perfect for my novel, and I never fail to smile when I hear it.

Television
Best New Series of 2010

Parenthood
I don't understand why more people aren't watching and talking about this show, because I think it's currently the best show on television. The storylines are real and emotional, the characters are well-developed, and all of the actors are brilliant (how can you can go wrong with Lauren Graham?) Seriously, I cried during the pilot of this show. I cared about the characters that much after spending no more than forty minutes with them. It's first show I've seen that has as much heart as the next show I'll talk about.


Best Season of an Old Series

Season Four of Friday Night Lights
Clearly, I'm a Jason Katims fan, as he works on both Parenthood and Friday Night Lights. I'm counting this season as airing in 2010 because that's when NBC aired it, even though DirecTV started airing it in 2009. Friday Night Lights is my favourite show, but I was wary of a season with little Matt Saracen. Honestly, Matt makes Friday Night Lights for me. He's my favourite character of anything, ever. Well, "The Son" gave me everything I needed from Matt Saracen. I wrote a post about that episode, so I won't repeat myself except to say that it's my favourite episode of the series, and easily one of my favourite episodes of any television show, ever. "The Son" is enough to make season four of Friday Night Lights my favourite new season of 2010, but the rest of the season was solid as well. I loved that there was more focus on my second favourite character, Landry, and I warmed up to all of the new characters (especially Luke and Becky, though I know the latter is an unpopular opinion.) It was a solid season for an incredible show, despite the loss of multiple main characters.

Your turn! In your opinion, what was the best music and television of 2010?

Favourite Holiday Songs!

On the Playlist: Silent Night - Mercy Me

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Wondering what music to listen to while you're on a sleigh ride through a winter wonderland? Need to add noise to your silent night? In the mood for some silver bells that jingle?

Can you tell that I've been watching The Sing-Off which, let's be honest, is actually a competition of puns? 

Now, I'll share my five favourite holiday songs, and you will laugh, because they are embarrassing. But, that's the beauty of Christmas. It makes it ok to listen to campy music! (We will ignore the fact that I listen to campy music year-round.)

5. O Holy Night - Kelly Clarkson

It's just a gorgeous song, and Kelly's version resonates with me the most.

4. My Only Wish (This Year) - Britney Spears

Don't judge. I know you love it too. 

3. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Rosie O'Donnell and Elmo

It's Elmo. Do I have to say anything else? And I LOVED Rosie O'Donnell when I was a kid (seriously), so the duet never fails to bring back memories of those magical Christmases you have when you still believe in Santa Claus.

2. The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone) - Celine Dion

I honestly don't know how to explain what this song means to me in words. It's not the song itself, but it's how it reminds me of my mom, who passed away. When I hear it, I feel like she's with me again. That is truly magical.

1. The Seven Joys of Mary - Great Big Sea

I'm a maritimer. To be a maritimer, you have to love Great Big Sea. Seriously, it's a requirement. I love where I live, and as Great Big Sea does so well, this song captures the maritimes. It sounds like home.

What are your favourite holiday songs? 

Just Sharing Some Inspiration

Sometimes we're struck by stories that aren't in books, but in music, in photographs, in film.

In people.

This dance has hit me in a way that's like that breathless feeling you get after you read a book, one that worked its way right into your heart, that somehow found a home in you. I won't say anything else about the dance. It is what it is, and just like with books, you'll like it or you'll won't. I'm posting this in hopes that someone else will get knocked out by it like I did.

Choreography: The brilliant Erica Sobol.

Dancers: Leah Moyer and one of the most underrated dancers ever to be on So You Think You Can Dance, Thayne Jasperson.

Music: "The Moment I Said It" by Imogen Heap, and "I Don't Feel it Anymore (Song of the Sparrow)" by my favourite artist of all time, William Fitzsimmons.

Enjoy. 

I'd love for all of you to share what stories (that aren't found in books) have left you breathless.

Inspiration: Taylor Swift

Whenever someone asks me who my favourite artists are, my response is, "William Fitzsimmons, Mumford & Sons, Florence and the Machine, and Taylor Swift."

One of these things is not like other, right?

I was fifteen when Taylor Swift came out. I was fifteen when I had my first crush that went beyond, "Oh, he's cute." I honestly thought that I had a shot with this guy, but then he started dating his ex-girlfriend. I didn't know her, but from what others told me, she was pretty much exactly like me, just better according to him. It doesn't sound like a big deal now, but when I was fifteen, it completely crushed me. When I heard "Teardrops on my Guitar" on the radio, it was the first time as a young adult I'd heard a song and thought, "Oh my gosh, someone gets it." I quickly downloaded the rest of her music, and had the same experience with "Tied Together With a Smile", "Stay Beautiful", and "A Place in the World." Even though I couldn't relate to the other songs, I loved them just as much. In fact, "Cold as You" is still my favourite Taylor Swift song.

I didn't have the same experience with "Love Story" that I had with "Teardrops on My Guitar". I liked the song and thought it was cute, but it didn't strike me like Teardrops did. Still, I loved Taylor, and bought Fearless. I enjoyed it, but again, it didn't hit me like Taylor Swift did. That summer, I went away for a week to a random small town, where I met a boy. That boy was one of the biggest rushes I've ever experienced. We clicked and flirted like crazy (and until this point, I didn't flirt at all), but in a week, it was over. Suddenly, Fearless was the soundtrack to my life, just as Taylor Swift had been. "Love Story" and "Fearless" were my week, and "White Horse" was the rest of my summer. I also felt a connection to "The Best Day", "Change", and, unsurprisingly after reading the last section, "Fifteen."

The difference between Fearless and Taylor Swift was that I got bored with Fearless after my boy-drama ended, whereas I still love Taylor Swift. When Speak Now came out, I wasn't that excited. I thought I'd either outgrown Taylor or that she'd lost some of what made her first CD so magical. I didn't plan on listening to it, let alone buying it. "Mine" didn't change my mind. In fact, I rolled my eyes a little when I heard it: a cutesy love song from Taylor, how original. Her performance of "Innocent" at the VMAs also came off as little self-righteous to me, which didn't help matters (though, spoiler alert, I love the song now.) Taylor's performance of "Back to December" at the CMAs is what made me listen to the CD. Both the song and the performance itself were so honest, and for the first time since "White Horse", Taylor struck a chord with me. I listened to the rest of Speak Now, and now I'm in the process of falling in love with it. "Dear John" and "Sparks Fly" (yes, another cutesy love song, but now I know a cute boy to go with it) were instant favourites, but I'm sure as I continue to listen and continue to live, more of her songs will hit my heart.

Taylor Swift's success is no accident. She gets what it's like to be a young adult, and can capture moments of that with an almost uncomfortable amount of honesty in three minutes. In three albums, she's managed to capture the life of a young adult.

That's why, as a writer, Taylor Swift is an inspiration of mine.

Now, you tell me: what musicians inspire you as a writer?

PS: The guy I liked when I was fifteen? Turns out he was a jerk. The ex he was dating when I liked him? She's now one of my best friends. Amazing how things turn out, huh?

Soundtrack Saturday: Daytrotter

On the Playlist: Girl in the Moon - Everly

Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly series where I'll share a safe and legal resource where you can download and/or stream free music. These resources are great ways to discover new music to add to your writing playlist!

Just a quick note, I will go on and on about how awesome these resources are because they're awesome, not because I'm affiliated with them in any way. I just want to share these awesome resources with awesome people.

This Week's Website: Daytrotter

I had an hour commute to and from work over the summer, and was  desperate to update my iPod with new music that I could fall in love with on the ride. The problem was that I needed a website that offered downloads of music by indie bands, both ones I knew and ones I didn't, that wouldn't empty my bank account. Not the easiest thing to find. But, I stumbled upon Daytrotter one day, and it was an even better website than what I'd hoped to find.

Daytrotter has artists stop at their studio to record sessions (usually from three to five songs), then uploads those sessions for the public to download at no cost.

What Artists are on Daytrotter?
 Ever heard of Tegan & Sara? Vampire Weekend? Ingrid Michaelson? Though you expect a website like this to feature indie artists, part of you expects they will be indie artists you've never heard of. That's not the case with Daytrotter. They have a great mixture of popular indie artists (oxymoron?) and indie artists who aren't as well known. So, you can download some sessions by artists you already know and love, as well as discover some fantastic new music. Personally, I was sold when I saw that William Fitzsimmons, The Swell Season, Brett Dennen, Greg Laswell, Blind Pilot, and Amos Lee had sessions. I also discovered the incredible artists Dawes and Lissie through Daytrotter.

What You Should Know about Daytrotter

• When you download a session from Daytrotter, you have to install a downloader. Daytrotter will guide you through the process, and the downloader is completely safe.
• All Daytrotter sessions come with beautiful cover art that will appear on your iPod.
• The quality of the sessions can vary. Most are of good quality, but a few are of lower quality.
• All Daytrotter sessions come with information about the artist, but not in the way you might expect. Instead of boring biographies, Daytrotter uses beautiful prose.
• There's a new session every day. You'll never be without new music. 
• You can follow Daytrotter on Twitter at twitter.com/@realdaytrotter

You Tell Me... 
Have you used Daytrotter? What do you like/dislike about it? Favourite sessions? Discovered any new music through the website? If you haven't used Daytrotter yet, will you look into it now?

Also, do you like the idea of Soundtrack Saturday? Are there are any safe and legal resources which offer free music that you'd like me to cover?

Let me know in the comments!

Building Forts Playlist

On the Playlist: I Need You - Relient K

I love reading about others' writing playlists, so I thought I'd share mine for Building Forts. I've divided it into songs for the three principal characters (Callie, Chase, and Darren), and for the two principal relationships (Callie/Chase and Callie/Darren). Of course, some songs fit better than others, but they're all songs I've heard in Building Forts at one time or another. I've bolded the ones that are almost perfect for the story.

Callie:
Scars - Allison Iraheta
Dance in the Dark - Lady GaGa
I Can't Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt
Dear... - Maria Mena

Chase:
Angels on the Moon - Thriving Ivory

Darren:
Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

Callie/Chase:
Fix You - Coldplay
All I Need - Matt Kearny
For Blue Skies - Strays Don't Sleep
So Pure - Alanis Morissette
18th Floor Balcony - Blue October
A Beautiful Mess - Jason Mraz
Hazy - William Fitzsimmons & Rosi Golan
Wonderwall - Vitamin String Quartet
Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
Listen to Your Heart - DHT
Hey Lady - Thriving Ivory
I'm On Your Side - Maria Mena
Beside You - Marianas Trench

Callie/Darren:
Cold As You - Taylor Swift
Two Steps Away - Patti LaBelle
Corner of Your Heart - Ingrid Michaelson
Chivas - Kelly Clarkson

I would love to read your playlists! Leave it in the comments, link to it, whatever, I'd just love to know what it is.