Discover the music that inspires my writing

Like lots of authors and writers, I listen to music when I work. Just like films have a soundtrack, so do lots of writers. Many find that the expression and emotions of great music inspires them when they work.
 
I created a specific writing playlist when I wrote Among the Olive Groves. Over time it’s grown, and it’s now become my go to playlist when writing. Some songs have been removed, others added, but there’s a core set of songs that will always remain on my playlist, because they are important to me.

Character memories

​There are songs that evoke memories of specific locations, characters and scenes in books, and the emotion in the music helps me focus. Sometimes so much, that certain songs epitomise specific scenes. One of those is Save You by The Moxy, which will forever be associated with a chapter in Among the Olive Groves where the Germans finally capture Elena, leaving Angelos heartbroken. Every time I hear it, I still picture a guilty Angelos wishing that he could have done more to protect Elena as he hides in the grass on the Keri headland watching the Germans taunt her.
 
As time has passed other songs have joined the playlist such as the beautiful Home by Vanessa Carlton, Crystal by Stevie Nicks and the stunning songs Dance With Your Shadows and Free Bird by Kirsty Dewar. These are artists who are always playing when I work on my current books. Home, Dance With Your Shadows and Free Bird especially hit home with my characters Angelos and Athena; Angelos because of the guilt he still carries and Athena who has no place in the world and is desperately trying to find out where she belongs, but fails to at every turn. 

Music from home

​The playlist has other great songs like Protection by Massive Attack, Glory Box by Portishead, and Missing You by Jem. All are artists from the town of Bristol, and it helps me return to the city I grew up in, where some of the characters in past and current books now live.
 
I also listen to Greek music for my books set in Greece. Two of my favourite Greek songs are Αστέρια (Stars), by Elena Paparizou. It is a modern Greek song that reminds me of everything I love about Greece. The high cliffs, sweeping beaches, crystal turquoise seas, green mountains, and the history of Zakynthos. Another is the up-tempo Tik Tik Tik by Glykeria it’s a wonderful uplifting song.

The emotions that come from listening to certain songs, help me to better understand the situations my characters are going through, and what they are ultimately facing. If you want to listen to the play list to enjoy the music that accompanies me when I write, you can by clicking this link:

Chrissie's Writing playlist on Spotify
 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gBfKpm8BAV9YhLyLsSVvQ
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• Let me know what your favourite song on the playlist is!

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Chrissie is an author who loves history and enjoys travelling and days out exploring. www.chrissieparker.com/books