My Writing Playlist

There was a time when I couldn’t listen to music while I wrote. Although it didn’t interfere much with my concentration, it had an almost subconscious effect on my style, altering my tone and rhythm if I wasn’t careful.

With time, I’ve learned to use this fact to my advantage. If I’m having trouble getting in the mood of a certain scene, putting on music of a similar vibe helps. I still avoid music with lyrics, as these are more likely distract me. But on an average writing day, instrumental movie and video game soundtracks are my friend. They help me tune out reality and focus on the world I’m trying to create. 

Among my favorites:

• Anything by Hans Zimmer (Interstellar, Inception, Dune, Gladiator, Bladerunner, Pirates of the Caribbean, Dark Knight, The Last Samurai, Blade Runner 2049; etc);
• Last of the Mohicans;
• Game of Thrones (I actually went to an in-person concert of this music, by Ramin Djawadi. Yes, it was AWESOME. No, that doesn’t make me a dork; you’re just jealous);
• Lord of the Rings;
• Skyrim;
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon;
• The Dark Crystal;
• Solaris;
• Tron;
• Outlander;
• Dances with Wolves.

What soundtracks and composers inspire you?