Writers' Music

A place for authors to share their favorite playlists.

[writersmusic]

As of yesterday, this is Christopher Paolini’s latest writing music for his sci-fi book.

[writersmusic]

“Today I'm working on a fast-paced section, so here is a selection of songs that come out swinging and don't let up. It is also a good playlist for working on a slower chapter, to give you the pep to make it through a slog.”

~ Angela Paolini

[writersmusic]

Spotify Playlist: The Book of Spells

Vuelie: Frozen

Transformation: Brother Bear

Cantus - Song of the Plains: Essential

Chorale VI (Sol Fa): Essential

Dona Nobis Pacem (Part I): Vocalise

Spiriti: The Rose

Shadow of the Moon: Shadow of the Moon

Dringo Bell: The Rose

Rhiannon: Renaissance

The Crystal Chamber - Score: Atlantis: The Lost Empier

Middle Ages: Medieval Music The Wester Music of Middle Ages

Diese Kalte Nact: Von den Elben

Wolf Blood: Feather and Skull

Glass Princess, Blood Night, Bed of Roses, Path to Darkness, Nest of Feinds: Queen of Thorns

Part of the Pack, Druidic Dreams: The Celtic Collection II

Undrentide: Temptation

The Host of Seraphim (Remastered): The Sepernt’s Egg (Remastered)

The Arrival and the Reunion (Remastered): Aion (Remastered)

Yulunga (Spirit Dance): Wake

Talia’s Theme: Colin Frake on Fire Mountain

Aozaru~ The Sheath of Truth: Musical Suite of Twelve Dreams

The Goddess and the Weaver: From the Mist

Umlahi: Mirabilis

Dance of the Wild Faeries: Deep Within a Faeri Forest

Saint Declan’s Drone: Adiemus IV - The Eternal Knot

Magic Touch: Behold

Water, Earth and Fire: Behold

A Hero Will Rise, Gods and Demons: A Hero Will Rise

Sonera, Souleseeker: Illusions

Black Blade, Invincible, Hypnotica: Invincible

Cantus - Songs of Tears (Adiemus): Karl Jenkins & Adiemus: The Essential Collection

Sanctus: Karl Jenkins The Armed Man

Flying with Mother: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Forbidden Friendship: How to Train Your Dragon

Knocknagow Jig: Pye to Go

Morderd’s Lullaby: The Secret World of Celtic Rock

Come Little Children

This is Halloween, Sally’s Song: Nightmare Revisited

Runnin’: Trespassing (Deluxe Version)

Lithium, Lacrymosa: The Open Door

I See Fire: X 

The Hanging Tree: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. 1

Everybody Wants To Rule The World: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Rain Dance: Adiemuss III - Dances of Time

This Endris Night

The Morrigan: Fairytale

To the Fairies they Draw Near, To the Fairies they Draw Near Part II: Tinker Bell

~ morowa-m 

[writersmusic]

My writing music is usually involves stringed instruments, celtic music, and movie soundtracks.  The soundtrack to “The Secret of Roan Inish” has been on repeat on my iPod while writing my current novel.  Something about a fiddle and a flute transports me to a place with lush green forests and clear mountain streams…a place where fairies exist and magic is real.

~ kelthehobbit

[writersmusic]

Here is just some of the music that Christopher Paolini has been listening to while working on his latest project, a science fiction novel. For more information, click here.

[writersmusic]

“The piece of music I most strongly associate with Sparkers, and particularly my main character Marah, is the Prelude from J. S. Bach’s Suite No. 2 in D minor for unaccompanied cello. It has an austere quality that evokes the city of Ashara in winter, and the more anguished parts remind me of what Marah goes through as she tries to save her brother and her best friend. When I was revising Sparkers, I would sometimes play this prelude to get myself in the right mood for working on the book. I’ve picked this version played by Rostropovich, but I also like János Starker’s faster, more urgent rendition.”

~ Eleanor Glewwe

[writersmusic]

Author Karen Bao listened to this song while fantasizing about writing. She’s recently released her debut novel, Dove Arising, with Viking Books. For more info, check out her interview with Christopher Paolini here and here.

[writersmusic]

Rachel Hartman’s writing playlist, past and present. For more information, check out her interview with Christopher Paolini here and here.

[writersmusic]

A collection of the music that author Brandon Sanderson listens to while writing.

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“This playlist is a bit of a strange mixture, but so is the book it goes with, so I felt it worked. My next book is called A Drop of Night, and it’s basically a YA thriller, but it takes place in both 18th century France and the modern day, and has various genres mixed into it, and two different writing styles, and I wanted music that set the tone and the mood for both of them. I wanted cold, sharp music, with a few sad and introspective cues, that gets slightly warmer as the book progresses. For the contemporary scenes I listened to a lot of driving action music, but also some pop/alternative because the main character is a bit of a punk. And of course most of the playlist is film music, because honestly, what’s better than film music?

Each of the songs below are for a specific scene in the book, and they’re roughly in chronological order. So, until I’m done working on a scene I’ll listen to one song endlessly on repeat to the point where everyone in the house is thoroughly annoyed with me. (Sorry, family!)”

~ Stefan Bachmann