Ever thought about what song would be the theme to your book? What if I told you that those thoughts will help your book become even better?
I love music so this post came sort of easily to me. For me, the themes song to my book (I'll tell you what it is later) came silently. I wasn't searching for a theme song. I was just listening to music on my laptop. I've heard that song over and over for a long time before (because I love the artist) but the thought of it being connected to my book never came to me. Not until I started diving further into my books and its themes.
As of now (because who knows what other music I'll be introduced to?) my novel's theme song is "Hometown Glory" by Adele (the full version, not the shorter one). The song's message about one's hometown, its memories, its people, really fits incredibly well with my novel and my main character's character arc.
Finding out my novel's theme song has helped in strengthening various points of that specific theme in my novel. You know how sometimes you know your novel needs a little something, but you don't know what? Listening to "Hometown Glory" helped in finding out those spots which could be strengthened to create a strong, solid narrative arc.
And it's not only for theme songs. For example, listening to this amazing version of this amazing song (I love that song a lot) inspired me to push one scene in my novel to a higher dimension, something I know will help take the story to an epic-er (?) plane.
If you're having trouble finding your novel's theme song, don't go searching for one. Let it come to you. And think: "If my novel was made into a movie, what song would be playing in the end credits?" Usually, that'll be your novel's theme song :)
NOW GO OFF AND FIND YOUR THEME SONG!
Have you already found it? What songs do you think fit your novel well?
My first novel's theme song is Tonight, Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins. Some of the lyrics are really spot on, and it has such a feeling of wonder and adventure mixed with nostalgia... it just works :)
ReplyDeleteMy novel has a theme song, but I'm not saying what it is until I post the playlist in an upcoming post. lol I didn't set out to find one, but someone on blog recent blog tour asked for the playlist. Unfortunately something happened to the blog and the post never went live. So....I get to post it on my own blog.
ReplyDeleteMy novel's end credits theme is "Scared of Lonely" by Beyonce. The core theme is "Let the Flames Begin" by Paramore. Both really fit the major emotions of my main character, and the lyrics are spot on! The music is also beautiful and what I want my soundtrack to sound like. I think I did a post about this. Now I have to go look. lol
ReplyDeleteI always love when books have a playlist. I'm in the midst of creating one. Yet I don't know which would be the main/theme one. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThere's usually a couple songs that fit with each story. Sometimes an entire CD. My third book definitely had a theme song.
ReplyDeleteI love finding songs that fit certain parts of my novel!!
ReplyDeleteRight now my top ones are: Change by the Deftones, Passive by A Perfect Circle, Love Song by Rihanna and Motivation by Kelly Rowland (two very different music genres, I know). Making playlists is a ton of fun. And I think that being inspired by music definitely takes your writing to another level--music moves the soul and it translates through writing.
I actually did find one!! and yes, it really helped to keep the "mood" of the book.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like this idea, SC. All of my books so far have been inspired by music, but I don't necessarily have a "theme song." I agree that it's not something you can go searching for... that it'll just have to come to you. Really fun!
ReplyDelete(And thanks for your kind comment on my blog yesterday. You are awesome!) :)
All of my books have musical inspirations! One of my latest is heavily inspired by Shinedown tracks. :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm. For the whole book? That's tough. So many scenes and characters have their own playlist to help me. But I guess for the book I'm querying now the one theme song for the whole book is "Anywhere Is" by Enya.
ReplyDeleteAll of my stories have a playlist. And sometimes I get my story ideas from a song, usually in an abstract way. I know a lot of writers don't like listening to music with words because it distracts them from coming up with their own, but if you do have a song that hits your theme or story type on the nail, then the song certainly helps you stay in the zone.
ReplyDeleteBack when I started working on my YA thriller, "Nightmares" (still looking for an agent .. hint, hint), I wrote a lot of music. So I already have composed 6 or 7 songs for WHEN it becomes a bestseller and then WHEN they make it into a movie.
ReplyDeleteMy WIP is actually based on a song. I got the whole idea from Come Along by Vicci Martinez and Cee-Lo Green. Sirens luring people, falling cities turning to sand, trespassers, friends? foes? God only knows. Perfect!
ReplyDelete