February 2015 TCWT Blog Chain: “How does music relate to your writing?”

Hello there Teens Can Write Too community. I hope you are having yourself a lovely month, given, it is the month of love. But if I'm adding to your misery by reminding you of this phenomenon we call Valentine's Day, let me have a go at turning your frown upside down.

  “How does music relate to your writing?”

You know when I first saw this prompt I could not help but feel a pride within me. This was going to be the opportunity to show you all how "deep" I was. A maze of everything I listen to and of course fix in how it relates to my writing, and all that good stuff. Basically an attempt at being cool, even cooler than John Travolta in Grease, simple yet edgy, the classic white t-shirt and perfect leather jacket combo. Of course by now you will have probably guessed that that plan crashed and burned forest fire bright.

Imagine a typewriter, madhatter-esque writer just going at this typewriter in a manner to suggest that just as fast the ideas came to him they will escape from his grasp with Beethoven blasting from a gramophone and the cherry on top, a disgruntled neighbor banging on the door probably complaining about the music or the butler's daily alert that the mail has arrived. Either way this writer remains unphased. Yes, you guessed it, that in no way, shape or form is me, but when I was younger this was going to be me, at least, in my imagination.

The way I see it music could relate to my writing in two ways: While I write, What I write.

Well, while I write if music is on that would be the perfect booby trap. Singing, chair dancing, rapping, air deejaying and a whole lot more will go down but not even a pinch of writing . Usually it's some really mainstream track, a track that is non-stop on the radio, need I say more except, Uptown Funk- Bruno Mars.

"Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold,"

"...Julio, get the stretch!"

You see lyrics like those up there, they usually end up within my drafts. Or worse, Grown Woman-Beyonce

"I'm a grown woman, I can do whatever I want"

"...That giiirl, she can get whatever she wants"

It's even worse, when I am listening to home grown music. I think all Kenyans will agree to involuntarily doing the Lipala dance when Sauti sol's, Sura Yako comes on while goofily mouthing the words of the song

"Sura yako mzuri mama,

mzuri mama x3"

Despite knowing that music serves as a distraction, my endeavor still continues, with a poor attempt at "toning down" by putting on some Hip-Hop. Anything from Motown Philly-BoyzIIMen to I-Kendrick Lamar or even Heavy D. What can I say, I am a nineties kid with nineties roots. How it usually goes down:

"In West Philadelphia born and raised,

in a playground where I spent most of my days..."

"...You're moving in with your aunty and uncle in Bel-Air"

Believe it or not I can spit a rhyme or two when provoked. Please note I did not say freestyle.

When it comes to music in what I write, I am not the type of writer to get a whole story from a three minute song but I do love incorporating a line or two, seamlessly yet effortlessly into my writing. It just gives my work the boost it needs,  the pinch of salt or dash of sugar to that finger licking good dish. But when it's in someone else's work, Nobel Prize in Literature anyone?

I guess, all in all silence would have no option but to be music to my ears.

Be sure to check out all the blogs on this month's chain.

6^th – http://jasperlindell.blogspot.com/ and https://vergeofexisting.wordpress.com/
7^th – http://novelexemplar.wordpress.com/
8^th – http://www.juliathewritergirl.com/
9^th – http://www.freeasagirlwithwings.wordpress.com/
10^th – https://ramblingsofaravis.wordpress.com/
11^th – http://butterfliesoftheimagination.wordpress.com/ andhttp://www.pamelanicolewrites.com/
12^th – http://randommorbidinsanity.blogspot.com/
13^th – http://miriamjoywrites.com/ andhttp://whileishouldbedoingprecal.weebly.com/
14^th – http://kirabudge.weebly.com/
15^th – http://lillianmwoodall.wordpress.com/ andhttp://erinkenobi2893.wordpress.com/
16^th – http://theedfiles.blogspot.com/ andhttp://fantasiesofapockethuman.blogspot.com/
17^th – http://irisbloomsblog.wordpress.com/ andhttp://musingsfromnevillesnavel.wordpress.com/
18^th – http://semilegacy.blogspot.com/ and http://from-stacy.blogspot.com/
19^th – http://horsfeathersblog.wordpress.com/
20^th – https://clockworkdesires.wordpress.com/
21^st – https://stayandwatchthestars.wordpress.com/ andhttp://arielkalati.blogspot.com/
22^nd – http://loonyliterate.com/ andhttps://www.mirrormadeofwords.wordpress.com/
23^rd – http://unikkelyfe.wordpress.com/
24^th – http://themagicviolinist.blogspot.com/ andhttp://allisonthewriter.wordpress.com/
25^th – http://missalexandrinabrant.wordpress.com/
26^th – http://awritersfaith.blogspot.com/ andhttp://thelonglifeofalifelongfangirl.wordpress.com/
27^th – http://nasrielsfanfics.wordpress.com/ andhttp://thelittleenginethatcouldnt.wordpress.com/
28^th – https://teenscanwritetoo.wordpress.com/ (We’ll announce the topic for next month’s chain.)

 For now, in a while, crocodile and Happy Reading Y'all!