Music Always Holds the Key! by Alivia Anders

(leizlmarie)

As we inch closer to November 1st, things begin to fall into place for the next thirty days of insanity. Maybe you've pre-planned what will be made meal-wise for the family to shave a few hours off your schedule. Maybe (unlike me so far) you've cleaned your room and desk space as a ritualistic 'Cleaning of the cobwebs from the brain' thing. 


Maybe you're like my friend Lorca from Twitter (@lorcadamon) who's prepping her glittery plot poster, or Jennifer who's also from Twitter (@jennifergracen) getting her pom-poms ready for a Cheer Fest, or maybe you're like Lyn over here running a bajillion blogs and being one of the best NaNoWriMo preppers and friend ever (like you know, her main blog Against The Odds and her Twitter (@lynmidnight).

Or maybe you are like me. Your room isn't clean, your plot feels like it's dying for air, and your characters aren't in the pretty little harmony they're supposed to be. So what's a writer to do when you can't find the voice you need to get things running in your head?

Listen. I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

Hear that music? It could be the song playing in your head, on your iPod, iTunes, maybe your dog is even howling to some god-awful tune. Hear it now?

That's what you need.

Wait, so basically I'm telling you to listen to music? Yes I am.

Your characters are strong little pieces of yourself (not to be confused with Mary Sues where you make the character you only super-perfect) squirming and leaping and screaming for life. It's your job, as the mighty controller of the body and brain to give them that chance at life. And just like we feel like every song on the radio perfectly describes us and our moods, it does for our inner voices too!

Per example. When writing Illumine I was having the most impossibly difficult time hearing Essallie. It didn't matter what I did, meditation, donut making, random overdoses of coffee and egg whites, compulsive Twittering, nothing did the trick. And then I picked up Evanescence's new CD. 


Like a light switch flicking on in my head, I heard and saw everything down to the very blades of grass this girl was standing on. My character had found her voice. It was with this idea that I took the step further and decided to apply it to my NaNo project, mixing different bands and artists to convey the moods Alex goes through over the course of her stay.

So maybe come November 1st you'll start pounding out keys, sure of the voice in your head. Or maybe you'll turn up the tunes and crank out words like that, your character's voice loud and clear over the speakers.

One thing is definitely for sure. My next thirty days will be more than writing, it'll be head-bashing screaming-music goodness, too. 




What do YOU do when you get stuck? Have you ever found inspiration in music?

Born in the middle of nowhere PA, Alivia Anders is frequently called different, insane, and a little creative. Inspired by just about anything, she began writing in 6th grade after joining a Harry Potter-inspired RPG forum. She says she loves salads, but really likes them only if they have taco meat on top. The oldest of five, she currently lives at home, enduring peak levels of insanity enough to drive a rhino to spontaneously combust. You can see her chit-chattering on twitter or plotting her evil plan at the NaNoWriMo site.