Writing Advice From Me to You - Pick a Tune

On this blog I want to share with you all some writing tips and tricks that work for me. Everyone is different. Everyone's writing process is different, and we all have different ways of perservering and smashing through that awful confidence crusher - WRITERS BLOCK!!! Dun...dun...dun. I'm gonna share some of my tips and if they help anyone then it was worth taking the time to write them down.

One of my favorite go-to outside "tools" for setting the writing mood and setting the tone for my imagination to roam where it needs to and not over imagining how awesome the new Chicken Parm Breadstick Sandwich from Olive Garden is going to be - is MUSIC. I'll just put my headphones in, drowning out all other sounds and let the melody stir up my creative juices. It sets a tone AND clears out other sounds. I have different songs for different scenes. Obviously Enya isn't going to work when I have my main characters kicking troll ass, but I'm going to include a list of some of my all time favorite fallbacks. For me, 9 times out of 10 these songs work. Maybe one of them will work for you. Maybe you have your own song or song list that gets you through some long scenes. Either way keep writing and never give up!!

Paige's All Time Favorite Writing Starter Songs (Ugh, that's a long title. That's too long of title...I need to change that title.) - 

1. On the Nature of Daylight

by Max Richter

2. Grow Till Tall

by Jonsi

3. Dead Island Trailer Theme

by Giles Lamb

4. Signs

by Bloc Party

5. Intro

by The XX

Dance Away the Writer's Block

We all hit little road blocks while writing. They happen to me all the time. Sometimes it seems like I can't get through an hour of straight writing without doubting myself or second guessing a scene. If I go more than 5 minutes without being able to move on I simply step away from the computer put on a song I can shake my little ass to and dance...just dance. It clears my mind, gives me a nice boost of endorphins and gets me out of my head. Then after the song, or perhaps two, ends...I sit back down at my computer with a usually clearer head and clearer path.

Here's one of the tunes I've been using to help with writer's block lately - 

Yes, Avery and Jade have a playlist too!

Basically there are three main love stories in the Protectors Saga. There's Dravery, there's Eryk and Jade, and there's Avery and Jade. And to be honest, Avery and Jade are arguably the strongest. It's a platonic love, it's a sisterly love, and it really is an unconditional love...and I love writing that! So to sometimes set that tone for my writing, I listen to a few tunes. Below are some of those songs. If you want, look them up and listen to them loudly :)
~Paige out

Avery and Jade's Playlist

1) Use Somebody by Kings of Leon

2) Breathe In Breathe Out by Mat Kearney

3) What If by SafetySuit

4) Marchin On by OneRepublic

5) I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Gavin Mikhail

6) Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

7) Thank You by Dido

8) Silver Lining by Amanda Ghost

9) The Unwinding Cable Car by Anberlin

10) Meteor Shower by Owl City

Dravery Has a Playlist

I think most writers have a playlist or maybe even just one or two songs they play to help them get in a certain mood for writing, help them write a certain scene. And I am no different. In fact, I live for the writing playlist. My stories would be nothing without them and my scenes, I feel, would lack something. So, if any of you lovely readers are interested, I have compiled a few of the songs I use when I'm writing Dravery scenes. I hope you enjoy them or even feel like listening to one or two before reading a scene you enjoy. I also have playlists for Avery and Jade scenes, battle scenes, Jade and Eryk scenes, and many others. Told you - I am a music junkie - the withdrawal is terrible. I promise to share some more playlists in the near future, and in the meantime I'm busy working on the 5th book and my little vampire novel. Now onto the playlist -

DRAVERY'S Playlist

1) The Haunting by Anberlin

2) Blind by Placebo

3) Cut by Plumb

4) Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars

5) Desire by Ryan Adams

6) Nicest Thing by Kate Nash

7) Lucky by Biff Naked

8) Take Me As You Found Me by Anberlin

9) Howl by Florence and the Machine

10) All the Way 4 U by Poets of the Fall    

MUSIC MONDAY - It's Muse-ic to my ears

Let's talk about Muse-ic! I think the funniest thing about that little play on words is how much joy it actually brings me. Seriously, though, let's talk about Muse. I've always loved Muse. I became a huge fan way back when their Absolution CD first came out. And years later, after getting many of my friends hooked on their musical genius, I am still a fan. In fact, a good many of their songs are on my 'Writing Playlist' (remind me to share some of those songs on here sometime in the future).
Lately, I've become OBSESSED with their new song 'Madness'. In addition to working on the 5th book in The Protectors Saga, I've also been putting effort into a few other writing projects, and the song is perfect to just get lost in and think through some of the more intricate story details in my head.
So, I hope you enjoy this Muse-ical wonder as much as I do :)
~Paige out...

Music Monday - I won't surrender so I won't stop!

This Music Monday is devoted to the rhythmically cheerful and lyrically poetic genius of a song Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap. I love this song for so many different reasons that it's impossible to go into. I've been using it to write Protector scenes since the 1st book. It's great for writing group scenes with all five girls. It's fun, it's beautiful, and it keeps me going!
A moment of love
A dream
A laugh
A kiss
A cry
Our rights
Our wrongs
If these lyrics don't speak for the Protectors, then I don't know what song would. Although, honestly, I think the lyrics speak for any person who loves and lives life to the fullest. So, listen to it and then go off and have your own little moment of reckless abandon. And remember, you 're all wonderful...I love you!

Music Monday - If you're the Emperor, I'm the Empress!

EMPIRE OF THE SUN - Walking on a Dream

If you've never heard of this group you NEED to listen to them, and if you have heard of them, well then good for you! They're a bit alternative so they're not gonna float everyone's boat, but they definitely float my over-sized badass battleship. It helps that they remind me a little of Bowie (my fantasy master - the Goblin King of my heart!)
I love having this playing when I'm writing filler scenes...or a more literary polite way to say it is, scenes that don't require as much emotion. It's just a fun song. A good writing song and a good road trip song.
Before you listen I've written down the little chorus bit for you. I'm doing this because when I first heard the song I had no idea what he was actually saying, and like all of us do - I made up my own lyrics. But it's always nice to know what exactly the artist meant to portray (even if you end up still using your lyrics).You'll know the part I'm talking about while moving your shoulders along to the infectious beat!
Lyrics-

Is it brand new when two people become one

I can feel it when two people become one

Music Monday ....What if I wanna be the Pirate AND the Princess?

 So, one of my big writing habits is listening to the same song over and over again. It's usually for a scene or perhaps a chapter. It's like a theme song for my characters and situations. Every Monday I'm gonna post my song of the moment to this blog...just give anyone who may be interested a little insight into my writing. I'll also give the briefest description of the scene I'm working on...wouldn't want too give too much away, or bore...it could go either way.
WARNING: Some of the songs may be incredibly stupid, grotesquely overplayed, or obnoxiously catchy. Risk of the song annoyingly playing throughout your head for the rest of the day is a large possibility. LISTEN AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, my first ever MUSIC MONDAY song is I'm a Pirate, You're a Princess by PlayRadioPlay!
The scene I've been writing today is a pretty light scene between all 5 Protectors that transitions into another light scene between Avery and Jade. The vibe of the song puts me in a cheerful state of mind, without getting me too pumped. If I'm up and dancing around I'm obviously not going to be writing.
Sorry the vids a bit crap quality...it's the best I could find...le sigh.