Tackling Writer’s Block Is As Easy As Jamming on Headphones
By: Ananya Pathak
Tags: Writers On Writing, Writers Block, Writing Tips, Writing Inspiration, Writing

Tackling Writer’s Block Is As Easy As Jamming on Headphones

Photo by Mohammad Metri on Unsplash

Now with remote learning and WFH being the new norm, working while listening to music is a highly debated topic. Some find it distracting. Some find it motivating. This study proves this, that study proves that, blah blah.

But I’m here to tell you what it’s like with writing.

Writing can sometimes feel like a silent art – but just imagine how much cooler it would be to write that fight scene with The Phoenix(by Fall Out Boys) in the background. Or how much more profound your melancholic scene will be with Monster(from the Frozen Musical) seeping into your writing. For me, music helps me bring scenes, characters and places to life.

The proven science

Here’s the facts. Two researchers – Simone M. Ritter University in the Netherlands, and Sam Ferguson from the University of Technology in Australia – conducted a study to figure out which music genre nurtures creativity the best. Happy music was said to improve Divergent Thinking i.e. ideating, but it had little effect on Convergent Thinking i.e. problem-solving. And we can all agree that writing is a lot more about ideating.

The mood-builder

For me, one of the most useful properties of this tool is that it creates an atmosphere for writing. Drowning out any unnecessary background noise so that you are in the flow. This is similar to building a mood board except it’s with you as you write, there to help you find your voice, style and mood for your writing.

Sometimes, I also create playlists for different emotions. One for a sad, downer, lonely moment when all is lost. One for the cheery moment when the characters are rejoicing or chilling. One for a heated, dramatic action scene where one mistake could cost them.

This atmosphere seeps into my writing style and prose effortlessly, when the tune is at the back of my head. Much like in movies, when the background music paves the way for the scene to leave an emotional impact.

(If you’re writing non-fiction, like a self-help book/article, try some meditative/empowering music instead!)

The motivator

When writing, every writer has a particular part they dread. Be it editing, the middles, the endings, the revision drafts, we all procrastinate doing something.

I typically procrastinate by doing something that’s entertaining(and a hopeless waste-of-time) like scrolling through social media or watching YouTube. To make writing feel less difficult, I hit that shuffle button. It helps me to make the switch between entertainment to writing and into the story.

The prompter

Sometimes, writer’s block hits hard and your page is blank. Then I treat the lyrics as a writing prompt. This can inspire a new outlook at my work or a scene or dialogue that was what I needed to keep the story going.

The voice

As somebody who is currently writing a 1st Person Multi-POV story(phew), it’s super important for me to create unique voices for each of my POVs.

In comes music to save the day. Once I’ve got a general idea of a character’s music taste and a playlist of songs that remind me of them, we’re good to switch writing voices.

The argument against music and why it doesn’t matter

First off, experiment with the music type. Sure, certain types of music are more distracting than others but lyrics isn’t the culprit. While many argue that lyrics are distracting, I find that after repetitive listening it really just fades out. (So, ensure that you’re familiar with these songs beforehand. Keep a small playlist and listen to it over-and-over again.)

If I do find myself getting distracted by the lyrics then it usually indicates that I’m tiring out and need a break. And dancing/singing away is a perfect way to rejuvenate. Then I’m back to writing feeling pumped.

Needless to say, as with every other writing tip, this doesn’t always work with everybody. But one can always give it a try.