I build a playlist for each novel I write. It’s the score for the movie in my head. Some of the music represents certain characters, certain pieces evoke specific scenes, and others produce the emotion that is the focus of a section of the book.
I can write without the music and sometimes I prefer that. However, when I first approach a piece I’m going to write or revise, music helps trigger my brain. The music acts as a switch and makes the transition from daily life to writing much smoother. Brain research shows that this isn’t imagined, there’s something about music that our brains react to on a level perceived by MRIs.
As of July 2026, I have a new playlist for a medical space opera I’m writing. Here is a sample of what I’m listening to as I write.
“Theme” from Mission to Mars by Ennio Morricone, played by Philharmonic Wind Orchestra
The “Main Title” of the movie Dune by Toto.
“Debris” by Steven Price from the movie, Gravity.
These three are part of my playlist for The Fellowship Dystopia. Hope you enjoy them.
eScala: Pallido
Holst: The Planets, Op 32, H125 – Mars, Bringer of War
Carmina Burana – O Fortuna / Carl Orff ~ André Rieu
