Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Using the Senses: Sound

I cannot express my gratitude for the beautiful gift of hearing. I adore music, laughter, silence, birds chirping, kids playing, and all the other magnificent sounds in my life.


Some noises, well, they bug me. BUG ME.

I can hear gum chewers snapping their gum two counties over. Popcorn crunchers in theaters? It's as if they crawl onto my ear ledge and chomp as loudly as possible. Instant irritation pounces. I have zero patience or tolerance level for loud, snappy, chompy noises.

I feel bad about it.

My husband once locked the doors in our car and snapped his gum over and over (and over) as I dug my fingernails into the handrests and mentally repeated "don't lose it." When I finally let out a blood-curdling scream, he calmly rolled down his window, threw out his gum and informed me that's what he was waiting for.

Lest you think my husband a terrible ogre, I must say he's practically a saint. He can't chew gum around me for any length of time without getting severe looks of annoyance from me. Passive aggressive? Yep. He deserved his snap-a-thon. Hey, he may even deserve a purple heart for some of the stuff he puts up with.

What does this have to do with writing? Not much. Just felt like sharing. But noise in your writing area does affect you. Do you enjoy listening to music while you write? If yes, do you prefer upbeat contemporary, hard rock, light country, mellow jazz, or instrumental? Or do you need quiet? White noise? Background television?

What about a cat meowing at you? Oh, that's another perk of my office. That and our guinea pig squeaking at me. Hey, he's talking. I talk back.

Does your phone or cell phone ring often? Do you answer it every time? Do you need to answer it every time? Could you let it go to voicemail during your writing time and call back later?

I've tried listening to music while I write, but I found it very distracting. It's not for me.

These are just a few things to think about to maximize your writing experience. If putting on mood music and turning off your phone will help you squeeze out 250 extra good words a day, it's worth trying!

Join me on Friday when we'll discuss the final sense, taste.


  1. I also can't listen to music when I write. I've tried and it doesn't seem to help. I'm easily distracted, so I need to shut as many noises out as possible when I write and w/ three wee ones about the place it can prove quite a challenge at times. :D

    There are few sounds I like more than birds in the morning and leaves blowing in the wind.
    ~ Wendy

  2. Good morning!

    Wendy: I'm not alone! Music distracts me, as do children :)
    Birds and leaves blowing...nice sounds!

    Thanks for stopping by!

  3. That story about the gum/car is awesome! I love your hubby's sounds like something I would do :D

    And, I need silence to write. No music, no cats, nothing. That sucks rocks because silence is a rare commodity these busy summer days *sigh*.

  4. I am SO with you on the gum!! Can't stand it! My husband doesn't snap his gum (thank the Lord!), but he is a loud eater. I'm constantly asking him to stop chewing so loud. Oh, and he slurps drinks from a can. Right when he does it, he looks over at me and sort of gives me this, "oops, sorry" look while I attempt to melt his face off with my eyes.

    Okay... sorry for the tangent.

    I'm all about the quiet when I write. No sound is good sound for me.

  5. Yeah that gum thing REALLY bugs me. I like to listen to music sometimes, usually it's to get me in the mood to write. I can write with the television on, the phone ringing and the kids playing in the background as long as I know I'm not responsible for any of those things. If my husbands says he'll take care of them and I don't have to jump up every time I hear kids arguing or getting into things they shouldn't, then I can still write. empty house with any kind of background noise is ideal.

  6. I'm a silence type person for writing time. But I know of many who play instrumental tapes to write by.

  7. I tend to want to the quiet. Total quiet. BUTTTT...I have known to get distracted by little noises in the quiet and put some epic instrumental music on to drown out the silence! lol...I'm a split personality writer!

  8. Tess: Oh yeah, he's got spunk! We're a good match! And the summer is loud. Even the birds are louder than normal.

    Katie: Thanks for making me laugh out loud! My noise issues are ridiculous, but it helps to know I'm not the only one!

    Cindy: It's funny how the "not responsible" part helps, doesn't it? I've said it before, I'll say it again, you've got a keeper for a husband!

    Eileen: I'm a big jazz fan. Especially melancholy jazz. I wonder if its wordlessness would help with writing? I might have to try it.

    Sherrinda: There never is complete silence, is there? It's why I used to put Food Network on in the afternoons!

    Thanks for stopping by!

  9. Silence? What's that again? I can't remember the last time I had any and I don't expect that I'll have any for oh, the next 15 plus years. And actually, just as my littlest will be graduating, my oldest will probably be married and bringing his babies over for me to hug and kiss. So, forget silence. I don't think I'll ever get any! I've had to learn to work amidst noise and distractions and it's okay. If I waited for a day without distractions, I'd hardly ever write! :)

  10. oooooh. Let's talk phone. My husband just called me and I told him,"My break isn't your break," and he said, "You answered it." But if I don't, then I hear about it!!

  11. I've started writing either late at night or really early in the morning because of the disruptions. I don't want to answer the phone, referee a dispute between my kids etc when I'm trying to write. The only noise I like is very soft music of my favorite artists playing:)
    And I'm laughing over your husband and his gum chewing, too funny.

  12. Jody: Some noise is good, but sometimes an hour of silence is heavenly! And you are right--who would get anything done if the conditions had to be perfect?

    Terri: Ha!! "You answered it." I'm hearing you!

    Kara:Refereeing the kids fights doesn't put you in a writing frame of mind? Huh? :)

    Thanks for stopping by!

  13. I can't listen to music while I write because I find myself typing the lyrics...or at least I never could until I started going to Caribou Coffee to write. Their soundtrack doesn't bother me because I can't understand most of the lyrics anyway. :)

  14. Erica: I can't understand the lyrics in coffee shops either. It becomes background noise to me.

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

  15. Awesome! I love that you covered this. I really need to incorporate more sound into my writing. Thank you for the reminder!

  16. Jill: I'm with you: noises irritate me to the moon. Smacking food, booming music that repeats notes or phrases (I understood it the first fifteen times, for crying out loud!), and people on cell phones in public places, are my top pet noise peeves.

    But... I love hearing birds chirping in the early morning, thunder crashing, and babies laughing! I think Heaven will be filled with baby laughter, don't you?

    Blessings, Jen

  17. Lady Glamis: Add a gum-popping scene--I can relate!

    Jeanette: Oh, baby laughter! What a beautiful sound. I agree; Heaven will be filled with it!

    Thanks for stopping by!

  18. I like quiet or white background noise when I'm writing. (Can't stand the sound of open mouthed food smacking either!)

  19. Oh my gosh, someone who understands. Thank you!

    My in-laws give me grief: "You have sensitive ears." Ummm, no! Volume Level 15 on the TV is too loud for anyone!

    I resorted to putting up a placard in front of my laptop: Shhhh....Quiet....
    jot your message and I'll answer when the thought has passed.
    p.s. If you're hungry get something, don't ask.
    Love, Mom

    My husband didn't take notice of my sign. I tried to be calm. I even moved the sign in his line of sight. He kept talking. I glared. He spoke, my thought flew away, I snapped.

    I need a sound proof bubble.

  20. It depends on what I'm writing. Sometimes a little music in the background will support the mood I'm trying to effect in my scripts (I'm a playwright). But other times, any manufactured noise, tv, music, radio will put a stopper in my creativity. It's a delicate balance and is a case by case scenario for me.


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