The Rise of Author Curated Playlists in Fiction Novels
Caroline Zamudio
You’re about to go on a run, but first things first – you select your workout playlist, right? You’re on a road trip with your bestie, windows down and air blasts through your hair, but before you considered it your next epic adventure, I’m one-hundred percent sure you carefully created or selected a playlist that you could sing your lungs out to while on the road. There are many things we do in life that simply require a soundtrack.
Now, if you’re an avid reader, imagine you’re about to crack open a fresh new book, you settle down in your comfiest chair by the window that lets in that perfect ray of sunshine, grab your cup of steaming coffee, and you turn the page ready to dive in… but instead of encountering the first chapter, you see a playlist that the author put together as a companion for the book. What do you do? Do you ignore it? Do you grab your phone and search for the songs to play in the background while you read? Or do you wait to explore it until after you’ve finished the book?
The options are endless, but if you’re anything like me, you probably winced at the idea of a book playlist. As an avid reader as well, but most importantly as a writer who writes fiction, I cannot decide if I would be open to share my inspiration with my readers so directly. Would I be okay with influencing their thoughts about the book and its characters and deprive them of coming up with their own internal soundtrack? As a writer, as yourself – will my reader feel forced to listen to said playlist due to the fear of missing out? But here on out I’ll focus on my perspective through a reader’s eyes.
One of the greatest joys about reading works of fiction is that you as the reader, get to imagine and build the author’s world in your mind in your own way. One of my favorite professors once told our class, “You and another person can read the same book, but you do not read it the same.” Meaning, your imagination and perspective is your own! When you read fiction, you take the author’s world and you add to it – you build on it. Your mind expands beyond the words you see on paper. There is no limit to your imagination and even the author cannot control how you manipulate the world they so carefully and painfully crafted during sleepless nights. That is the beauty of reading.
Let’s say you’re reading a chapter that quickly becomes your favorite and you are now severely obsessed with the main characters. Hey, I’m not judging! But as the scene unfolds before you, it stirs in you a particular memory or perhaps one of your favorite songs, but then you remember that playlist at the beginning of the book and you can’t for the life of you put together that playlist to work in harmony with any of the author’s words. There is now unnecessary friction between you, the author, and what is quickly becoming one of your favorite books.
Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit but think about it for a minute. Do you, as the reader, want outside influence before you even start to read a new book even if the outside influence comes from the author? Let’s say an author curates a playlist to appease the Swiftie gods, but you’re not a Swiftie fan and it makes you cringe seven ways ‘til Sunday. Do you think that’ll negatively influence your reading journey? Maybe, maybe not.
On the other hand, I do understand why authors would want to share their inspiration with their readers. In today’s world where social media is so readily available to everyone, why wouldn’t an author try to bond with their readers through music as well in addition to the written word? I’ve come across a few book reels on Instagram and TikTok that have left me emotionally damaged in a beautiful way. Fans create reels by incorporating the author’s playlist and let me tell you, there are no dry eyes left in the house. So maybe… book playlists aren’t necessary evil? Probably not.
However, call me old-school, but I prefer to read books without playlists. I’m a strong believer that once authors finish their job and deliver their babies to the world to be dissected and loved – the job of interpretation without the influence falls to the reader; and if you take your job as a reader seriously like me, you don’t appreciate outside influence, thoughts, or spoilers to ruin all the fun!
If you’re a writer of fiction as well, ask yourself these important questions:
- Do I want to share my inspiration with my readers?
- How might my readers react to a playlist of music they hate or don’t relate to?
- Does it matter? Do I care?
Think of the type of relationship you want to build with your readers and lead with the heart. Happy reading (and writing)!
0 Comments