Why Your Memoir Needs A Soundtrack
The other day, I was driving with the radio on when “You’re The Inspiration” by Chicago started to play. Suddenly, I wasn’t in my car anymore. I was back in my 1994 bedroom. The walls were a collage of magazine cut-outs: 90s heartthrobs, butterflies, and Polaroids of my high school friends. The air smelled like vanilla candles. My Chicago’s Greatest Hits CD was on loop. I could feel the soft shag rug under my feet… blue, I think… or maybe green. I can still see the corner vanity cluttered with hair products, makeup, and blue nail polish.
That’s the power of music. It transports you. It stirs memories long buried. It opens doors you didn’t know were still there.
Music unlocks memory.
Ever notice how you can forget someone’s name five minutes after meeting them, but remember every word to a song you haven’t heard in decades? Music taps into memory in a way that’s visceral. If you’re struggling to recall the details of a moment (a specific year, a feeling, a scene), find the music from that time. Let it play. See what rises.
Music awakens the senses.
A memoir is about immersion, bringing your reader into the story so they can feel it as you lived it. That means grounding them in the details: what you saw, smelled, heard, tasted, and touched. Music helps take you back there. It revives your sensory memory, helping you write scenes that are vivid and alive.
Music evokes emotion.
Try watching a film without the soundtrack. Suddenly, it falls flat. The tension fades, the magic dims. Music cues emotion. It helps us feel what the characters feel. And the same is true when writing. Many writers struggle to move beyond facts and timelines. But a memoir isn’t just about what happened; it’s about how it felt. Try listening to a song that matches the mood of your memory, then write from that space. Tune in to your body. Let emotion lead the way.
Music is one of the most powerful tools a memoirist can use. So make a playlist. Build a soundtrack for your story. What songs belong to your pivotal moments? Which ones mark a turning point, a heartbreak, a celebration? Which tracks bring you home to yourself?
Let the music guide you back to the heart of your story.
Need more support on your memoir journey? Check out my memoir writing services and let’s bring your story to life.
May your words find their way,
Sharla
