What fun! I've always been musical. I find it easy to write music to words - word shapes and rhythms suggest a melody. My most recent novel was about a pair of rock musicians and I found I was writing snatches of their songs as the narrative unfolded. You can see the lyrics in the book, but what no one can see is that those lyrics also have tunes, which arrived in my head as I wrote. Once upon a time I would have worked them out fully on my piano, but I no longer have an instrument. But some day, or if I find myself with a piano to play with, they're ready to be worked on.
I also use music as a meditative space for writing. Thoughts are too slippery. They get away from me quickly. Music holds them still. Each of my novels has an undercover soundtrack, the music that showed me the way. I wrote about this on one of my blogs and discovered other writers who do this too. It became a creative series.
Thanks, Roz! That's such an interesting creative process - I love the idea of in-universe songs for musician characters. It makes total sense for each imaginative world to have its own accompanying music too, I don't think I usually write *to* music when I'm not working with a composer, but maybe I should try it!
I may be mistaken, but I thought I heard on a radio program that Oscar Hammerstein wrote all his lyrics first and Richard Rogers would set them to music afterwards. (I has always pictured them toiling side by side at a piano 🤷🏼♂️)
Yes that’s usually the way it’s done! It depends a bit on the project but typically an idea originates with the composer who approaches a lyricist or librettist and then the writer gets to think about how they would map out plot and characters in a first draft that the composer start setting to music. There’s a bit of back and forth e.g. the composer might say ‘I’d like to do a duet here’ but even a very collaborative process needs to give each artist space to focus on their particular contribution.
Great article today, Dr. King. I've been dabbling in some songwriting both with a couple of friends who are musicians and on my own. I can't say that I've seen any financial benefit from it, but it has been stimulating. Your point about how setting words to music pares down the word count is well-taken. That's been my experience in sharing lyrics with my musician friends. I think it's also paid off in editing and revising while writing poetry not intended for music. I look forward to hearing abut your forthcoming project.
Thanks so much, Donald, I really appreciate it! Writing for music has definitely changed the way I approach writing in general. as you say, it seems to really improve the editing process.
[Catching up on posts!] I've always been so impressed by your range of collaborations! Nice to hear some of the behind the scenes.
Thanks Anne! I hope all is well, it looks like some really exciting things are on the horizon
Yes indeed!
My writing background started with poetry, so I get the 30%! My poetry was always dense, full of words with deep connotations.
I appreciate that you switched from numbers to letters.💕😁
Excited for your new project! Happy 2025 to you, Rebecca!
Thank you, Sheila!!
Ugh, autocorrect… Rebekah!
What fun! I've always been musical. I find it easy to write music to words - word shapes and rhythms suggest a melody. My most recent novel was about a pair of rock musicians and I found I was writing snatches of their songs as the narrative unfolded. You can see the lyrics in the book, but what no one can see is that those lyrics also have tunes, which arrived in my head as I wrote. Once upon a time I would have worked them out fully on my piano, but I no longer have an instrument. But some day, or if I find myself with a piano to play with, they're ready to be worked on.
I also use music as a meditative space for writing. Thoughts are too slippery. They get away from me quickly. Music holds them still. Each of my novels has an undercover soundtrack, the music that showed me the way. I wrote about this on one of my blogs and discovered other writers who do this too. It became a creative series.
Thanks, Roz! That's such an interesting creative process - I love the idea of in-universe songs for musician characters. It makes total sense for each imaginative world to have its own accompanying music too, I don't think I usually write *to* music when I'm not working with a composer, but maybe I should try it!
I may be mistaken, but I thought I heard on a radio program that Oscar Hammerstein wrote all his lyrics first and Richard Rogers would set them to music afterwards. (I has always pictured them toiling side by side at a piano 🤷🏼♂️)
Yes that’s usually the way it’s done! It depends a bit on the project but typically an idea originates with the composer who approaches a lyricist or librettist and then the writer gets to think about how they would map out plot and characters in a first draft that the composer start setting to music. There’s a bit of back and forth e.g. the composer might say ‘I’d like to do a duet here’ but even a very collaborative process needs to give each artist space to focus on their particular contribution.
Great article today, Dr. King. I've been dabbling in some songwriting both with a couple of friends who are musicians and on my own. I can't say that I've seen any financial benefit from it, but it has been stimulating. Your point about how setting words to music pares down the word count is well-taken. That's been my experience in sharing lyrics with my musician friends. I think it's also paid off in editing and revising while writing poetry not intended for music. I look forward to hearing abut your forthcoming project.
Thanks so much, Donald, I really appreciate it! Writing for music has definitely changed the way I approach writing in general. as you say, it seems to really improve the editing process.