One of the most influential elements to my writing has to be music. I listen to it all day at work; while I drive, while I write. As an inspiration, it could be as simple as a series of riffs inspiring the mood for a scene, a verse that unlocks a sticky plot point (in one case unblocking the entire series from the middle of book 2 onward). All of these groups play a central role in setting the mood and helping the story flow.
Here are some thoughts on the groups:
Primary Repertoire:
Apocalyptica: Heavy metal, on cellos... I didn't get it at first, now some of the more powerful scenes I've plotted out are based on their songs.
Enya: Enya? Really? Even my wife raised an eyebrow, but when thinking about Feye creatures and Elven history, nothing works better. Something about A Day Without Rain just meshes so well with what I've envisioned for the Feye creatures of Ihr'Vessen.
Lacuna Coil: I discovered these guys 3 years ago. Fantastic mix of rock and symphony with contrasting vocals. That Cristina Scabbia is rock-solid gorgeous doesn't hurt either....
Nightwish: After a mistaken download, I immediately went out an bought the Dark Passion Play album. With metal rhythms reinforced by symphonic overtones, it really sets the mood; the bonus disc without the vocals was a great addition.
Supporting Repertoire:
The Cult: For years I've listened to these guys and they got better with age. One line from a song unlocked the series for me and allowed me to plot-point four books.
Metallica: Since childhood, these guys have been a staple of my music collection. I wrote RIFTS: Free Quebec and dozens of RIFTS fan fiction stories listening to them.
Muse: My wife wanted to watch the 83rd Grammy's. I caught their act and was checking youtube for other videos. Listened to 3 songs and immediately they became part of the repertoire.
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