Lately, I’ve been listening to music from several gacha games (mobile games with loot box mechanics, similar to trading card games in that you pay for random chances are items/characters) during my writing sessions. The more popular ones like Wuthering Waves, Punishing Gray Raven, and Honkai Star Rail all have amazing music, from the instrumentals to the vocals. The music tends toward JRPG-style and anime-centric, but not always. There are quite a variety of styles blended in, depending on the character and the setting. Upbeat, tragic, soft, loud, rock, classical, opera, all in multiple languages (English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean). For a storyteller who gets a lot of his inspiration and “word grind” drive from music, they’re a godsend to me.
And I don’t even play the games! I don’t have the time, or the money. The loot box mechanics can make it expensive! But, for those who enjoy them, I thank you. Particularly for Wuthering Waves and Punishing Gray Raven. Kuro Games does an excellent job of giving back to the fans with increasingly gorgeous animation, music, and stories.
The music has been helping me work through Shield of Souls, the first Necrolopolis novel, from the more action-packed moments to the quieter emotional beats. The book features two co-protagonists at different stages of their lives (or “unlives” since one is undead), so the feel and rhythm of their points-of-view causes me to vary things up quite a bit. It makes for interesting coffee shop writing sessions, and the music certainly helps.
This isn’t my favorite song from Wuthering Waves (although it ranks up there!), but I love DrumRollTony’s analysis of it. Music theory and composition is something I’d love to learn more about, so it’s a blessing to hear from someone who knows all about it:
Anyway, enough of that for this week! I may post another of his reactions next week.
For those of you who listen to music while writing, what’s your preferred genre? Does it depend on what you’re writing? The characters? The setting? Or is it more about what speaks to you directly? I’d love to hear from you.
Black Creek Now on Audible!
Fans of horror will be pleased to hear that William Joseph Roberts’ “Black Creek” story is now available on Audible! Check it out:
Dig…
The word still echoes in Wayne’s mind—like a whisper from the dark.
That October day never left him. The day the screaming started. The day Bad Arnold took his friends for the abandoned mine.
Now, decades later, the past is clawing its way back up from the dirt. If Wayne wants peace, he’ll have to face what waits below.
A chilling tale of friendship, guilt, and the monsters we make.
Open the cover and start digging…if you dare.
