music and writing

So, the first Sunday of my new promise of: I shall update this blog every Sunday! And honestly, I almost failed. Oh dear -.- This is not a good sign.

Anyway, a quick update on all my WIPs (Works In Progress) - to know what these specifically are, check out the blog post before this. I've managed to actually start writing a tiny bit of Happily Ever After's first chapter, which is funny because I've actually not finished planning O.o Nonetheless, since the first chapter's about character introductions and setting up scenes, I doubt it really matters? Besides, whatever I've written needs to undergo massive editing since I wrote it in sketchy bits and pieces, in between intense research data collection and analysis. :D Why? Because inspiration always strikes me at the wrong time sigh~

So, one thing I love about the arts in general; be it writing, drawing, painting, cooking, music, movies; is that they have this ability to interact with one another and are able to inspire one another! :) I've been trying to figure out why, and maybe it's because art mimics life. I know everyone talks about life mimicking art but I think it works the other way too. One of the stories that have always remained with me is of a woman who wrote to tell the directors of Disney's Lion King that she cried when she watched the scene of Musafa dying because it vividly reminded her of the loss of someone dear to her (I think it was her husband?).

Anyway, back to my initial point. So when a certain work of art mimics life, it inspires other works of art because life itself inspires the arts. Get my drift? If not, read real slow... and if you still don't get it, please comment on this post and I'd get back to you :D

As a writer, I have never had a lot of other art forms inspiring my writing. In fact, between real life and other art, it's been more of real life that has spurred me to write more than other art. If you look especially at the later poems and stories I wrote, and knew my life at the time of writing them, you'd know what I mean. I look back on them now and the similarities between my works and my past are freakishly haunting.

There's only been a few of my pieces which have been directly inspired by other art. Like when the Lord of the Rings movie first came out, I went into this Fantasy and a group-of-underdogs-saving-their-world phase and attempted to write a story like that; which ended up being an epic fail. The world I created had so many loopholes in it that if it were to physically exist, it would collapse in on itself -.-  Then when I was first introduced to Egyptology I tried writing Egyptology/Egypt based stories without any further research (oh boy, wasn't the me back then such a genius?) and of course, that ended pretty badly as well. In fact, one of the stories never saw its ending, just like the Fantasy one sigh~

And the other was a poem, which was quite sad I remember, but at least that wasn't such a fail. I was inspired to write it when I read some scene from some story. It was a very short scene that wasn't super significant in the story and happened quickly but it particularly resonated with me back then. So a poem called "Wallflower" was born. :D

And because it wasn't such an epic fail, here's the link to read it lol: http://crystalaura.blogspot.com/search?q=wallflower

But after the Wallflower poem, there hasn't been other art inspiring my writing, especially not music, until now. I will tell you now, when I first listened to these songs, it struck a deep chord within me. Especially because the feel and their choruses describe Ashleigh (one of the mains in Dark Lily) perfectly! Her story, the choices she faces in the novel, her relationships with the other mains, everything! These songs, especially their choruses because that's what caught my attention intially, really allowed me to flesh her and her part in Dark Lily out whilst listening to them.

So without further ado, let me introduce you to the amazing Sara Bareilles and the aforementioned three songs! They're seriously fantastic; even if you don't have an Ashleigh living in your brain, I guarantee you, you'd at least feel something when you hear them :D

Hold my Heart - Sara Bareilles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg_yHmvAbUg
Chorus:
Does anybody know, how to hold my heart?
How to hold my heart?
'Cause I don't wanna let go, let go, let go too soon
I want to tell you so
Before the sun goes dark
How to hold my heart
'Cause I don't wanna let go, let go, let of you

Breathe Again - Sara Bareilles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOwvpRZKR4I
Chorus:
All I have, all I need
He's the air I would kill to breathe
Holds my life in his hands, and still I'm searching for something
Out of breath, I'm left hoping someday
I'd breathe again

Gravity - Sara Bareilles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3mKQT08_rk
Chorus:
Set me free, leave me be
I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity
Here I am and I stand
So tall, just the way I'm supposed to be
But you're onto me, and all over me

I know anyone who's not me will be like: Heh? How does all three songs relate to one girl? We-ll, I guess you shall find out when I write Dark Lily. Until then, feel free to guess in the comment box. Who knows? Maybe your guesses will be right or they might help me think about Ashleigh in another light, and if that change makes it into the story you will duly rewarded - with an acknowledgement :D Oh all right, and a hug if you want it :P

So yes, lesson of the day! Life inspires art, art inspires more art! Conclusion? Live and create art! Because both life and art is beautiful :)

Now for something I just randomly thought up lol:

Question of the day: Do you create art? If so, have your art been inspired by life or other art? Or are there just fresh out of your imagination?

Quote of the day: Everyone can criticize but not everyone can write, so write! Feel free to extrapolate this to any other form of art, e.g. everyone can criticize but not everyone can draw, so draw!

Till next Sunday, toodles :D