On My Writing Playlist: Laura Marling

I've spent a lot of time meditating on my next project. I've been working on it, but that's mainly involved jotting down notes and editing the frighteningly detailed outline. A few vital scenes have been written. I read books and watch documentaries for research.

It's all so organized I'm beginning to get concerned.

One thing I've been focusing on is the truth of good and evil. I love and appreciate stories where they are absolute like in Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. The bad guy is as bad as it gets, there's no remorse for Voldy, no tears are shed for Sauron. But as Sirius says in Order of the Phoenix, "The world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters." The lines of good and evil may be drawn before the battle but by the end everything is blurred and gray. I want to capture my characters in the right way, to show that I have not just an anti-hero, but an anti-villain as well.

The lyrics to "Night After Night" by Laura Marling are, to me, words sung by someone in the midst of a torturous struggle. The world is split into black and white but they look in the mirror and see every shade of gray. the song reminds me of a Poe monologue. It's enough to make you crazy. It's enough to make you pick a side.