Do you listen to music when you write? Do you sing a musical serenade? I’ve read about authors who have favourite bands they listen to while they’re writing and I’ve seen writing music playlists on YouTube.

I was thinking about that yesterday while I prepared dinner. I’d put on Some Nights by Fun. and was cheerily mangling the lyrics as I sang along with Nate Ruess. Sadly, I didn’t inherit a single musical gene, and apologies to Nate aside, I couldn’t possibly listen to that CD and write. It’s simply too distracting. My favourite music charges me up, inspires me, sparks my imagination – but I can’t write while it’s playing. In fact, I stop what I’m doing to listen (maybe bop or even sing if no one’s around).

I remember when I wrote the first book, before I’d set up my writing corner, I managed to tune out an entire season of NHL while I wrote. I even managed to tune out F1 racing, house-cleaning guilt and, apparently, a number of conversations with my better half.

I suppose, being able to tune out and write is a blessing, but it doesn’t always work. Some things, like a ringing phone, I’m never able to tune out. Other days, my mood, the subject of my writing or sleep deprivation dictates my distraction threshold. I don’t know about you, but when I’m on a roll, like I was yesterday, even the most pleasant of distractions pulls me out of my writing cocoon, leaving me feeling like someone’s yanked the warm blankets off.

How about you? Do you listen to music while you write?

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