Categories: Young Professional

Best Things To Listen to While Writing

Writer’s block is a common thing that happens to a lot of people who have to be constantly writing for either work or school. You know you have the capability to come up with ideas but sometimes it can be so hard when you are under pressure or stressed. I love writing, it’s one of my favorite hobbies and it’s something I’ve been doing all my life. Sometimes you need something to keep your mind in a creative place and a great way to do that is to listen to something while writing. From music to nature there are so many sounds to listen to while writing that will either inspire you or calm your mind down while writing.

Lo-Fi

I’m sure many of you who have studied late at night have heard of the Youtube channel called ChilledCow. They have a Youtube video called “lo-fi hip hop radio – beats to relax/study to” that runs live 24/7 playing a type of music called Lo-Fi. Lo-Fi stands for low fidelity which typically means where you can hear imperfections that are usually considered wrong when recording music. Specifically, lo-fi hip hop is what people use to either calm down or help them focus on their work. 

Podcast

There are lots of podcasts that are really good to listen to while writing. They can be really informative or inspiring especially when you need motivating while writing. A podcast I recommend is called “The Create If Writing Podcast” by Kirsten Oliphant. Kristen does a great job giving advice to aspiring writers for books and blogs. She provides a lot of tips on writing and always has guests that are experienced and professionals in their field. There are a lot of podcasts that are there to help writers but you could also just listen to podcasts that talk about the topics you’re writing about. It’s a great way to gain inspiration and ideas for what you are writing.

Nature Sounds

If you aren’t interested in listening to something with words because it’s distracting for you try out some nature sounds. You can find audios like this on Youtube. It’s so relaxing to just listen to the sounds of the forest or the ocean while you are writing anything. It helps bring your mind to a chill and calm place so you won’t be as stressed writing. Find nature sounds of your favorite places in nature to bring your mind to somewhere familiar. Since writing can take a toll on you mentally it is good to keep your mind in a calming space.

White Noise

White noise is great for canceling out any sounds that are around you. A lot of people like to work in silence but they don’t have the luxury to have a quiet place to write. Another great option is to put on some headphones and listen to white noise. It can drown out the sound of your surroundings and keep your mind focused on what you are writing.

Audio Book

Sometimes the best thing to do when you’re having trouble writing is to listen to someone else writing. It could be an audiobook about a story you like or maybe a biography of someone who inspires you. You can also find audiobooks about writing, motivation, or inspiration. They can be really great to listen to because they are going to help you while you are writing. Take the time to find an audiobook that is going to entertain you while you’re writing.

Classical Music

Another kind of music that is known to help people while writing or doing work is classical music. Classical music is known to be very calming for someone who is working. It’s a great way to cut through the silence while you are writing and is really nice to have played in the background. You can easily find classical music playlists on Spotify or Youtube. 

See Also

Instrumental

If classical or lo-fi music isn’t for you then why not find instrumental versions of your favorite songs. A lot of the time people don’t like to listen to something with words while they are writing because it can confuse them. You can take the time to make your own playlist of the instrumental version of your favorite songs! This way you are guaranteed to listen to music you like but don’t have to worry about getting words confused. It’ll also keep you entertained while you are writing because it’s the music you love.

Favorite Show or Movie

When I’m writing I like to play my favorite show in the background. It’s something I can tune into every once and a while to help me while writing. I like to have videos playing in the background because I don’t like working in silence. While I’m writing and need a quick break I can just turn to the show or movie that’s playing and be entertained for a moment. It helps to keep me interested in writing because it offers me a break. 

Yourself

Sometimes the best thing to listen to is yourself. Talk to yourself while you are writing. You can discuss what you are writing with yourself and figure out your ideas. Take a moment to read what you’re writing out loud so you can hear how it would sound to someone else. I like to read what I’m writing as I write it because then I can hear how it sounds out loud and figure out if it makes sense right away. Talking out your ideas and can help you get focused on your work since this is your writing only you can really talk about it.

Which one of these are you going to try to listen to while you’re writing? Do you already listen to any of these? What are some other things you listen to while writing that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments! Don’t forget to share with your friends and family so they can find something to listen to while writing.

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Sara-Frances Sassine

Hi, my name is Sara and I'm a 22-year-old college student in New York. I'm a corporate communications major excited and passionate about writing and art. When I graduate from Baruch College I hope to pursue my dream of getting a cosmetology license and hope to one day be working in the beauty industry.

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