“I had an unfettered year to work on my memoir. No excuses. Terrifying. So I watched bad TV and learned six new ways to cook chicken. My house was spotless; my chapters unwritten.
Classical music saved me—Erik Satie by Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Yo-Yo Ma’s Bach cello suites, and the Schubert Ensemble of London’s beautiful piano quintets by Ernő Dohnányi. Each became an hourglass, pacing drafting sessions. I listened over and over. Months later, behind on major edits, I realized I’d forgotten the music. I cued up Satie’s Gnossiennes and, in a scene worthy of Pavlov, finally got back to work.”
—Sandra Beasley, author of Don't Kill the Birthday Girl (Crown, 2011)
Comments
magpiesbeads replied on Permalink
Music and Writing
I am so touched, and encouraged by this quick peek at the presence of music in our lives. Having listened to such beautiful music a lot of my life, I understand. I see music as a container, a comfort zone ... a landscape even which invites us to examine the workings of our mind, and, dare I say, write!
ann perrin replied on Permalink
wiiting a memoir
loved this record of displacement activity and the influence of music, brilliant Ann
Angela Redmond-... replied on Permalink
Incense
My husband calls what you describe "incensing the space".
Suzann replied on Permalink
Wonderful!
Wonderful!
SherreyM replied on Permalink
The same is true for me. We
The same is true for me. We have a local classical station which is on all day in my "writing cave," and the sounds center me. BTW, you can stream this station if you're interested. Check out All Classical 89.9. :)