Devoted to publishing, publishers and to those who craft the written word

We talk a lot about how music affects our writing, but today I'm thinking about how writers affect music. 

I've spent the last two weeks obsessed with the Okkervil River song, "John Allyn Smith Sails." I won't ruin the tune for you, but it wrapped my anxious brain like a security blanket this weekend.

This morning, I realized why. He was singing about my favorite poet, the confessional writer, John Berryman. Berryman's The Dream Songs can change your prose style forever, showing you how to turn emotional experiences into gorgeous words.

This NPR article discusses the song with the band, teasing out a few more literary allusions lurking underneath the new album. Listen to the sample tracks, and take a writing break. I promise these songs will get under your skin and re-surface in your stories.