My inspiration for writing comes from music. I have always been passionate about music and appreciate most genres. Whenever I put on a song to match the mood that I`m in, it gets my creative juices flowing. One of my high school English teachers is responsible for my habit of playing music every time I write.

For two years I had an English teacher named Mr. Silk. For every writing assignment, be it poems, essays, research papers, he made us listen to classical music. I had English teachers before that allowed us to put our headphones in while we wrote, but Mr. Silk was adamant about the whole class listening to classical music. He said it would make us smarter and better writers. It sounded cuckoo coming from such a serious man, but after a few months it felt like it was working. I thought I did my best work when I was in class listening to classical music.

Now you`re probably thinking I started listening to classical music at home too, but no, I didn`t. I listen to a band whose music I can only describe as poetry that has music playing in the background. The diction and literary techniques in all of the lyrics get the wheels turning in my head, especially if the task at hand is a creative writing piece. If you`re wondering what I`m listening to right now, I`ll tell you. It`s called Ophelia by the Lumineers.

When I am writing a paper with a more serious tone, such as my senior research paper, I play songs that are slow and quiet. I like to have something gentle humming in the background while I focus on research. For me, it`s a good way to drown out any nearby distractions.

The best writing assignments have always been the ones where I get to choose what I`m writing about. It makes it that much easier for anyone to be passionate about the subject. My playlist for those types of assignments has a light, happy tone. It`s essentially feel good music.

 I`ve enjoyed creative writing since I learned how to write. When I`m not focused on school, I love writing poems and short stories. I have a dream of one day publishing a book. The type of music I prefer to play while I write for my personal enjoyment is going to sound bizarre; but I love rock n roll music. Bon Jovi, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns N Roses, etc. It sounds like the type of music that would be far too distracting to try to sit down and write anything but it`s the opposite for me.

Music has been an important part of culture since the beginning of humanity. We listen to it while we drive, while we work, while we exercise. Music gives me the inspiration to be creative, it helps me collect my thoughts and execute them on paper. It serves as an important part of my writing process from brainstorming to touching up my final draft.