Likely, every creator has a process for getting into and maintaining the mood for a project. Music often is a part of mine. That’s because music that fits with the story help the words flow.
I like to assign a theme song–or three–to my main characters. For a novel I was writing years ago about a military experiment, the large cast of psychic teens contributed to a soundtrack four and a half hours long. Here was one of the songs for the main character.
I miss that soundtrack. It’s a poor fit for Changing Sides, full of melancholy songs about vulnerability, regret, and addiction. My current characters aren’t hyper-emotional teens dealing with life and death situations every day.
Only one song from that other novel’s soundtrack comes close to crossing over. It could work for Aaron if not for the theme of domination.
So far, I have a theme song for my primary point-of-view character: Cascada’s “Everytime We Touch” (via Vevo). It’s a strange song for a skittish punk, but it’s definitely his.
Because I have nothing else that fits, Cascada is on repeat while I write Lexi’s scenes.
That’s too much repetition.
Incorporating music in the creative process is fairly common. Nona Mae King on Writers Helping Writers Become Authors suggests that music helps writers in four ways: encourages focus, enhances mood, and promotes inspiration, and encourages us to seek inspiration.
So, what do you listen to when while you work? Anything?
Shadow Fals 
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