Quitting music changed my writing life.

[Deleted member 42060]

I often listen to music to stifle my creativity, hardcore for the battle scenes, gentle for the dramatic scenes. The idea of not listening to music anymore sounds absurd, but hear me out.

When you stop listening to music, you have this tremendous focus. I have been not listening to music for a month, and slowly I got used to it (though I still get earworms). The reason why I quit listening to music is that distracts me too much. Listening to music is not bad in and of itself, but when you try to combine it with writing, I do not think you can write with maximum focus (unless you listen to classical or ambient ones).

Ironically, not listening to music made me even more creative. That deafening silence forced me to get the juices flowing, removing the dependence on listening to music to gain ideas. Before I used to stare at my novel cover while listening to music for several hours instead of actually writing it. Daydreaming while listening to music is a trap. Do not fall into that trap. It is a sneaky way to procrastinate.

But of course, just like weed, other writers heavily rely on music. I have no qualms about that, but this experiment works so well for me that I realized I was procrastinating all this time.

The drawbacks of not listening to music are just insane. It made me a pessimistic little bitch; the world seems so bleak and pointless. For the first week of not listening to music while writing, I had less motivation to write my novel. And before I knew it, I have finished it already in just one month. Simply because I did not listen to music. I forced myself to write even I had zero motivation and inspiration.

So instead of writing while listening to music, I just chew on bubblegum. Chewing on bubblegum helps me cope with my pessimism and coldness.

Try it for seven days, and see if it works for you.

 

[Legi0n]

You can actually write while listening to music? You are a monster.

I write listening to rainfall.

 

[RaizarP]

Well, it's different for me.

My idea for my story flow when I hear various genre of music. I mostly listening to rock though because my latest novel has a lot of battle scene so I can picture it clearly.

I once tried listening to lofi music when writing but it doesn't work and I was stuck for hours without any idea.

Maybe it's different for each person but listening to music help me write.

 

[MissPaige36]

I often listen to music to stifle my creativity, hardcore for the battle scenes, gentle for the dramatic scenes. The idea of not listening to music anymore sounds absurd, but hear me out.

When you stop listening to music, you have this tremendous focus. I have been not listening to music for a month, and slowly I got used to it (though I still get earworms). The reason why I quit listening to music is that distracts me too much. Listening to music is not bad in and of itself, but when you try to combine it with writing, I do not think you can write with maximum focus (unless you listen to classical or ambient ones).

Ironically, not listening to music made me even more creative. That deafening silence forced me to get the juices flowing, removing the dependence on listening to music to gain ideas. Before I used to stare at my novel cover while listening to music for several hours instead of actually writing it. Daydreaming while listening to music is a trap. Do not fall into that trap. It is a sneaky way to procrastinate.

But of course, just like weed, other writers heavily rely on music. I have no qualms about that, but this experiment works so well for me that I realized I was procrastinating all this time.

The drawbacks of not listening to music are just insane. It made me a pessimistic little bitch; the world seems so bleak and pointless. For the first week of not listening to music while writing, I had less motivation to write my novel. And before I knew it, I have finished it already in just one month. Simply because I did not listen to music. I forced myself to write even I had zero motivation and inspiration.

So instead of writing while listening to music, I just chew on bubblegum. Chewing on bubblegum helps me cope with my pessimism and coldness.

Try it for seven days, and see if it works for you.

Quite ironic since I lost my headphones and couldn't listen to music so I didn't write or post for like two weeks.

I mean that sounds like a nice idea but I can NOT be alone with my thoughts. I mean I get your point, and I’ll probably try this one day but music is like a little safety bubble for me. Not to mention how noisy my house gets. The only other time I’m willing to write is when it's night and no one's awake. Since peace and quiet is the best. But I have siblings with insomnia too so uh... Yeah...

 

[bigbear51]

It's not that big of a revelation. Music has been proven to be a distraction even if it's not blasting out your ears and regardless of genre.

Besides, people are better off actually listening to their music instead of having it on the background.

 

[Quertzy]

I tend to write while reading manga/novels or watching YouTube... probably the reason why im not very productive

 

[Kitsura]

I used music as white noise, I prefer soft piano late at night.

I will say though, that music is good for figuring out certain moods you want a scene to have Hans zimmerman for action scenes or shounen music. And slower sad music for pondering and internal conflict

 

[Underload]

Be like me instead. I listen to my snores and write in my dreams. I do it every night, al night, without break. Now that's called dedication people. Learn from me.

 

[LinXueLian]

Mmm yeah I can't really write with music either. Come to think of it, I also rarely draw with music, and when I'm driving, it has to be really low or even off.

It's not that I don't like music, but I have pretty sharp hearing and it just... goes to my head and messes with my concentration. I put up with it when I'm at gatherings or parties, but on my own, I don't really listen to it. Once in a while it's on so I know what's new, but that's it I guess?

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Yeah...for me thats if its work or school. Easier focus without it. For ideas, I think of scenarios if I'm listening to some music right then though most time when I actually do start brainstorming, I don't actively go out to listen music.

 

[The_Everdistant_Utopia]

Some people have told me they can only write while listening music... I tried it and couldn't do a thing. Rather, I can't even read properly while listening to music.

Maybe it's because I'm a bit too smooth brained to focus on two things at the same time. I can kind of work with BGMs, though, and in the lowest of volumes.

I think I can only listen music while doing something when it's a task that requires more hand to eye coordination (I often do listen music while playing Genshin or drawing maps) rather than tasks that need me to be thinking.

 

[GreenHexagon]

Be like me instead. I listen to my snores and write in my dreams. I do it every night, al night, without break. Now that's called dedication people. Learn from me.

I do that before sleep, during sleep after sleep. So basically when I'm not working(writing drafts)

 

[Snusmumriken]

But of course, just like weed, other writers heavily rely on music.

Despite rarely relying on music and almost never smoking weed, I am not sure I like that comparison. Just because you have anecdotal evidence doesn't mean that it is the same for everyone. Just because you used it as a weed doesn't mean others do.

I usually start writing without music. Hell, most of my chapter creation happens before I write - as I mull around ideas while working through the day. When I do write and choose to write with music - I tend to gravitate towards BGMs from games or movies. These were virtually designed to play while you are concentrating on something else.

If I want some heavy impact music to steer my emotions I could do so first and then write afterwards, while my blood is pumping so to speak.

 

[AriaJane]

I like having background noise because it stops my brain from trying to do too many things at once. Usually a show or a movie I've seen a million times so I can ignore it without being distracted. Consciously blocking out the talking somehow helps me concentrate better.

Music does help me with my creativity, but usually I listen to it when I want to daydream and come up with ideas. If I'm struggling with a scene I find music that suits and go off to la la land, make notes, and then it's much easier for me to make my idea come to life when writing. Music tends to make me daydream which distracts me from actually writing, so I tend not to do it at the same time.

 

[LoliGent]

Try it for seven days, and see if it works for you.

If only it were that easy. I live in a place that is constantly noisy. There's music from outside sources, not of my choice of course, people blabbering and arguing, the sounds of traffic, and this place I'm in currently is located next to a fire station. Randomly the sounds of blaring sirens will be emitted, which is very annoying when you are trying to read. I have no choice but to put music on to block out all these distractions.

I guess one solution would be to go to the library or something. I might consider that.

 

[FearlessCloud01]

I tried listening to music while writing. Didn't help much during the actual writing time.
But it does put me in the mood to think up ideas when I'm not writing. Like, if I'm listening to Rock, I can easily think up good-looking action sequences for future chapters.
If I listen to music while trying to write, it puts me into that daydreaming mode and I even ended up planning out two slightly different endings for my series instead of finishing the chapter I was writing. I did finish writing that chapter, but without any instruments playing in the background...
That's the thing when listening to music, one cannot properly concentrate on the task at hand and most of the brainpower usually gets wasted focusing on and enjoying the music.
Some people can even study with music blasting into their ears, but not me. The best I can manage is reading stories with music.
But it depends on the person in question. If you're the type who can do better with music, it's better to use music. But the general opinion usually is that music is distracting when doing something serious, like writing or studying.

 

[ShrimpShady]

Music mostly just becomes background noise to me anyway when I write, regardless of what kind. It could be chill and sparse shit like American Football, soft piano music, heavy prog like King Crimson, or dynamic post-rock.

 

[DubstheDuke]

Personally I don't see how anyone could write without music. Music doesn't distract me at all from my writing - as a matter of fact, it makes me write more. Sometimes my hands want to keep up with the pace of the music as I type, and sometimes it puts me into the zone where I keep having idea after idea where everything just flows perfectly from one thing to another.

Not that I can't write without music but the writing always seems so dull without music. And my productivity is about the same either way.

 

[Lloyd]

I write while listening to kanye

 

[GodlyKamui]

I write while listening to kanye

Based.
I simply cannot for the life of me write without music. I get anxious and distracted very easily without it. It also helps me to picture scenes just like I want them to.