Where does my inspiration to write from? Where does any inspiration--to talk and to share and to analyze--come from, for that matter?
For me, inspiration to write comes from my recent findings: books, poems, magazines, movies, TV shows, songs. It's a line that stands out. A line I want to share with a friend or a sentence, piece of wisdom, I can't get out of my head. Like a gnat in a web, it sticks.
You know that moment when you hear a song or a line of lyric or instrumental portion of a song and it hits your heart and for a moment, your heart beats a little stronger because its understood, finally? I love that. When such a moment happens, I immediately text message or call my friend Rachel and say to her, "Rach, [fill in the space] is singing my life." Diana Ross, Coldplay, Van Morrison, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, the Goo Goo Dolls, Hootie and the Blowfish, the Kooks, Kings of Leon, Led Zeppelin, Guster, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Nelly, Kayne West, Eve 6, Eric Hutchinson, Blues Traveler: they've all song my life to me, some more frequently than others. Their lyrics and tone of voice, their inflection and instrumental work inspire me. Their words reverberate inside my head. I quote them to friends.
This is where my inspiration comes from: more than anything else, music is my muse. I invoke it like Homer: "Sing to me, oh Muse..." I need music. I need those moments when an artist sings my life. I need those favorite moments in a song. I need those drums to come in during the instrumental part of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by the Rolling Stones. I need that pound of the drum like the pounding of my own heart or the pen in my hand or friends across the table from me.
It's most often the smallest findings, maybe the ones that only I notice, that spark inspiration. And then I share them.
I think this is really beautiful, Katie. I could say more, and analyze, etc, but I just wanted to say that this is really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emily here. Also, even though I can really identify with being inspired in my by music, when I try and listen to music and write at the same time, I have such a hard time concentrating on my writing and I can feel great phrases get nudged out of my mind by the song lyrics. The only solution I've found so far is instrumental music. I'd be interested to know if you had the same problem.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand and relate to what you're saying here. Not only does music help inspire me, but listening while writing seems to let my words spill onto the page. When I turn on my favorite music during a writing session, everything seems to flow.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of song artists "singing your life to you." That's exactly what it is, I've just never put words to that feeling, so kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteI love this. Smartbannana mentioned this, but it's so true - I really like how you phrase it as the singer 'singing your life to you.' Also, it's great that you have a habit of sharing/texting someone about it right away. We need to get these experiences out there, even if we never sit down and formally write them down.
ReplyDeleteI definitely have had those moments when I listen to a song and relate it to my life. It's kind of nice to know that someone else shares that same feeling. Lately, I have even started quoting books and relating my life to the characters.
ReplyDelete