Recently, I re-discovered the joy of world building through music. I do most of the writing for my paranormal romance novels in the relative quiet of a house full of playful finches and napping dogs and cats. I usually only employ music (and Reese’s Pieces) during the editing phase.
Lots of authors use music as a soundtrack for their writing process, but I embrace the quiet. Unless I’m writing somewhere like the car dealership (while waiting on service) or the school parking lot (while waiting on kids) and then I turn the iPod to opera or instrumental stuff so the lyrics don’t interfere with the words in my head.
But during a road trip for an event at my daughter’s school, since I was alone in the car, I cranked up the tunes and let the music amuse me me. (I confess I did sing along – but only because I was alone. I’m thoughtful that way.) It led to a fabulous discovery…
The music helped me improve a scene I’d been struggling with. I’d known something was wrong – not with the world building itself, but rather with the mood within the paranormal romance novel I’d been building. When Bryan Adams‘ Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman came on, the rhythm, his rough voice, all of it unlocked an emotional piece of the world I’d left off the page.
Of course I was in the car and had to leave a message about the changes on my cell phone to play back when I got to the hotel…but you get the point. Inspiration for world building details can show up in the oddest places, so embrace them to enrich the paranormal romance novel for yourself and your readers.
Live the adventure!
In honor of October, one of my favorite months for many reasons, I’ve joined the From The Shadows fun Monster Giveaway. You can enter all month long for new paperback releases, ebooks, and swag. One eBook copy of each of the Shadows of Justice novels and novellas will be given to lucky winners – so go enter now!
