1: Introduce Self & Typical Music Tastes
I’m an aspiring author currently working on a somewhat dystopian sci-fi series called Venture Imperium, the first book of which is named Black Zone Reports, which will be a collection of short stories.
My typical music is… a little of everything, and when I say that, I mean Spotify informed me that I’d been listening to something like over 50 different genres and basically shot confetti at me for listening to more music than 95% of their users… which probably just means I need to go outside more. I’d say “modern” music is more my go-to than classical and pre-80s music though if that helps narrow it down. Video game soundtracks, electronic, world, folk, rock, pop, some rap, deathcore, dubstep, electro swing, alternative/indie, new age, celtic, symphonic metal, etc, etc.
2: Personal Favorite Song
“To the ruby redwood tree
And to the velvet climbing ivy
Painted all mahogany
I’d never leave if it were up to me”
Owl City has always been one of my favorite artists. I love most of his songs, but The Real World stands out.
3: Song For MC
“I see the world through eyes covered in ink and bleach
Cross out the ones who heard my cries and watched me weep”
It’s been a little more difficult to find songs for my Black Zone Reports characters, but there is one that is perfect for Kali Aalders. If the music doesn’t make it obvious already, Kali is a mentally deranged perspective character, which makes her unique in my writing. After suffering from the wave of obsidian fog that struck her city, Kali is changed, both physically and mentally, and soon takes on the identity of “Basilisk”, a violent mutt escaped from Imperium’s holding facilities.
4: Aesthetic Song For Atmosphere
Outbreak by Bedhd is a great song for the pivotal events of September 13th and the following weeks. Within the Black Zones, mutated creatures own the land and innocent people flee for the safety of unaffected cities. This is also another theme for Kali.
5: Mood Song
If ever I’m trying to get into an otherworldly, mystical, or ancient mood for writing, I’ll always put on a playlist of the Myst OSTs. Uru, Exile, and Revelations have the best songs, and Baron’s Theme is one of the most mysterious among them (as is Atrus’ Study).
6: Love Interest Song
“It’s not like me to fall
It’s really not my style
It’s not like me to be so foolish
…Give me something to believe
You might be the death of me”
There aren’t any romantic subplots in Black Zone Reports, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have some in the works for later Venture Imperium stories. I won’t name the couple since it’s still a ways out, but they’re a favorite of mine.
7: Song Listened To While Writing
Unless I’m writing a scene I have a good song for, I usually just let this playlist run in the background.
8: Listen To Music While You Write?
Usually, even if it’s turned down so low I can barely hear it.
9: Personal Favorite Song
“Don’t cry when lanterns fade
Soon we’ll be awakened
But it breaks my heart to say
No one will save you now”
I stumbled across Aviators a few months ago, and they have some real gems. No One Will Save You, Fading Light, No More Heroes, and Monumental are all songs I’ve been listening to on repeat.
10: Song For MC
“Just close your eyes, the sun is going down
You’ll be alright, no one can hurt you now
Come morning light, you and I’ll be safe and sound”
Sole & Callan, the poor daughter of a city cop and the rich son of an astronaut share this song as the theme tends to define much of their friendship.
11: Song For WIP Theme
“I’ll return from darkness and will save your precious skin
I will end your suffering and let the healing light come in
Sent by forces beyond salvation
There can’t be not one sensation”
World On Fire by Les Friction would sum up the theme for Black Zone Reports.
12: Mood Song
I’m not really sure what to label this mood. Maybe ‘chill cyberpunk’? I’m not sure, but Phutureprimitive’s Kinetik album has always been good for creative focus.
13: Side Character Song
Not in Black Zone Reports, but in the next book, a character named Shay assists Trent Gale, the main character, and also balances him out. Trent is a very high-energy, socially abrasive guy, and Shay is his calmer, gentler counterweight.
14: Song Listened To While Writing
I usually put this on for my sci-fi writing when lyrics become a distraction.
15: Has Music Inspired Your Story?
Most certainly. Anytime I get stuck working on a character’s arc, I go hunting for music that fits their personality. It usually gives me ideas on how their story might evolve and insights into mindsets I may not have previously considered. There’s so many songs like this that I can’t point to one specifically that has changed my stories more than the others.
16: Song For MC In Climax
Since Black Zone Reports is more a prelude to the larger climaxes of the series, I’d say the most dramatic in this book is in Kali’s story. Normally a scuffle between a mutt and a troop of Imperium officers would be over in a matter of minutes, but Kali is a special case. Between her physical mutations and her unusual abilities to heal and produce a deadly neurotoxin, she’s no easy prey, even for Imperium.
17: Personal Favorite Song
Joey Fehrenbach has been a favorite artist of mine for years. If you enjoy long, relaxing electronic tracks, his albums Losing You, Mellowdrama, and Don’t Wake Me might be up your alley. It’s hard to pick just one song from amongst these, but Way Out Here is a great one.
18: Song For MC
“I don’t do this for the riches
I’m infected, my condition
Is I’m always in my head
These words are my religion
I’m obsessed, it’s by decision
I’ma do this ’til I’m dead-ead
…I do this with conviction
I write truths and never fiction
My disease is what you fed
I can’t stop with my ambition
Like a missile on a mission
I’m a force that you will dread-ead”
I’m going to skip to the second Venture Imperium book for this one since I’m starting to run low on BZR songs now. If one song could sum up Trent’s arcs and repeated themes, it would be Stronger by The Score. I often describe him as a “revenant”, which is a corpse possessed by a vengeful spirit that’s nearly impossible to kill while it’s on whatever mission it returned to complete. In other words, Trent is a high-intensity character.
19: Song For Opening Of Novel
“Whiskey was his friend, he didn’t have another
Vicodin his vice, his real and only lover (yup)
Smoked a pack or two, it never was a problem
Popped a pill or two, they really made him blossom (yup)”
A dark and nihilistic song to be sure, but fitting for the opening scenes of the second book, at least as they are now. Trent grew up in a shady, crime-ridden area known as “New Ghettos”, which were formerly hastily constructed refugee camps used to house the mass of fleeing citizens after their cities had been overrun by Black Zones. They are now walls of illicit drugs, rampant crime, and staggering poverty. Everybody Gets High is a perfect song for such desperate people and places as these.
20: Mood Song
As The Crow Flies has a tragic, yet honor-bound tone to it that’s great for writing fantasy scenes.
21: Antagonist’s Song
There are three songs that come up for my antagonist, which is both the director of Imperium and Imperium itself as an organization.
Natural by Imagine Dragons, which is how many people see Imperium and the situations they cause:
Children Of The Sun, which is how Imperium’s director sees humanity and also how Imperium sees itself depending on the lines:
And Warriors by Imagine Dragons, which is how Imperium sees itself:
22: Song Listened To While Writing
Sometimes when my normal playlists start sounding a bit repetitive or I need to think up new ideas that I’ve yet to find good background music for concentrating on, I’ll go to Youtube and find a random music mix to throw me out of the rut. Tale Foundry’s mix has been my most recent go-to, but it won’t be long till I find another random playlist to prevent a rut from forming.
23: Repeating Songs Or Playlist While Writing?
Oh yes. I think most people would become very annoyed at how much I repeat certain songs and playlists while I’m writing, which is one reason why I try to keep the volume turned down to a hum. It usually helps keep some boundaries on the atmosphere I’m working on, whereas it might otherwise tend to drift around like a boat without an anchor.
24: Personal Favorite Song
“Take me to your only garden
I wanna see the world you found
Just sit me underneath the trees
I wanna see what you believe”
I only found this song about a month ago, but it’s already a favorite.
25: Song For Novel Conflict
“Built an empire from a pile of sticks, sticks and stones, sticks and stones
Foundation’s made of broken hearts, broken hearts and broken bones
Voices in my head, they screamed “you will lose, you will lose”
In spite, I turned my enemies to my muse, into my muse”
If Venture Imperium had a theme, it’d be DNA by Clairity. It manages to sum up both the protagonist’s and the antagonist’s perspectives while also addressing the plot. A more perfect song could not exist.
26: First Song During Movie Credits
“The sea will mourn, the sky will fall
The sun may never rise again
The silent war has begun
We’re staring down a loaded gun
No refuge found no solid ground
…The future is a dying art
Laying in a ditch in the dark
I need you here but all I hear
Is the beating of a broken heart”
For Black Zone Reports, the credits song would be Ticking Bomb by Aloe Blacc.
27: Mood Song
“Dragons at the gate, they won’t stop us
Getting to the top
Flying into space like a rocket
Never giving up (no, we never give up)”
Definitely one of the more upbeat/bubbly songs I listen to. Miracle by Caravan Palace could also be listed here.
28: Song That Grew On You
“I’m the type of dude who will not remain nameless
I’m the type of dude who is headed for greatness
I’m the type of dude who can really make changes
‘Cause I’m the type of dude that’s becoming contagious
I’m the type of dude that will always be ageless
I’m the type of dude that will always feel shameless
I’m the type of dude that they say is fucking heinous
‘Cause I’m the type of dude that you know is fucking dangerous”
I actually lowkey hate this song because the attitude in it is so… I don’t know, so cocky, overblown, and ridiculous? However… I can’t listen to it without laughing now because one of my characters has this in his playlist and it so perfectly encapsulates his overly confident, “taking himself so seriously” attitude early on. The context that always comes to mind when I listen to this now is just too humorous not to enjoy.
29: Song Listened To While Writing
I’ve been listening to Bionic by Gruber for my sci-fi stuff lately.
30: Least Favorite Type Of Music
I don’t hate any one genre, but I do tend to avoid most rap, screamo, and opera. There are exceptions here and there for these, but they’re normally not my cup of tea.
31: Personal Favorite Song
“Need to have a little trust in me
Just close your eyes and let me lead
Follow me home
To where the lonely ones roam
…Roam with me
Come down to where all of the others fell
Get lost in the dark to find yourself”
I’m not even sure why I like this song as much as I do. I just… do. Digital Daggers have some really great songs.