Music as the Muse

Writing is tough. Writing without inspiration is even tougher. Sometimes you will have a general concept or character in your head, but no idea where to start. Other times, you know what kind of vibe you want your story to convey, but you're missing something essential like plot or setting. When that happens, it helps to look for inspiration somewhere. 

One of the easiest ways I've found to get inspired is to listen to music (I know. Groundbreaking stuff right?). First, I will just listen to whatever comes up on my Spotify or I'll search for something that I used to listen to a while ago. From there, any song that makes me think about what story I'm currently working on, I add to a playlist. After that, any time I am working on that specific piece, I listen to the playlist and it helps me get in the right frame of mind to write.

My current Story Vibes playlist is only nine songs long so far, most of which are Lana del Rey, but each of the songs makes me think of a story that I am working on in some way. A few of the songs, like "Ordinary World" and "Creep", have a certain tone to them that conveys the mood I want to set for my story. Others, like "Drumming Song" by Florence + the Machine, make me think of a specific scene that could be pretty cool. 

Ultimately, you'll have to find what inspires you and don't be afraid to change things up every once in a while, especially if you feel stuck. Every writer is different and what works for me might now work for you!

What do you do to get inspired? Anything you've tried that hasn't helped?

Review: The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson

I've been on a bit of a non-fiction kick lately and this amazing memoir is what sparked all of it. I came upon The Bassoon King in Barnes and Noble a few months ago when my boyfriend needed to find a book for his younger brother. Of course I can't go into a bookstore without looking around for  a while. I eventually made my way toward the bargain book section and after a few minutes of scanning, I was ready to walk away. That's when I saw a familiar face on the cover of a book sitting on the floor.

For those of you who didn't automatically recognize the author, Rainn Wilson, on the cover, have you been living under a rock? Maybe once you see who the foreword is by, you'll get it. IT'S DWIGHT FREAKING SCHRUTE PEOPLE! My obsession for NBC's The Office goes real deep, so I probably would've purchased the book anyway, but the fact that I found it for $7? Score.

I will admit that I was a bit uncertain before reading. I am not normally a fan of non-fiction, but I was determined to give this a try. As soon as I started reading, I was hooked. Wilson's style of writing is honest, funny, and heartfelt to the point where the reader feels like a friend. He shines a light on some of the moments and the people in his life, and what he has to say isn't always positive, but he says it in such a frank way that no judgment is cast. I value that as a reader. I don't want to read a memoir and just hear the author go on some moral tirades about why the people in their lives have done them wrong or how bad they've had it just to overcome. 

The Bassoon King is definitely not that. Wilson talks about his life from everything including playing Dungeons and Dragons as a kid (I'm proud to admit, me too!) to having struggles with finding faith to becoming a father - and yes, he does talk about The Office and what it was like to work with John Krasinski. 

I really cannot emphasize enough how much I liked this book. It's all done in such a down-to-earth, captivating way that any love of Wilson's work is sure to love it.