Music I Listen to while I Write

Like most people who write I enjoy having on some music at a low volume to one; help me concentrate and two; keep me in the story’s atmosphere.
I personally prefer listening to albums rather than a mixed playlists, because with an album the artists usually invoke the same themes and sounds. There’s an overall arch that a playlist, no matter how well balanced and themed, just lacks. So below I have listed some of my favourite albums to listen to during writing sessions (incidentally they also just happen to be some of my all-time favourite albums and bands, so I’d highly recommend giving them a listen even if you’re not looking for music to write to).

“My New Time”, “Altitude” and “Stacked Smoke” by Autumn
The vast majority of my writing features Gothic themes and Autumn is a band that, at least for me, create an atmosphere that transports me into those stories. However, being a very particular creature, the Gothic setting that I’m brought to with their music is always a post 1920s setting. For an album that takes me to a Victorian Gothic setting look no further than to the next album below!

“Opheliac” by Emilie Autumn
This album works as a two for one type deal. It, as mentioned above, brings me into a Victorian Gothic setting, but it also helps me with invoking a more decadent and mad scene, still very much with either Gothic over- or undertones. I have an affinity for the Gothic Mad Woman, and this album perfectly embodies those themes.

“Violet” and “Walking With Strangers” by The Birthday Massacre
Now these two albums are the only ones on the list that do not take me into a Gothic mood. The atmosphere that these albums draw me into is still dark, still “horror” and definitely modern. But at the same time there is also a childlike glee to them, the song “Lover’s End” especially has that particular creepy-kid factor.

“Dark Adrenaline” by Lacuna Coil
This album brings me back into the Gothic, but keeps the modern setting for me. And since this album is also on the heavier side it is also my preferred soundtrack for when I write more action oriented scenes.

“Century Child” by Nightwish
This album takes me into the mindset of a Gothic fairytale. While the other albums on this list have had a strong sense of modernity to them this album is the only one that takes my thoughts back to a, very romanticized, medieval setting. It is also the only album on here that takes me from an industrial setting into a nature one. The overall puppet theme of the songs also helps to create a dark and creepy setting.

So that was my list! I hope you will check these albums and bands out for yourself, even if you’re not interested in writing with a soundtrack or even writing at all. Have a nice day and I’ll see you in the next one.
Bye!

I’m Back! (and a New Year’s Resolution)

Well it’s definitely been a while! I’ve been wanting to return to this blog for quite some time now, but it took a fabulous lady at the Always Burning event I attended on the 15th of February to provide the last butt-kick I needed.

The blog has gotten a bit of a revamp, and I’ve tried to modify the posting schedule to a somewhat less ambitious level (that’ll hopefully fit me a lot better) and I’m going to take my time trying to find my “voice” in this medium.

Since my last post I’ve gotten older, wiser and more comfortable in my own skin, and I’m hoping that that will shine through in the posts as well as my commitment to make this a regular thing for me to work on.

With the re-introduction out of the way it is now time to venture into the first (proper) post of 2020!

New Year’s Resolution

Usually I’m not one to make one or more of these, because quite frankly I never keep them. There are several reasons for this, but mainly it comes down to me having a goal without a plan to actually reach it. However this year a resolution has been made!
And what part of my life am I going to improve on? Well, since I’m not a smoker there’s nothing to quit, and considering that I’m in decent shape there’s nothing new to start up. What I want to do instead is bring something back into my life that I lost a few years ago: my habit of reading several books during a month.

When I was a fledgling teen I used to read all the time and consume book after book, and I loved it. It greatly enriched my life and provided inspiration for all my various creative endeavors, and I miss that. The lack of reading has become quite severe within the last few years and I’m at a point now where I almost feel left behind.
Another thing that truly bothers me is my inability to talk to my friends about books, because on one hand I can only contribute with books I’ve read years ago, and on the other hand I’m incapable of talking with them about the books they’ve read.
But no more!

This is the year where I’ll bring an old habit back to life. And that’s the key word: habit.
While I am going to track the amount of books I’ll read this year, I do not have a set goal for the amount, or kinds of, books that I’m going to read. This is about building up a habit of reading on a regular, or even just a semi-regular, basis.
Simply put; I won’t be reading any books in 2020 if I do not make time for it. And so, how’s it going so far two months in?
In my personal opinion it’s going rather well. So far I have finished one book, and I’ve begun on another. What I still need to work on is making time for and prioritizing reading over browsing the Internet.
WI-FI is most definitely my main downfall. I often find myself going to YouTube, Netflix and many other sites where I’ll then proceed to dive down a rabbit hole. A rabbit hole that’s almost impossible to get back out off.

In order to combat this I’ve tried to do the old “reading before bed” - routine, but unfortunately there are many evenings where I’m just too tired to concentrate on reading, so even though I have gotten some extra pages turned it’s not enough for what I’m trying to do.
Another thing I’ve done is turning off the devices that connects to the WI-FI which have produced much more reading time. One thing that has really helped me in that tactic is my old iPod: while it connects perfectly well to my laptop, it has no way of connecting to the Internet on its own. Not having to go online for music prevents any temptation to start browsing.
The second method has so far proved to be my favorite one when making time for reading, I just have to get better at actually doing it. So I guess that’s going to be the next step.

Fingers crossed that I manage to make my resolution a reality, and I’ll see you all in the next one!
Bye!