Bob Dylan Tuesday or: How Music Inspires My Writing

Today’s song is Bird on a Wire by Sarah Blasko. I’ve listened to this song, and in fact the whole CD, so many times since I’ve started editing Ivy’s story that I’m in danger of getting sick of it. The lyrics are so hauntingly close to what Ivy is going through that it’s almost as though the song was written for her. I listen to it while I’m driving which means that I’m frantically jotting down ideas and threads of conversations between Ivy and her sisters every time I pull up at the traffic lights.

With this book I’m exploring the relationship between sisters. I don’t have a sister and was always curious about anyone who did—the bond and friendship, the rivalries and competitiveness. In this story I’ve created three very troubled and flawed women who are struggling with terrible guilt and don’t know how to get on with their lives. Sarah Blasko’s music is brilliant for getting me in the mood to write about them as it has that dreamy, haunting quality to it that takes me to another place and helps the sisters come alive on paper.

Interestingly enough, Sarah Blasko’s music isn’t the sort that any of the sisters would listen to. Ava would much rather prefer blues or jazz, Mira is a fan of classical music and Ivy listens to nothing but rock music. But it sure does inspire their story.