Things I Love to have while Writing
I can write in almost any environment. I’ve gotten used to having to write with noise because I have two young children. I write a lot on the road because my husband and I take frequent road trips. I’ve trained myself to be able to tune out everything around me and write. Right now my son is watching a National Geographic show on sharks and I’m standing at my kitchen counter writing this. The fact that I am a person who doesn’t need quiet to write has helped me tremendously. Even though I don’t need peace and quiet, there are a few other things I really enjoy having when I write.
Coffee/Tea
I love all tea, hot and cold, but I enjoy hot tea most when writing. Lately, I've been on a Tazo tea kick, the passion flavor. Tea is my go-to at night, but I drink coffee in the mornings. My husband got me a DeLonghi espresso machine a while back and let me tell you, my regular coffee pot has been feeling neglected. I love making espresso with almond milk and a little creamer. So good.
One song
If you've been following me for a while, you know my books all have their own anthem. I love finding the perfect song for each story. I will listen to the same song on repeat while writing. The song, for me, encompasses the story as a whole.
The song for Soul Jumper is Lead Me Back by San Holo. This song is everything Soul Jumper is. The lyrics resonated so intensely for me while I was writing. I would have this song playing over and over anytime I was working on the book. Soul Jumper has reincarnation elements and the love story is about two souls who always find each other - no matter the lifetime. The book itself focuses on a single lifetime, when Kiidus is a soul (already dead) and Selexxah is still living. The two of them are soul mates, regardless of time, space, or death.
I did an entire playlist for The Man Before You. You can find that here: https://youtu.be/Mh0SSaWD5B4?si=pj6GmZDWV_8ewSKA. It’s theme song however, the one I listened to on repeat while writing, is Dive by Ed Sheeran. The first time I heard this song was writing The Man Before You and wow, it was so perfect for the emotion I was trying to convey with Jack and Eloise. These two dance around their love for one another for a long time…this song says, “don’t call me baby, unless you mean it,” and that push and pull of loving someone but being afraid was spot on for this book.
Encampment is my only book that is not a romance. There are subtle romantic elements but this book falls under YA and I wrote it as a fantasy, not as a romance. This book was so much harder to find a song for. I am a romantic at heart. I read it, listen to it, watch it, and write it. So, writing something that wasn’t focused on the love story made finding the perfect song difficult. I love Encampment. It’s my editor's favorite book of the three I’ve published. It challenged me to think beyond a love story and I truly believe it helped me be a stronger writer when it comes to plot and setting. I listened to Season of the Witch by Lana Del Rey the absolute most while writing Encampment, but I didn’t resonate with it to the same extent that I did with the songs for Soul Jumper and The Man Before You. However, I loved the semi-spooky vibes and insinuation of being watched because that is very Encampment.
I will put out a playlist for the Grand Mesa Men series, so keep your eye out for that.
Bones (Sometimes)
99% of the time when I write I’m writing to one song on repeat. It puts me in a productive groove. However, there are rare instances when I write with a show on. I am extremely specific about this. I watch Bones. I have seen this show multiple times, so I don’t need to play super close attention. It’s comforting background noise. I don’t like to watch things when I write because I am not as productive when I’m trying to follow a show. If I’m using a show I want to watch as motivation, that's another story. I’ll give myself a writing goal and then “let” myself watch an episode when I reach that goal.
Overall, I am pretty simplistic when it comes to writing. I don’t need a specific chair or blanket. I don’t need silence or to be in my office. I write more standing at my kitchen counter, so I can keep an eye on my kids, than I do anywhere else. If you have any fun tips for writing, send them my way. shalanabattles@gmail.com
