Note: Seriously looming deadline, so apologies in advance for the shortness of this piece!
Some writers claim they write better to music. I’m not one of them. In fact, at times, even white noise becomes annoying.
For me, writing is a process of visualizing scenes, each scene denoting a chapter. I see the characters, their exact location and interaction with each other, and even hear their conversations in my head. Any external noise at that point, winds up clashing against those scenes, like two televisions, playing in the same room at full volume, but on different channels. In a word—grating.
Occasionally, as hard as I try to visual a particular scene/chapter, it remains foggy, or better yet, lumpy. Cold, undercooked oatmeal that’s good for nothing more than the garbage. This is when white noise suddenly turns into a four hundred piece marching band, drowning out what little drivel my pitiful scene attempts to emit until the voices are dead—gone—nothing.
That’s where I am now—silence of the lumps. The white noise? The soft whoosh of air blowing from an air conditioner vent overhead. Pathetic, right? Right. The only way I’ve found to fix this irritation is to go do something physical. Take a walk, ride the “You can do it!” gazelle, or get in my car and drive without destination. The problem is that the solution takes me away from the keyboard when I’m supposed to be counting down words that will take me closer to this friggin’ deadline!
Arggg! Where the hell is Hannibel Lecter when you need him?
7 Comments, Comment or Ping
Seva Alieva
Sean O’Malley on MSN/Yahoo Interoperability Deal
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Oct 18th, 2005
Memcco
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Oct 18th, 2005
David Niall Wilson
Wow…double-spammed.
I always listen to music, it’s the background of my life, and even when I think back over scenes I’ve written, I can hear the soundtrack of what I was listening to at the time…but as a musician, and fanatical appreciator of music, if I didn’t listen and write at the same time, I’d never keep up with the music at all…
In my Navy days I often wrote in the middle of a noisy shop, conversations on all sides, at least one tape deck and a TV going with ship’s announcements in the background…so I guess I’m acclimated…
DNW
PS - Is Hannibel the female equivalent of Hannibal? Hanibelle Lector…the sister…
Oct 19th, 2005
James Goodman
I listen to music when I write. I find it both inspiring and relaxing (which can be a form of inspiration in itself I suppose). In fact, the noise level in my house can get rather high at times and the only way to drown out my surroundings is to don a pair of head phones and lose myself in the writing.
Of course, this may be a result of never really having the opportunity to work in silence. At this point in my life, silence would probably just make me antsy.
Oct 19th, 2005
Deborah LeBlanc
Your right, David, Hannibel is the female equivalent! Didn’t think anyone would catch that.
I really admire those who of you who can write to music. I just can’t get my brain to handle both things at once. Do you think it’s an ability one either has or doesn’t or something that can be learned?
deb
Oct 19th, 2005
Deborah LeBlanc
P.S. How is the spam getting through?! Geez, nothing’s safe from those (#$&%*(*!
Oct 19th, 2005
Mark Rainey
I usually have music going; something mellow, usually electronica, sans lyrics is prefereble.
Spammers. Sledgehammers to hands. Can’t think of anything more fitting.
Oct 19th, 2005
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