How to Create Writing Playlists

I am a strong believer in writing to music. Art fuels other art, and music is an excellent tool while trying to create effective scenes. By making specific playlists for your writing, you engage with your work in unique ways that only help your draft grow.

Early on in school, I discovered I worked so much faster when I jammed in headphones. Consistent songs helped me focus compared to just general chatter around me. Even if you’re not used to working, let alone writing, with music I urge you to give it a try.

I listen to an embarrassing amount of Taylor Swift. But she’s a storyteller and her music fuels my creative tank.

Feel free to check out the playlists below, Taylor Swift and all, that I use while writing. They were the most essential tool for finishing my draft in college.

My Writing Playlists

Evelyn (My Home Base)

For Jane (Plot Device)

Late Nights (Mood – Sad)

Steam (Mood – Those “Special Scenes”)

The Power of a Home Base Playlist

Evelyn is my “home base” playlist. For every long-form project, I have one playlist that serves as a starting point. It generally serves two purposes:

1. It holds songs that remind me of my characters or their situations
2. It holds songs that have the overarching mood/tone for the book

“Broadripple is Burning” is the song my protagonist’s love interest sang to her one night – it’s on the playlist. “The Night We Met” has that melancholic, lonely sound I wanted. “Atlis: Six” is my protagonist’s Enneagram type.

Selecting songs for your home base playlist is so much more than just finding lyrics that fit your story.

Just because you add a song at one point doesn’t mean it has to stay there forever. But if it makes you think of your story or your characters, add it. This collection of music should change and grow with your novel.

I only listen to my home base playlist when I’m writing. If I set up to write and then start procrastinating, I turn off my home base playlist.

Turning on “Evelyn” means being productive to me. This simple action tells my brain that it’s time to work. Keeping a playlist sacred is one of the great tools that I used to finish a rough draft as a full-time student.

Even better, playlists are completely portable. No matter where I am, this connects all my writing sessions cohesively. In the car, on the train, in a coffee shop, or at home, this is one consistent environmental factor to keep you working.

Now that I’m revising, I prefer listening to instrumental music. But as soon as I start writing any new scene for this project, I allow myself to return to that playlist that has grown precious to me over the drafting process. Taylor Swift and all.

Unique Playlists

Here’s where it’s time to be creative. Music isn’t a plot point in every novel, but if it comes up, take the time to actually craft a playlist that fits.

In my novel, Evelyn’s father made her a playlist while she was in high school. He would add music he thought she would like, but when he disappeared . . . it was more complicated.

This playlist served as a plot point in my book. Instead of trying to keep track of the songs I did mention, I just turned to Spotify. I crafted it like my character would even if it was just for me to reference.

I doubt your character creates menacing playlists for other people. But would any of your characters make one for someone else? Do you want to know exactly what songs played at a wedding? So many writers create mood boards on Pinterest or other websites. Why not collect inspiring music as well as pictures?

Mood Playlists

I use other mood playlists besides the ones mentioned above, but those two are the most important. I only turn to them when a scene demands a specific tone that’s different from the rest of the book.

When I wrote the more “intimate” scenes, I hopped around my Evelyn playlist desperately trying to find a new Hozier song that didn’t kill the mood.

I grew so tired of that I finally just made a playlist for these scenes. Most of the songs are on “Evelyn” as well, but they’re set apart for when “Evelyn” isn’t serving me.

Make as many mood playlists as your story demands. Maybe you need something for epic battles or hymnals for church scenes. They don’t replace your home base playlist, but are branches of it that helps serve your story better.

What’s next?

I would love to hear how music affects your writing, and if you try any of these techniques during your sessions. Feel free to comment below, or email me at greyzonepages@gmail.com.