I have no musical ability. None. Zero. You really don’t want to hear me sing, and I play no musical instrument. Despite my musical shortcomings, music is hard-wired into my soul, and it is foundational in my creative process. Sometimes a song helps create a mood, which helps me write certain scenes, but at other times, a song captures the soul of a character and makes it easier for me to channel what that person might think, say, or do. Once I find a song that captures the emotion of what I want to write, I put that song on repeat, sometimes for hours, until my thoughts have spilled onto the computer screen. I then choose a different song and repeat the process.
So why am I telling you about the role of music in my writing? The easy answer is a recent date night with my wife to see a band she introduced me to over a decade ago, Shinedown. While my playlist has Tool, Bear McCreavy, Bishop Briggs, Yoyo Ma, Dorothy, and Maynard James Keenan on heavy rotation, it is the music of Shinedown that has had such a significant impact on my writing. In many ways, their songs have become essential to the development of the storyline, even through Book 6.
Shinedown was in Irving, Texas, last fall, and we heard them live. My wife had seen them many times, and she kept telling me that I would be blown away with their performance, and they did not disappoint. And as I listened to song after song, I realized just how much they are a part of my story and, ultimately, the story of Ethan Scott and the many characters in the series.
Now is when I take you on a musical journey through past Shinedown albums, so cue up Spotify and take a listen:
- I’ll Follow You is critical to the two most important relationships in the series. Both relationships deal with commitment. One at the beginning of the series in Book 2, and one at the end in Book 4.
- State of My Head makes an appearance a little later in the series as it weaves its way through Books 4, 5, and 6 when the rebellion begins.
- Outcast sets the tone for those moments when characters are pushed into places they never wanted to be.
- Sound of Madness becomes frighteningly real for our beloved main character, Ethan Scott, when he realizes that his personal evolution has become something dangerous.
- Miracle is a song that best exemplifies the moment in a relationship when Ethan understands the magnitude and importance of finding the one who has captured his heart.
- MONSTERS and DEVIL are good examples of music that drive those darker moments when a character will look back and think, “Did I really do that?”
It was an honor to experience many of these songs live with Shinedown. I owe a great debt of gratitude to them as they have been inspirational during many an hour of writing The Accidental World series. They are true storytellers, music makers, entertainers, and their impact on my life and writing will last until I put the last period on the last sentence and type “The End.”
