Make Your Own Novel Soundtrack

I'm a music writer. I need melody and words and beats to make good words. (I don't actually make words. Just so we're clear.)

I touched on this whole music/writing spiel back in February, when I wrote about what songs I listen to when writing action scenes. This post is going to be a little different. Playlists are a great tool to evoke emotion when you're writing. But I'll do you one better. When you make your own novel soundtrack, you not only have a great writing tool, but an exercise in theme, characterization and plot. 

OKAY. So let's talk about how to make your novel soundtrack. How do you know what songs to pick? Which ones make the cut?

PICK SONGS FOR LYRICS. 

This is my main reason for my song choices. For instance, when I listen to "The One I Love" by Greg Laswell, I can hear my character Simon saying those words. Sometimes, lyrics remind me of a place in the book or a theme that runs through it. Try these tricks:

1. Pick based on lyrics that represent your characters' voices. Bonus? Create a playlist for each character.
2. Pick based on lyrics that honor a theme in your book. For example, loneliness or coming-of-age.
3. Pick based on lyrics that reflect your setting. If you're writing a story based in Ireland, try listening to some songs by Irish artists.

PICK A RANGE OF SONGS. 

I like to vary my song choice. Some songs are more upbeat, while others are mellow and moody. Arrange songs in a way that mirrors the rise and fall of your story. Essentially, you're making your own little plot line. Here's an example for you:

"The Rain" is an upbeat song, but foreshadows some relationship problems. The next song, "over you" is the aftermath of that, and slows the story down. "Heartbreak World" compliments this new shift.

PICK SONGS FOR THE MUSIC. 

Music makes you feel things, just like words do. Sometimes, I choose songs just because they musical arrangement mimics the  feel of the book. Most of my songs are because of the music/lyric combination, but I love the sound of "Let's Be Still" by The Head and The Heart.

PICK YOUR SOUNDTRACK.

I put together my playlist in Spotify, which I recommend. Another amazing resource is 8tracks. Share your soundtrack with your followers, and share it on your blog. It's important to give your readers something to connect with, something to draw them even further into your story, especially when they're still waiting for it to be published. You can learn more about my novel here.

Okay, without further ado, here's my novel soundtrack. There's also a link to my Spotify playlist, if you happen to be a user!

THESE ARE THE MOMENTS SOUNDTRACK

1. This is Your Life by Switchfoot  2. Dead Hearts by Stars 3. Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer 4. The Rain by Benji Davis Project 5. Over You (feat. A Great Big World) by Ingrid Michaelson 6. Heartbreak World by Matt Nathanson 7. All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye by John Mayer 8. Missing You by Tyler Hilton 9. Gravity by Sara Bareilles 10. Sugar, We're Goin Down by Fall Out Boy 11. Dragging You Around (feat. Sia) by Greg Laswell 12. Wish You Were Here by Incubus 13. When It Rains by Paramore 14. Hearts Like Ours by The Naked And Famous 15. Let's Be Still by The Head And The Heart 16. Breathe by Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat 17. Hometown Glory by Adele 18. Who I Am Hates Who I've Been by Relient K 19. Something Beautiful by NEEDTOBREATHE 20. Stars by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals 21. Amnesia by 5 Seconds of Summer 22. The Last Time by Taylor Swift, Gary Lightbody 23. The One I Love by Greg Laswell 24. High by Young Rising Sons 25. Scene Four - Don't You Ever Forget About Me by Sleeping With Sirens 26. It All Starts Now by Foreign Slippers

Discussion Time: What would be on your novel soundtrack? Comment below! 

The Best Notebooks for Writers

The Best Notebooks for Writers

Confession: I'm a notebook hoarder. I buy notebooks for both functionality and you know, if they're pretty, and I keep them stacked with my books. Lately, I've been writing everything by hand. So I'm breezing through my stockpile. And also icing my hand, because well, you get it.

Every writer has a different strategy. I'm definitely not here to tell you what's the "best" way, because that just doesn't exist. But if you're looking for ideas, here's a good list of the types of notebooks to keep:

Writing Notebook

I mean, this is pretty obvious right? This is where I keep my scenes, where I brainstorm, where I keep all my story stuff in one place. This might just be the most important of the best notebooks for writers, because it's where the magic happens.

Idea Journal

I'm always getting these different "what if's" and "if only's" that I need to write down or else they're gone forever. My brain works like that. If I don't write it down immediately, it's gone forever. Half of my story comes from these jotted down ideas, and it's important to keep them all gathered in one place.

Normal Journal

I've kept a diary (on and off) since I was nine or ten. Again, if I don't write things down, then I won't remember them. And the last thing I want to forget is my own life, am I right? If you're one of those people who can keep a daily journal - like my good pal, Emma Watson - then more power to you. There are all sorts of ideas that can stem from your own observations.

FreeWrite Journal

This is where you just write down everything and anything, no matter how crazy it is. You just sit there, and log your time or your word count, depending on how you work best. It's amazing what you can come up with when you just allow yourself the time.

Ok, I hope this post was helpful. I won't lie to you. I'm half-sleeping as I write this, which if you think about it, just proves how awesome I think you are. Right? Right.

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Creating Believable Characters in Your Fiction

Creating Believable Characters

Note: this post has been updated on June 15, 2015.

Who among us didn't weep over Dobby in Harry Potter? Did you fall in love with Noah and Allie in the Notebook? Have you ever loved a character so much that they became a friend that you revisited over and over again? As a novelist, creating believable characters who leap off the page is imperative.

So how do we do this? Well, I'm glad you asked. (Okay, you didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway.)

WRITE LESS THAN YOU KNOW.

Remember when J.K. Rowling shocked the world by revealing Dumbledore's sexuality? There was no mention of it (allusion can be argued), but yet, this was the truth. Knowing your characters beyond their books is important. If they aren't real to you, how can they be real to a reader?

GIVE THEM SOMEONE TO LOVE. 

No, I don't just mean romantic love. Any kind of love. Think Katniss and Prim. Think Sirius and Harry. If you show us a character's love, we'll not only believe it, but feel it too. Here are a few examples to think about:

1. Familial love. The self-sacrificing parent. The overprotective sibling. Everyone loves a good family bond.
2. Romantic love. Unrequited, broken, first, on-again, off-again. We can't help but root for a good love story. (Hint, hint: These Are the Moments.)
3. Love of cause. The fighter. The rebel. The activist. Readers love passionate characters.

MODEL FROM LIFE.

Learn from the people around you. Observe the details: the flaws, the strengths, and the quirks. Avoid perfect, cut-out characters by incorporating qualities that are true to life. In this way, your characters and the worlds you created will feel that much more realistic to us.

KNOW THEIR GOALS, WANTS, AND FEARS.

These are the big three.

1. Goals. These are what propel characters through the story. Goals can change, fail, succeed, but every character has a path.
2. Wants. A little different than goals, because they may not be the purpose of the plot. This is where love interests tend to fall.
3. Fears. How do these affect the goals and wants? How do they trip your character up through the story?

FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS. 

You know your characters. You know the way they act and why they act that way. Trust yourself and trust your characters. Because our characters are human (well, mostly!), they aren't always rational. They're going to make mistakes. They're going to act out of character. And that's ok.

WANT MORE? OKAY!

If you're interested in more tips on characterization, I highly recommend The Essential Guide to Character Creation by She's Novel:

Click the picture to learn more!

Creating Believable Characters

*Note: the above is an affiliate link.

Discussion Time: Are you creating believable characters in your fiction? What are your favorite character tips?

Writing Playlist 1: Action Scenes

Writing Playlist

Music can make or break your writing flow. I’m all over the place when it comes to music. I know what I like when I'm just driving in my car or working out, but when it comes to writing, I just can't seem to find a pattern. I tend to find one or two songs that I really connect with, and I'll just play them on repeat until the words get on the page. Then I get bored with those songs and have to start all over again. It's a vicious cycle.

And of course, every type of scene requires a different sound. Action scenes, emotional scenes, heist scenes, romantic scenes. You have to tailor the sound to the scene. If you're killing off a character, you probably shouldn't listen to "Happy Days Are Here Again." Then again, who knows? We all have our quirks. So rather than waste hours trying to pick that "perfect sound," I figured I'd help you out with sharing a little from my very own writing playlists.

Where to get your listening experience: I use Spotify, which I definitely recommend, but any other music source works too. Some people think Spotify is a bit intimidating, having basically every song at your fingertips. For people who like a pre-packaged soundtrack, I'd suggest the 8 tracks website. If you follow the link, it'll lead you right to playlists with the "writing" tag. It's a wonderful resource.

Let's talk action. When I write action scenes, I want a writing playlist that pumps me up. I like songs that build, songs I can get lost in, and songs that reflect the magnitude of the scenes I'm writing. Music should enhance, not distract. So below you can find my writing playlist, and yes it's girly and yes it's cheesy and yes it's awesome in every way.

1. Dead Hearts by Stars

2. Stay The Night by Zedd feat. Hayley Willams

3. Clarity by Zedd feat. Foxes

4. Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding

5. Start a Riot by Jetta

6. Young Blood by The Naked And Famous

7. My Body by Young the Giant

8. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

9. Cosmic Love by Florence + The Machine

10. Electric Heart by Sia, The Weeknd, Diplo

Writing Calendar: Keeping Count of Your Writing

writing calendar

As part of my New Years resolution, I decided to try and write every day. I'll admit it: I'm not a disciplined writer. I try my best to get work done, but between school and work, it was hard to make time. Now, I've got a lot of time on my hands, and there's really no excuse. I applaud those of you who can write 3,000+ words a day while balancing kids and jobs and what have you. That's amazing. As for me, I decided to take one small step at a time, and start with a simple 500 words a day.

Jeff Goins, whom I love and admire, created this program called My 500 Words. It's a 31 day challenge where you simply write 500 words a day. As Jeff says, "It takes me anywhere from 30-60 minutes to write 500 words. And if I keep up with that pace, I’ve got a book in 90 days." Above, you can see a glimpse of my writing calendar. As you can see, vacation kind of got in the way, but I'm not punishing myself. I just picked up where I left off. And that's good!

Writing Calendar

My writing calendar is based off of word count, and I've got the system down. The idea came from writer Laini Taylor, who recently posted her methods on her blog. I'm the kind of person that does well with visuals, so seeing my progress in front of me really kickstarts my writing.

Here's how my system works:

1. Word Count Colors. I found this little marker/stamp at Target that has three colors: magenta, yellow and orange. If I write my 5oo words, then I get a magenta dot. Yellow is for 1,000 and Orange is for 1,500. I write the exact number of words on the day, so I can tally my words for the week.

2. Cupcakes. Math lesson: 500 words a day for 7 days equals 3,500 words for the week. If I reach that 3,500, I get a cupcake sticker. Pretty cute, huh?

3. Congratulations banner. Not pictured above, if I reach 14,000 words for the month, then I get a "congratulations" sticker for the month.

There's no "right" way to make a writing calendar, but it helps to make it fun! The main ingredients are writing and reward. Celebrate your work! You deserve it!

Do you have a writing calendar? How has it improved your writing time? Comment below!