Music To Write By

One thing that writers use is music. In the background either on my IPod earphones or playing on the computer, I’ll listen to several different playlists as I write. For some reason, music seems to keep my train of thought going. The music will lead me to places in my mind that I need to capture. So, I wanted to share some of my favorite songs I use to write my stories.

You might already enjoy listening to them, or maybe they’ll be a new discovery for you. Some artists are well known, and some aren’t. But what can I say. I’m a child of the 1980s. So I listen to a lot of New Wave while I write. But I love a lot of the modern artists such as Adam Lambert, Katy Perry, and Lady GaGa. So here is a sample of my playlist.

1) “Firework” by Katy Perry
2) “If I Had You” by Adam Lambert
3) “Sometimes” by Erasure
4) “Out of Touch” by Hall and Oats
5) “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and The Machine
6) “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips
7) “Born This Way” by Lady GaGa

I am using this playlist as I write my third book in the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. Out of this current playlist is springing a labyrinth of mines, a dwarf city, a dragon guide, and more adventures for Wanda. Music will guide me to new ideas and directions in the third book, The Lost Secret of Dragonfire. Time to get back to writing. Enjoy!

Writer's Village Summer 2011-Shortlisted Story Winner

I'm happy to announce I've just been awarded a Shortlisted Award for the Writer's Village Writing Contest Summer 2011. I think it's a bit like getting an Honorable Mention. It's a British hosted contest you see.

I don't get to toot my own horn often. So, I'm excited that I've won something with my writing. I found a link through one of my writing groups to a summer writing contest for creative writing. I entered one of the children's picture book stories I've been working on. I've taken it to some writing conferences, gotten feedback from editors. One of the tips an editor gave me was to rewrite into prose what I tried in sing-song poetry. Good tip. The result is listed on the site.

Writer's Village Writing Contest Summer 2011-My Shortlisted Winner Listing
http://www.writers-village.org/11-1-turner.php

Writer's Village Listing for All Winners Summer 2011
http://www.writers-village.org/winners-2011-1.php

The moral of this, if you don't keep writing, you won't have anything to enter or sell. So, just keep writing!