The Magic of a Writing Playlist (A Writer’s Secret Weapon)

I didn’t sit down one day and decide to create a writing playlist. Honestly, I didn’t even realize that’s what I was doing. And it certainly wasn’t anything I thought I needed.

When I was writing Tomorrows Yet to Come, one song kept looping in my head over and over again: “Invincible” by Pat Benatar. Not occasionally. Not when I felt like it. Constantly. It’s a good thing I like the song, or it would have gotten really annoying! I’d play it on repeat in the car after work, thinking through plot points, replaying scenes, tweaking dialogue in my head like I was mentally editing a movie.

That story became one of the best fanfics I’ve ever written, in my humble opinion.  Anyhow, Tomorrows Yet to Come, which you can peek at here, and get for free, ifyou’re curious because of that song. That song didn’t just match the story. It unlocked it. Actually did more than that. It became a plot point in the story. And I didn’t fully understand why at the time.

Now? I do.

Sometimes Your Book Doesn’t Need a Playlist… You Do

Here’s the thing most writers don’t realize: a writing playlist for authors isn’t just about setting the mood. It’s about accessing something deeper.

There’s a difference between creating a playlist that represents your story… and creating one that actually helps you write it.

Story Playlist vs. Writing Playlist

Story playlists are cinematic. They capture your characters, your world, your big emotional moments. They’re the soundtrack you imagine playing if your book were a movie. I’ve actually seen books where the authors suggest a story playlist for you to listen to as I read. That’s a pretty cool idea. I’ve also seen people who will name each chapter after a specific song, or lyrics from a song. It’s me, I’m authors.

A Writing Playlist is functional. They help you focus. They trigger emotion. They get you unstuck when your brain would rather reorganize your pantry, do your laundry, do your taxes, do anything rather than write chapter five.

One lives in your imagination. The other gets words on the page.

3 Signs You Might Need a Writing Playlist

• You know what happens in your story, but you can’t quite feel the scene
• You keep getting stuck in the same chapter over and over again
• Your characters sound flat, even though your plot is solid

If any of those sound familiar, it might not be your writing that’s the problem. It might be the silence.

How to Build a Writing Playlist (Without Overthinking It)

You don’t need fifty songs. You don’t need the perfect mix. You don’t even need variety.

• Start with one song that matches the emotion of the scene you’re working on
• Loop it. Yes, on repeat. No shame.
• Add more songs only if they actually help
• If you don’t want to hear the song again after five plays, it’s not the right one
• Think about the setting of your story a story set in the 50’s gets doo wop music

Repetition is where the magic happens. That’s where your brain starts connecting the music to the story. That’s where the scene opens up. And can I just tell you this is a heck of a lot easier than it ever used to be. When I wrote Tomorrows, I had a tape deck in my car. I had to keep rewinding and playing the song. Today’s streaming services make the whole thing a heck of a lot easier to manage!

There’s actually research behind this, too. Studies discussed by Harvard Business Review show that the right kind of music can improve focus and help your brain stay engaged longer. In other words, that song on repeat? It’s not weird. It’s strategy.

A playlist isn’t just a writing playlist. There are playlists everywhere, grocery stores, on hold, and other places. If the world can use music to motivate, why can’t you. Make yourself a writing playlist.

If this idea clicks for you, you might also like exploring how emotional connection shapes your characters in this post: https://traciejoy.com/2025/10/22/character-attachment/

The Music They’ll Never Hear

Your readers may never hear your playlist. They won’t know which song was playing when you finally figured out the scene that worked… or the one that carried you through the chapter you almost gave up on. But they’ll feel it. So make the writing playlist and let the magic of music flow into your story.

Because when the music, the story, and your brain all line up for just a second…

That’s when the magic happens.

Tell me, because I want and need to know. What is on your writing playlist. You share yours and I’ll share my writing playlist for Consanguinity!