Music to Write To

I’ve been on a writing hot streak the last few days. Some of that I attribute to a great plotting breakthrough at the gym, but, in a related event, I attribute it to music. 

Normally at the gym I start off by running on the treadmill. I don’t like running outside because of like, hills and heat and stuff. Plus, on a treadmill I can watch YouTube or Netflix and then pretend I’m not running while I get sucked into a show or something. Win-win. Unfortunately, the other day, my gym’s wifi was down, so I didn’t want to stream all that data and I ended up putting on Pandora instead. That meant almost 30 minutes of music that left me more able to think and daydream instead of an episode of a show during which my brain would shut off, and in that 30 minutes I plotted out like a chapter and a half of the book I’m working on.

Following that, I went home, sat down at the computer, and, instead of turning on the TV in the background while I wrote, I turned on that same music and knocked it out. Now, I’m no fool. I know I write better when I’m less distracted, but I don’t always have the willpower to not put on a TV show I’ve seen a thousand times and shut my brain off, even when I know I should be writing. I think getting the head start at the gym gave me the extra oomph I needed to fully commit to writing. The music didn’t hurt though, and it was enough to keep me going for a few days, so I wanted to share the tunes in the hopes that they inspire someone else to sit down and knock out a few thousand words as well.

Blind Guardian:

A staple for when I’m writing. Delightful power metal with a nice fantasy bent to a lot of their songs. They also include references to fantasy classics like Wheel of Time in some of their lyrics (see “The Soul Forged”). Honestly it’s hard to miss with this band, but “Skalds and Shadows” is another I firmly recommend.

The Megaman 5 Soundtrack:

You heard me right. I’m recommending you listen to the soundtrack of a NES game that came out in 1992. First off, this was one of my first and favorite games as a kid, so it evokes some nostalgia for a more imaginative time in my life anyway, but also the tracks are just bangers. Spoiler alert, it’s not even the last time that Megaman is going to make this list, and this is an abridged list. It’s upbeat, it’s peppy, and it’s got some depth to it too. Do yourself a favor and check out “Stoneman Stage” and “Darkman Stage.” Fun fact: the video of the soundtrack I found on YouTube the other day is only 28 minutes long, which is how I know I wrote 528 words in 28 minutes. Do with that what you will.

Nightwish:

More European metal. Along with Megaman, this will be part of a theme. Nightwish has some straight thrashers that get my blood pumping, along with some more symphonic offerings that help me think of magic and fantasy and get me into that mood. Nightwish has had three lead vocalists across their albums, and there’s the occasional male led song as well. Top picks would be “The Islander,” and “Alpenglow.” One slow, one fast, both amazing to write to.

Metroid:

This is a bit of a cheat because there’s just a lot of good metroid music. I usually search for someone’s curated playlist and roll with it. The Metroid series of games is another one of my favorites. They’re known for their sense of atmosphere and the music is a huge part of that. Some playlists are tense, some are chill, some have added thunderstorm sounds in the background (great for sleeping to). At a minimum you’ll want to check out “Torvus Bog” from Metroid Prime 2 and “Phendrana Drifts” from Metroid Prime.

Avantasia:

Yes, more European metal. I have a type. Avantasia is great for sitting down for a long stretch because a lot of their albums are concept albums that tell a story the whole way through (or even across multiple albums). I’ve done that, but I’ve also just made my own playlists of my favorites. No wrong choices here. “Wicked Symphony” and “Spectres” but more recently the whole “Moonglow” album has had my attention.

Megaman X:

The X series is Megaman’s edgier, older brother and the music reflects that. A little more… *sigh* metal, and a little less pop/techno, it’s still good and it any of the games soundtracks flows together well, but the first has a special place in my heart, and that is almost solely on the back of… spoiler alert I guess for a *checks notes, has heart attack* 30 year old game, “Zero’s Death.”

So there you have it. A peek into what gets me motivated to put words on paper, or, more accurately, into a Word Doc. Maybe I’ve introduced you to some new tunes, and maybe some of them will help you out the way they help me.