I had an English teacher who taught grammar with song lyrics. She used printed copies and had the class parse the stanzas while the songs played in the classroom. Grammar was never my favorite subject but identifying parts of speech to popular tunes was not unpleasant.

There are many studies which suggest listening to music aids divergent thinking. It is a technique which uses free-flowing thoughts to generate ideas and solutions in a short time. One study reported that replaying a song multiple times blocks mind wandering and increases focus. Other benefits include reducing stress, improving sleep, reducing symptoms of depression, and raising IQ and academic performance in young children.

With that impressive list, I figured it was worth doing a few experiments. So, I queued my playlists and hit repeat as I composed stories. The results surprised me. While not scientific, I noticed words and thoughts seem to flow better, social media is less distracting and my productivity per session has increased. I have even experienced a phenomenon where the lyrics provided the exact word my mind is seeking.

While I’ve not determined if my stress levels are lower, the ability to get more accomplished in my scheduled writing sessions makes me a happy camper.

Do songs inspire your writing?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer