Compose, I love that word. It has a specific meaning but I like to always think of it in terms of a symphony. The various instruments to make distinct sounds. Sounds that conjure up a story.
Peter Tchaikovsky made many sounds bow to his whims. He told stories via the orchestra. Peter and the Wolf was one of the more apparent. He assigned an instrument and a musical theme for each character. This way you could easily visualize what was going on. You could hear the characters.
In much the same way, John Williams composed a piece for an up and coming film maker. His piece was key to take an off the wall story in a very foreign world(s) and make the story relate-able to the viewers. At the time the symphony and the orchestra industry wasn't in much demand with the younger generations. This crazy Sci-Fi story gave the orchestra an opportunity to show a new generation what it had been doing of centuries, move hearts. That film was released in 1977 and was the first world wide block buster ever. Those who worked on it said that the music pulled everything together and made what could have been a B movie to laugh at to a story to take seriously and cherish. That movie was the original Star Wars. And after 33 years, that franchise is still making money.
But what does this have to do with writing? Everything, in my humble opinion. Music brings out the emotion in characters. But the characters have to have the emotion in them to begin with. Creating characters and situations that evoke emotion is what creative writers do. Can you hear your characters? Can you feel your characters?
But composing is more than just emotion, its a conglomeration of emotions and situation that work together to create an adventure and a great ride for the reader. Much like essays or Aesop's fables, there should be a single thought driving the story. A big picture, if you will. I think that what makes a story satisfying.
So compose, bring out the emotions and make them work together like wheels and cogs in a clock.
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