Anything You Want...You Got It

When I'm working on a manuscript the characters, settings and situations are always running through my mind. Some of my most genius creative moments have come to me while brushing my teeth, LOL

Driving to the day job I listen to the radio and sometimes a song will strike my fancy as 'fitting' the story I'm working on. Last week while driving I heard Roy Orbison's You Got It (anything you want, you got it...) and it totally fit the story I'm currently writing. One of the main characters has expressed love to the other, who is hesitant to commit at this point in life. But the first character is insistent to the point of offering, "Anything you want...you got it." The song is now on my current writing playlist.

The list changes every couple of months and currently includes Michael Buble's Haven't Met You Yet and It's a Beautiful Day. A new addition is Phillip Phillips' Home and Gone, Gone, Gone. If you haven't heard these, check them out on YouTube.

While I was there watching Roy Orbison of course I was invited to check out similar titles and had to stop and watch a collection of hits by The Traveling Wilburys, (Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison.) Those guys were great. I wish they'd done more together.

I also loved the combo of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings singing The Highwayman. I don't know if they did other songs, but that one was a classic.

Music influences my writing every day. My tastes are eclectic and constantly changing. You can usually find something by Billy Joel on my playlist, and Cher. Oh, and Keith Urban. Geez, the list goes on and on. I love to listen to music especially when writing, and walking. For my walks I need lively tunes like Pharrell's Happy. (Anything to keep me smiling, motivated, and walking!)

 Have a Happy week!

MUSIC WHILE WRITING BY RITA KARNOPP

I love music and I can set my mood by it.  Like many others, sometimes I like classical or sometimes I like Country or Native American.  You see it all depends on what I’m writing.

If I had to choose just one sound-track to listen to – one that would fit any genre I’m writing – I’d choose Last of the Mohicans.  Yep, that music pushes me on with intensity and excitement. 

When I write 1800s Native American novels . . . you guessed it, I’m listening to Mary Youngblood, Douglas Spotted Eagle, R. Carlos Nakai and Robert Mirabal.  The flutes haunt me and the drums bring me back to a time on the desert where a people lived in harmony on the plains, in teepees, and shared a way of life the white man (Napi-kwan) could have learned much from.

When writing suspense, that involves my Montana cowboys and Blackfeet Native Americans, I lean toward modern country and of course more wonderful drums, flutes, and Native dance songs.

I’ve used reference to music in many of my stories.  My thriller, Atonement, included various sixties music and my Indian Historical, Whispering Sun has a man humming Amazing Grace.

No matter the book, you can infuse music to add a bit more texture to your story.  Lyrics will inspire you to write yet another level into the tone and flow of your story.

But I’ll be honest, everyone once in a while – I just want it silent.  When I wrote the Tango of Death series, I played gypsy music most of the time.  But during those hard to write scenes – no music could soothe my soul to describe what I had to write.  You’ll know when it’s right or wrong.