Music to Write By: “We Slept at Last” by Marika Hackman

I may be back to freezing my butt off here in Toronto, but if I’m honest, I have a new distraction that’s got me thinking warm weather and springtime. My music tastes are rather eclectic and they range from neo-classical music to industrial, electronica to symphonic metal, and what I listen to tends to shape what I’m writing –regardless of whether the music is sad or happy, aggressive or manic. And lately I’ve been expanding my horizons into neo-folk.

Following my discovery of SoKo last year (check out “First Love Never Die”!), I decided to foray further into neo-folk where I discovered Marika Hackman. She is a 22 year old from England, and her cover of Lykke Li’s “I Follow Rivers” had me snagged immediately.

So imagine my delight when I discovered that her debut album would be out in 2015. Well, now it’s out, and I’m not gonna lie, it’s amazing. And not only that, it’s an amazing album to put on while I write my current work-in-progress. Marika’s full album is available for streaming on her soundcloud.

When I say that the album is one of the best I’ve heard in a long time, I honestly mean it. I am a big consumer of music, but very rarely do I listen to an album on repeat for long — and this is looking like I’ll be listening to this one for a while. Hackman not only nails atmosphere and tone with her neo-folks riffs and droning synths, but her songwriting is enough to make any writer or music geek excited. Half the time her lyrics sound like poetry, and the depth of her words offer new interpretations with each listen.

The album opens with “Drown”, the lead single. Though I like this song, I won’t lie that I’ve listened to it so many times now that I skip it. The second track is called “Before I Sleep” and I almost wish it was the album opener. Hackman’s soft guitar, droning synths, and soaring voice make this song ethereal and almost otherworldly and is definitely one of my go-to tracks when I’m writing a scene in my young adult paranormal WIP.

The third track is one of my favourites from the album and it’s called “Ophelia”. I had heard it in complete acoustic previous to the album’s release, but the rhythmic drums in the official recording make the tracking haunting and a perfect complement the melancholic lyrics: “But did you hear the sun go down? | Silent as a child I found | Hiding in the midnight of my soul | I am ready now to let her go”.

The next two tracks are also big highlights for me. “Open Wide” is reminiscent of a Nirvana track and both the guitar and low singing keep with the melancholic feel of the album. “Skin” is a slower duet track with English singer Sivu and the dichotomy of the two voices in the bridge is heavenly: “I’m a fever in your chest | The burning sun I’m west”.

Did I mention the artwork was stellar?

“Claude’s Girl” is the sixth track on the album and it’s a more stripped down, folk track. The vocal work in the outro is fantastic too, and I think it really shows how well Hackman is at creating musical atmosphere. “Animal Fear” is the second single off of the album and it’s probably the most uptempo song on the album.  The personification of savage animals makes for a pretty sick music video too. It’s downtempo again for “In Words” and there’s also some pretty interesting, haunting guitar work while Hackman sings about feeling lost and homesick.

I haven’t listened to the final four tracks too intensely just yet, but my general impressions are great. For me, the tracks “Monday Afternoon” and “Next Year” were a surprise because of the Celtic and almost medieval feel. Definitely a good tracks to write scenes set in the 1700s to. “Undone, Undress” is probably the slowest on the album. It’s reminiscent of Hackman’s cover of Lykke Li’s “I Follow Rivers”, and I can’t say I mind.

The album closes with “Let Me In” where the lyrics “we slept at last” are finally heard. It’s at this point that the motif of sleep and drowning comes to fruition, especially after all this talk of vainly searching and being lost: “I chanced into the lake to hide my tears, conceal my salty fears | She could be the light | Help me base a trail and they’ll follow | To a cruel, hard heartland”. It’s actually at the end of the album that you can best appreciate what Hackman has created: she hasn’t just written a bunch of songs and thrown them together for better or for worse. She’s created a cohesive mood, a complete unit, consistent from beginning to end. I find this very rare in modern music. I find that a lot of artists as of late just release albums with 12 songs and call it a day. Rarely do these songs work well together or complement each other in the way that the songs on this album do. It’s a welcome change. If you’re a fan of appreciating albums as a whole, I definitely recommend this one.

What are you listening to lately?

Writerly Updates + Mid-Manuscript Inspirations

I thought I’d just do a quick post before I leave tomorrow. Oh, yeah? Did I mention that I’m off to the Dominican Republic for a week? No? Well, I leave tomorrow and I’m extremely excited and I shall make a post about it when I get back. In any case, I thought I’d talk a little bit about a project that I’ve been working on the past couple months.

In the beginning of December, I cheated on a work-in-progress with another work-in-progress. One thing led to another, I became invested with WIP #2 and slowly stopped working on WIP#1, and BAM! I have 40,000 words. I’m proud. This is the quickest I’ve ever written anything, and I’m thinking that my vacation will clear my head and rejuvenate my creative juices enough to power through another 15,000 words when I get back so that I have a completed young adult paranormal/horror manuscript first draft by the spring!

In fact, besides ditching WIP #1, this writing process has been very typical for me. I became enthused with the project from the beginning, wrote 25,000 words in no time, slowed down in the middle, the scenes leading up to 40,000 becoming more difficult to write, and now I’m taking a two week break before writing the climax and the end.

The one difference this time, however, is that I have a blog.

I’ve never had a blog while I was writing and completing a first draft before. Think of all the feelings I could document! Think of all the goal-setting I could do and then fail at! Well, instead, I thought I’d talk about what was inspiring me.

New Tunes!

Like all of my other manuscripts, this one has a particular feel to it because of the music I’ve been listening to. This manuscript has been inspired by recent albums by BANKS, FKA Twigs, and Bjork (trip hop and electronica for a paranormal/horror novel?), but also by the new Marilyn Manson album and the singles that have been released by Marika Hackman for her upcoming debut neo-folk album. And as usual, I’m really into neo-classical music (AKA. the best writing music). I’ve written a lot of scenes to Ludovico Einaudi’s Nightbook. It’s haunting and creepy and wonderful. I definitely suggest checking it out.

Horror Movies

What can I say? I’m writing a paranormal novel. No, I’m not aiming to write the next Twilight or romanticize vampires or werewolves or zombies. I wanted to move away from all of that, move into a little bit more of a traditional sphere. So, I decided on ghosts and spirits and hauntings… And I’m happy about it! I love traditional horror, and I’ve been inspired a lot by its revival in the film industry lately, most notably Annabelle, The Conjuring, the Insidious movies. To me, those things are always a little bit creepier than vampires or werewolves, and to be honest, I really don’t want to write a paranormal romance. Amendment: I will never write a paranormal romance.

Ahhh! So creepy!

Books… Okay, Maybe Not Quite

Books have been inspiring me in a weird way this time around. In fact, I’ve been finding it really hard to get into any of the books I’ve been reading. Sure, the books I’m reading are well-written enough, but I’m just not passionate about them. I’m not lost in them. I’m not obsessed with them. (Got a good book? Get at me… I’m in a lull).

So, I’ve done some soul-searching–or rather, bookshelf searching. What YA books did I absolutely love? Which ones was I obsessed with? There’s Harry Potter and A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Demonata to name a few. I’m not looking to recreate those series, I just want to understand what made them so good and then apply that logic to this piece. I may not have figured it out yet, but I’m trying.

How’s your writing going? What are you working on? What’s inspiring you?

Music and Writing

Writing without music is like swimming without a bathing suit on. Okay, maybe I don’t know where I’m going with that analogy. Let’s try again: writing without music is like driving without a seat belt. Yup, no. That’s a little dramatic. *Ahem* Writing without music is like missing that last invisible step in the dark.

Whatever. You get what I’m trying to say. Maybe I should just plug in my headphones and get on with it.

Music has always been a big part of my life — almost as big as writing. I took vocal and guitar lessons as a kid and there may have even been a period of time where I *thought* I was part of a band. I say thought because we didn’t really make much music and we didn’t play any live shows. We just sat around and dreamed about how great it would be to be rock stars. Needless to say, we never got a recording contract or had the chance to appear on MTV.

Me, circa 2010. May not be writing, but still plugged in. Oh, and why did no one force me to get a haircut?!

Despite no longer being part of a band or wanting to be on MTV, my love for music didn’t go away. In fact, what took place was a marriage of sorts between my love for music and my desire to create and to write. Whenever I wanted to get into the zone, I would just plug in my headphones and find a good album or two. Without much effort at all, I found that the music helped guide what I was writing. It helped shape the atmosphere of the story and the feel of the words. Think of it like mood music, but without the rose petals and scented candles. Or maybe add in those scented candles. They always make me want baked goods.

In any case, if I wanted to write something sad, I listened to a sad song. If I wanted anger, an aggressive song would do. My eclectic music taste helps too: I listen to everything from Nine Inch Nails to Björk, from the neo-classical stylings of Olafur Arnalds to house music and dubstep. I wrote the entirety of my first novel to Nine Inch Nails and other Industrial Music. I was working on another manuscript last year that I wrote to Kanye West’s Yeezus.

In fact, I find now that when I listen to certain albums or songs, I am reminded of the stories or scenes I wrote to them. It’s like the songs have a new meaning that extends beyond the music itself. And worse, I find it nearly impossible to write until I find the perfect song or album to write to. That’s happening a bit to me right now, actually. I haven’t been able to pinpoint a mood or atmosphere for my novel-in-progress because I haven’t been able to find music that puts me in the right mood. I sometimes spend so much time looking for musical inspiration for the things I want to write that I even overlook the actual writing. But honestly, it’s worth it. If I get the right music with the right feel, BAM! I feel like I could write something on par with Shakespeare or JK Rowling.

Okay, maybe not, but that’s how I feel…

Do you listen to music when you write? What are you writing to currently? I’m open to suggestions :p

5 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block

DISCLAIMER: I may or may not be dealing with a slight case of this at the moment.

Sometimes, writer’s block is a quiet, somber annoyance, filled with insecurity and a tinge of disappointment. For me, writer’s block is a rather angering bout of self-doubt and frustration, perhaps spiced with a nice sprinkle of self-loathing. It makes me feel like I am wasting time or that I am missing out on some magical element that will make all the other elements of a project fall into place. And frankly, it just makes me mad.

But let’s not get angry, Michael. Let’s look at some strategies before we get out of control.

Find Some Fresh Inspiration

For me, I need to consume a large amount of inspiration to help me carry a project from 100 words to 80,000 words. Oftentimes, this results in a few lapses of writing, a few too many forays into movie watching, music downloading, daydreaming, and book reading. But for me, the biggest writer’s block is a lack of inspiration. If I don’t fell inspired, I’m not writing, even if I really want to or if I feel like I should be.

So, go out and find something inspiring. Watch a documentary about the subject matter you’re tackling. Go read a book in the genre you’re writing. Download some new music. Hit up a new museum or venue. Do something that will provide you with some freshness and newness that will breathe some life into your work. I find that old inspirations often yield that result: old, stale work.

Have a Goal

Another setback for me is aimlessness. I don’t mean to say that you should outline your entire novel — some may, but that’s not at all for me. I do mean to say though that there should be a goal to guide you. What is the goal of your character? What is happening in the scene? Where is all of this going? Sometimes it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the minute details of it all that it’s hard to have a clear direction. That lack of direction can sometimes be detrimental to the stamina it takes to write a novel.

Go For a Walk

Do it. Now. A change of scenery will help. I mean, how inspiring is your computer screen or your bedroom. Mine isn’t all that inspiring. Also, I find that if I have a negative writing experience in a certain space for a considerable amount of time, that negativity seems to linger. It’s as if I can feel it in the air around me and I predetermine that I’m going to struggle with writing before I’ve even sat down and perched my fingers.

So, bundle up, sailor, it’s getting cold (#CanadianProblems). But don’t let it deter you. And bring a notebook. There’s nothing worse that being struck in the head with a breakthrough and having nothing to record it with. Though, I suppose your arm and a pointy stick will do.

Just kidding. Put down the stick.

Isn’t this inspiring? AND peaceful?

Skip the Scene

I find that I often feel more excited to write some scenes and less excited to write others. This is natural. Some scenes heighten the tension and other scenes are foundations for that tension. Either way, both the scenes need to be written, but no one says that you can’t write the more exciting one first. In fact, you may have a renewed sense of purpose if you have something to work up to like an intense moment between characters or an epic, change-the-life-of-your-reader twist.

Besides, why waste the time staring at a blank screen or a blank page for the scene you’re not ready to write if there’s another one screaming for attention at the back of your head? Go on and write that one! You can come back to that scene later on. In fact, you may be more ready to write it the second time around.

Take a Break

There. I said it and I’ll say it again. Just stop. Step away from the computer. Maybe come back tomorrow, maybe next week. Heck, it may even take months or a year. In fact, my first novel was completed after a bout of writer’s block. I wrote 40,000 words over the course of two years and then one day, I just couldn’t get the juices flowing. I took a break (though at that time, I felt like I was abandoning my project) and then two years later, I came back with a fresh head and new inspiration and I completed that bad boy. And look at me now! It’s due for release in 2015!

Long story short, taking a break and focusing on something else allows you to clear your mind and come back refreshed. It could allow you to shed some of that negative energy and frustration and get back to what’s important — what you’re writing. You may even find that the inspiration comes back to you when you least expect it, like when you’re doing laundry or at three o’clock in the morning. But just go with it. Sometimes muses are fickle.

Good luck!

30 Things that Cross Your Mind at a Dance Club

1. I’m too early. There’s no one here. But everyone said we were meeting at 10:30. Geez, I look like a loser. There’s not even anyone on the dance floor. Maybe I’ll just get a drink.

2. Yay, friends. More drinks. Wanna drink? Let’s drink. Excellent.

3. “How are you?”

4. I didn’t actually hear anything you just said.

5. Why is everyone just standing around. Did we all come here to stand around or did we come here to dance? No, I’m not going first.

6. Where’s the DJ in this place? I hear music, but I see no one. Oh, there he is.

7. Look at the eager beavers out there on the dance floor. There’s four of them, but look! They’re owning it. Should we go? We should go. Naw, you’re right. Let’s wait.

8. Should I be the one to haul all my friends out there? No one’s moving. Anti-social Andy doesn’t even look like he wants to be here.

9. Ahh, the music’s loud. It’s hurting my ears. How can anyone stand this, let alone enjoy this? I don’t even wanna dance. I knew I should have stayed in tonight.

10. IT’S MY JAM! Dance floor, dance floor, dance floor, dance floor.

11. We’re jumping, we’re jumping, annndd bass drop. Someone just touched my butt.

12. And I just saw private parts. Time to look up. Hands in the air. Look back down. And there it is again. What the hell was that person thinking? Get some underwear!

13. No, don’t try and squeeze through here, buddy. Don’t you see me dancing? Go around the dance floor. Yeah, that’s right.

Sorry, bro. I’m dancing here!

14. Random dude dancing near us. Oh, he’s coming closer to Modest Molly. Does she want it? Do I save her? Maybe she can read stares. Do you need help? Do you need help?

15. Oh, there’s the nod. Fancy a dance, Modest Molly?

16. Okay, I’m hot. I need to get off this dancefloor. I think I’ll go outside.

17. God, it’s cold out here.

18. I gotta pee but I know the bathrooms are gonna be disgusting. But I can’t hold it anymore.

19. This bathroom is worse than I thought it would be. I’m not tipping the bathroom attendant.

20. Thank you, bathroom attendant, for the paper towel. I shall bestow upon you 2 full dollars.

21. Hello, bouncer. No, I did not vomit in the stall. Look: shiny, clean. Now, time to walk straight. Wave. Act natural. Right foot, left foot.

22. I just waved at the bouncer. He totally knows I’m drunk.

23. Bartender. Bartender. Make eye contact with me! God, I think he’s avoiding me. Look! I got money in my hand. Yup, there you are.

Wait, those aren’t mine…

24. This drink is totally only vodka and ice. What happened to the 7up?

25. What song is this? Why does everyone know the lyrics except for me?

26. HA! I know this song. That’s right. I’m current too!

27. Where does one put empty cups in this establishment?

28. And Anti-social Andy is gonna be sick. I swear, can we go one time without this happening? I’m getting too old for this shit.

29. Oh, there it is. Thanks, Andy. Yeah, we’re leaving.

30. Do you think the taxi driver will go through the McDonald’s drive-thru?