Monday, April 11, 2011

Roll with The Beat

I love it when I find something that moves me.  Nothing's better. . .well, except for chocolate ice cream and a pair of really fab shoes, but I'll leave that for another time (maybe for a post entitled Obsessions).


Right now, I'm talking about music. Last month, I rediscovered the band The Script (which I'm still listening to, by the way). This week I tripped into Adele and her new song, Rolling In The Deep.


It's old school.  It's got heart and soul. A real vibe that can't be denied.




Fabulous song, yes?


Man, the beat gets me going. And her jazzy style and wicked cool voice?  Both transport me. . .make me imagine and wonder and dream.

Everyone's journey is a different. What inspires one person doesn't do it for the next.  But then, that's where the magic comes in, right? If we were all inspired in the same ways, we couldn't learn anything from one another.

So, when inspiration pulls into my train station, I like to share it. Sometimes it's an off the rail experience that rolls through in the form of a movie or a really great book. Sometimes it's an every day conversation or a billboard. . .unexciting, but for that one snippet. That special something that sparks my imagination.

As a writer, I live and breathe inspiriation. It's constant discovery. The ah-hah moments that help me unearth a gem. . .the things that move me so I can include them in a story that may, in turn, inspire someone else.

So, I've added music to my list of things to pay attention to. Don't know what took me so long. I've always loved music, but maybe, for the first time I'm actually listening to it on a soul deep level, tapping into the energy to tease out the meaning, which will then allow me to share it with someone else.

In that spirit then, here are a couple of questions for you.  What inspires you? And how do you convey the source in your stories? Does it creep in without you knowing. . .or are you more deliberate than that?

6 comments:

  1. Interesting post. Recently I started hearing Adele's song 'Rolling in the Deep'. From all places one of several country music video channels I sort of pay attention to. I had to google her to find out who she was.
    Back to the questions. I'm really not sure what inspires me. Sometimes it might be a thought or sound. But to be able to point to one thing and say 'yes, that's where I get my inspiration from' is hard, if not impossible.

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  2. I love this song too. The other day on Twitter someone posted a link to John Legend singing it--and I loved that one almost as much! It was a great example of how many variations of inspiration we have available to us. I'm inspired by so many things. It's just a matter of staying open and wide awake to the possibilities. :)

    Donna

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  3. Not just the song, that entire album is insanely good! It has dominated my listening since it was released a few weeks ago. I can't get enough ...

    Loved how you tied it back to the writing. I'm so inspired by music that I sometimes wonder if there's a distinction between the two in my mind at all.

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  4. You are the second person to mention that album this week. I'm thinking I need to go check her out. I loved the song you posted. I am very inspired by music when I write (or actually right before I write).

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  5. I think I have yet to read one of your posts that doesn't have the word chocolat in it! I actually can't even come by anymore without a hot cocoa in hand. It would just be sinful. hehe.

    So I stopped in to pass on one lovely blog award to you. Stop by my place and pick it up. Congrats.
    tanyareimer.blogspot.com

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  6. I think that my writing is probably best when I let inspiration show on its own terms; if I do deliberate homages, often they seem transparent and cheesey.

    Right now, a song that inspires and excites me is Chely Wright's "Notes to the Coroner."

    I'm starting up a 'Critiquing Crusaders' program, where participants in the Second Crusade can find other writers to exchange critiques with or form critiquing circles. If you're interested, come by The Kelworth Files to check it out!

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