I’m lucky to be able to write most anywhere, and under plenty of less-than-ideal conditions (i.e. the New York City subway). But I prefer to listen to music when I’m working, as it fuels my creativity and inspires me. Music was particularly important while I worked on my debut novel, Fan Club, which deals with a cultish fandom that worships an international pop star. I needed the ideal soundtrack to fuel my creativity and get me into the mindset of a superfan. Here are the five songs I had on repeat while drafting.
Suspiria by Goblin
My writing is heavily inspired by cinema. For my debut novel, Fan Club, I often listened to the soundtrack to Dario Argento’s 1977 horror film about a deadly ballet school on repeat as I worked. In fact, the name of my fictional pop star, Adriana Argento, is a reference to the director’s work. The title song has a haunting melody and seriously creepy vocals.
No Tears Left to Cry by Ariana Grande
Pop music was my guiding light while working on this novel, which is about a disenchanted millennial office worker who becomes obsessed with an international pop star. “No Tears Left to Cry” feels like the kind of song that gets you hooked on a particular artist—anthemic and emotional, personal yet somehow universal.
Doll Parts by Hole
This song feels like a very true expression of young female angst and longing (“Someday you will ache like I ache…” come on!) which is very much at the center of my novel. Listening to this song brings me back to some of the most vulnerable moments of my life. Plus, it’s about Kurt Cobain.
4. Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift
Lover, Taylor Swift’s seventh studio album, was released the summer I worked on Fan Club. This is probably my favorite song from the record, and I think it fits the book’s more light-hearted moments. There’s almost a montage quality, like it would play over a party scene in a movie. But a darker beat and perfectly-imperfect vocals add a sinister edge to an otherwise upbeat pop song.
5. Twin Peaks Theme by Angelo Badalamenti
When in doubt I always turn to the soundtrack to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. The soothing instrumentals (yes, I’m aware that I’m probably the first person to ever describe something related to Lynch’s oeuvre as “soothing”) help me focus, while providing that eerie sensation I find so central to my writing practice.
Erin Mayer is a freelance writer and editor based in Maine. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Man Repeller, Literary Hub, and others and she was previously an associate fashion and beauty editor at Bustle.com. FAN CLUB is her first novel.
