In grad school, I used to work in the same building that housed the college radio station. Whenever I entered or exited the building, I could hear whatever the station was playing, which made me feel like I was living in a movie. Everything works better with a soundtrack–including writing projects.

For most novels, I put together a playlist of songs that I associate with the characters and story. Most of the time it’s just a tone I’m looking for. I’ll set it to shuffle when writing and let the music fade into background inspiration.

One song that worked particularly well for Queen of the Air was Arcade Fire’s “Keep the Car Running.” It has a great momentum and touches on themes of wanting to escape. Check out the video below to hear the whole song.

What are your favorite writing songs?