We blog for a million different reasons, but in the end, we’re all storytellers. Creative Writing Challenges are here to…
By We blog for a million different reasons, but in the end, we’re all storytellers. Creative Writing Challenges are here to help you push your writing boundaries and explore new ideas, subjects, and writing styles.
To participate, tag your post with DPchallenge and include a link to this post, to generate a pingback and help others find the challenges. Please make sure your post has been specifically written in response to this challenge. We’ll highlight some of our favorites on Freshly Pressed on Friday, and in our monthly newsletter.
When I hear songs that remind me of particular moments or years of my life, I get chills. The genre doesn’t matter: it could be the voice of Blondie’s frontwoman Debbie Harry — sampled into KRS-One’s “Step into a World” — which reminds me of college, smoky basements, and underground hip hop shows:
Or it could be Santana’s “Black Magic Woman,” which played all the time on my parents’ stereo when I was little. I’m not a fan of the song, but its intro is ingrained in my head. And every time I hear it, I’m reminded of my father.
Music is powerful: it conjures memories, emotions, and people and things of the past. It’s not only a trigger, but an outlet to express who we are. For this challenge, pick one song and write about it — or use it as inspiration for a post. The track may be personally meaningful, or remind you of something, someone, or some event you can look back on. Or maybe you’re drawn to a song’s lyrics and want to use them as a springboard for a short piece of fiction. Or a poem. Or a free-write.
None of those ideas appeal to you? Pick a musician, band, or composer and write about how their music has moved or changed you; or a piece of criticism or commentary, if that’s more your tune. (We dig Dischordant Forms‘ recent post remembering Lou Reed, about his unlikely collaboration with Metallica.)
Add the audio
If you’re up for it, search for your song on communities like SoundCloud, Spotify, and Rdio and embed the track into your post (you can read the steps to embed from SoundCloud, Spotify, Rdio, and in other ways). You might find your song on YouTube and can embed the video in your post instead.
Embedding audio isn’t mandatory for this challenge, but it allows your readers to hear the song that inspired you — without leaving your blog.
So, let’s hear it! Some ideas to get you started:
- A song that triggers a memory.
- A song that symbolizes a person, a place, or past relationship.
- A song that represents you — that you could consider as your “intro music.”
- Song lyrics that speak to you.
- Lyrics that inspire you to write a short story or other musings.
- Your favorite song — and why.
- A musician, band, composer, etc. whose music has affected or changed you.
- Commentary on a musician, band, or genre.
- An album review.
We look forward to reading — and hearing — what you publish!
The Daily Post 
Argh, I just wrote a post that nicely would have fit this prompt. For once, I’m a day early rather than a day late. 🙂 http://transitioningmom.com/2013/11/02/unwritten/
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Tag it anyway!
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I just posted a blog post titled “Wake Me Up” on stacysflutterings.wordpress.com
I love music and find it so inspiring! It is a great springboard to use as a writing prompt! Thank you Cheri Lucas Rowlands for the challenge!
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This is synchronicity for me. I’m 3 weeks into my blog ‘ notmeresound.wordpress.com, and it’s this very subject that I’m attempting to open wider.
I post original, untitled music and request that visitors, after listening write the ( mindmovie ) playing behind their eyes during the music. Please visit and write your mindmovie.
Thanks,
meresound
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“Tell me what’s wrong, and why you’re feeling this way
Don’t hold it all in, you know that’s never okay
Don’t hold it all back
Say what you needed to say
Don’t be ashamed, I feel the same way, I’ve been through it all at least that’s what I think
I’ll teach you to float
I won’t leave you to sink
Ill show you the way, you will be okay, someday”
Lyrics from a hardcore band called “For The Fallen Dreams”
These lyrics spoke out to me from their song entitled “Sober” because I am a recovering addict
and hearing this song gave me goose bumps. It was almost like that song was saying I will be okay and I will get through my addiction.
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I was listening to Miranda Lambert’s “Revolution” album at the time I was going through a separation and divorce in 2009 and 2010. I played the album to death, especially the song “Dead Flowers.” I wrote about this period of my life back in June and how the words of this song rang so true. It’s a dark and stormy story that ends well.
http://maryjmelange.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/driving-through-a-hurricane/
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PS: I did not see a story from last week’s challenge posted on Freshly Pressed. Did I miss it?
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Hi there — no, you didn’t miss it. We didn’t promote any challenge submissions to Freshly Pressed last Friday.
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What an idea!
The concept alone has flooded my mind with both memories and feelings!
Music is undoubtedly one way to recall experiences, seasons and people that have made some massive impact in our lives.
A number of songs come to mind, and so do the memories they recall.
Beautiful concept, I’m looking foward to what comes out of this!
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Hey, I wrote an article a couple of days ago which fits the prompt exactly. Am I allowed to use it for the Challenge?
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The submission really should be written in response to this prompt — you could repost with some edits or an intro, or embed the track if needed, etc.
Be sure to tag it with “DPchallenge” so others can find it.
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Thank you! I will make some tweaks and post it then. 🙂
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I understand that you didn’t promote any post from last week challenge (Dear Abby) but I was able to read some posts related to the challenge. I entered this week challenge (love the theme!) and wonder where are the posts. Do you wait until Friday, regardless of being or not Freshly Pressed?
Thanks for your feedback and the challenge idea.
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cool idea. but my question is who came up with it?
🙂
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Hi there — I’ve been thinking a lot about music and memory, and the sounds that act as triggers to our past. So, that was my inspiration when writing up this challenge.
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OOoohh! I LOVE posts that have anything to do with music!!! ❤ ❤ Now comes the hard part, picking just one song!!
❤
Christina
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This was a very interesting challenge. Here’s my entry:
http://skre8tive.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/reminders-of-you-reminders-of-heartbreak/
Songs always bring up vivid memories.
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Here are some thoughts on this weeks lovely challenge. http://perceptivepotcluelesskettle.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/music-is-the-soundtrack/
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Hello! Hopefully you’ll enjoy this music review I wrote for a band called Wildcat! Wildcat!
http://neverstationary.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/wildcat-wildcat-too-underground-for-you/
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Music is inspiration. How has it inspired you?
http://kingdomofsharks.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/wwc-the-sound-of-inspiration/
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DONE! Here’s my challenge post =)
http://lifebeinggirly.com/2013/11/04/moved-by-music-weekly-writing-challenge/
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Just last night I published a post about the songs I wished someone would play on my funeral.
http://fallenapostate.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/another-night-planning-out-my-self-destruction/
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So many things flood my brain… here is one… thank you! http://auroramorealist.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/triggers-this-man-his-music/
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Here’s my entry:
http://wp.me/p2ddEF-Lr
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i wrote about my sister Ate Elaine the other day, All Souls Day/ All Saints Day, after we went to the cemetery — we lost her when she was 13 years old, This was her favorite song… at:
http://marichulambino.com/2013/11/02/ate-elaine-believed-for-every-drop-of-rain-that-falls-elaine-lambino/
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an older post on falling in love…with a song,a voice,some lyrics
http://irmaskiss.wordpress.com/2013/08/29/503/
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Hi! I did a post in a self-hosted blog, so it seems that a pingback won’t work here. I’ll leave the link for you all to read http://untilmyheartexplodes.com/?p=41
Regards.
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I have done quite a few posts that relate to this topic. I really think music is so important in defining times, places and people at different stages in our life. Take a look at my posts under the category music to see what you think:
http://stevemcp2002.wordpress.com/category/music/
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Oh my! That would encompass my entire childhood! 🙂
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It’s been a while since I did one of these and it’s good to be back. As usual, I did something unusual:
http://bumblepuppies.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/unchanged-melodies-insult-my-intelligence/
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I came for KRSOne, great article 😀
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New Blogger alert – I’m collecting names of freshman bloggers, so we can meet and support each other. I’ll post the list when I get enough names. Interested? Send your URL.
Favorite song of all time: Tie between American Pie, and Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide.
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Hi. Bending the rules a bit as I posted this just over 2 months ago but I feel it (retrospectively) meets the remit of music and memory perfectly….. http://leonwilson12.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/lost-in-music-a-childhood
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Cool, thanks — just FYI, a submission must be written specifically in response to this challenge. Something to keep in mind for next time!
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No probs, can do!
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Hi there,
I’ve never posted publicly on this before so I’m not too sure about my post, but I decided to try this challenge out anyway.
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Great! Glad you’re trying out the challenge 🙂
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This is my first challenge — how can I resist a request to write about the role music has played in my life? My question, though: Should the post headline be “Moved by Music”? Or can it be something else? Thanks for the inspiration!
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You can title the post whatever you prefer — just be sure to link to this challenge post somewhere in your own post, and/or drop the link here in the comments when published.
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For some reason my pingback didn’t work. Here is my entry http://mholloway63.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/weekly-writing-challenge-moved-by-music-we-didnt-start-the-fire/
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So do we need to comment on the weekly writing challenges and include a link to our posts?
http://www.proverbs31teen.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/remind-me-who-i-am-jason-gray/
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If you’d like others to find your submission in this comment thread, yes, feel free to leave the link. Also link to this challenge post within your own post, too.
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Thank you!
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