Fall writing + reading playlist šššāš«
Autumn music for reading to, or to write your novel, journal, or whatever to!
Hey dear friends,
Iām excited to tell you that this fall Iām starting a NEW SERIES of writing prompts and advice to get you writing in these cosy colder months. Each post will answer a real question Iāve been asked recently about writing. Thursdaysā question is: āI feel intimidated by, or unworthy of, writing a novel. Can you help me?ā This question was submitted by an amazing comedian and screenwriter I know, who wants to work on their first novel. If youād like to read, sign up for a paid subscription here. Minimum sub is for one month at $5, and all are welcome!
I hope you enjoy this playlist! Read below for some explanations of included tracks + the link to the playlist on Spotify.
Love, A x
What vibe are you intent on setting for autumn? Iām going for inner peace, embracing the cosy, enjoying writing, enjoying the simple peace of being a grown up and knowing who I am and what I want (wow, what a relief! Not to be underestimatedā¦), check ins, sapphic dates, softness, and generally being gentle with myself and others.
Iām also looking forward to finishing my novel and handing it into my agent. Iām aiming at a draft by the end of October that Iāll be sending to my two writer friends who read all my work before it goes to my agent, and then having it with her by the end of the year and, ideally, the end of November. I tend to write with music in the background because I write in cafes. Iāve recently found one with PERFECT music ~ but Iām not sharing, because IāM using it this season š
Some of these songs Iāve heard over their speakers, but most are just lovely, chill, vibey songs that help occupy a very distractible part of my brain, so that the rest can stay focused.
I hope you enjoy them ~ let me know in the comments. It really helps people find me in the Substack algorithm if you do, and I really appreciate it. This post is going out free ~ this fall, Iām planning lots of content for you, and am aiming to put out one free post and one paid post a week. It would be so kind if you would support my writing ~ subs start at about $5 for a month, and if I see you subscribing for one month only, Iāll be so pleased and Iām gonna think, oh thatās nice, that person wanted me to know theyāre doing this šš«¶š, so THANK YOU! Okay, enjoy the playlistā¦
āApocalypseā by Cigarettes After Sex. CAS will be featuring heavily in this playlist, particularly because their song
āSweetā by Cigarettes After Sex is divine, also featuring heavily isā
āMariners Apartment Complexā by Lana Del Rey, who appears frequently in my day at the moment, I mean can you believe
āMargaretā by Lana Del Rey, because when you know you know.
āWe fell in love in Octoberā by girl in red, crossing fingers for this to happen, as good things have less chance of coming to those who wait as those who Hinge
āSunsetzā by Cigarettes After Sex for when you want to remember your early fall holiday
āUntil I Found Youā by Stephen Sanchez. You may have found this a while ago but I only found it recently. Letās find it all the way through autumn!
āFalling leavesā by Paolo Nutini. I can barely listen to this because I find it so sad but it is too beautiful not to mention at this time of year and if you need to initiate a good, cleansing cry, itās the one
āLet me love you like a womanā by Lana Del Rey, but think of it as sapphic because no woman needs to be holding a grown man like a baby
āWest coastā by Coconut Records. My second favourite song of all time, this is nostalgia and lust and longing and tripping through life and taking it as it comes and trusting your feelings, which is our vibe for fall
āThe Weakness In Meā by Joan Armatrading. Another ridiculous vibe check, plus a good one to sing / cheat on someone to.
āHowlā by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. A classic.
āNothingās Gonna Hurt You Babyā and āKeep on Loving Youā by Cigarettes After Sex. The songs that made them popular.
āHow Was Americaā by Sunflower Thieves. Love the lyrics of this one. Super true. But also lovely vibes.
āI Rememberā by All Saints. First cassette tape I owned and in vogue again, baby, just like me ~ ahemā¦
āStick Seasonā by Noah Kahan. Bit of a weird one in that itās folk by a guy, so not typically me, but itās a cool seasonable track.
āGirlā by 76th Street. Running out of things to say.
āFast Carā by Tracey Chapman. Letās get awayā¦
āPromiseā by Laufey. Dreamy sadness.
āPosesā by Rufus Wainwright. Love this ~ remember discovering Rufus through the soundtrack of QUEER AS FOLK USA way back when.
āVideo Gamesā ~ last Lana. Old schooling it for the dismount. Or denouement, as we call it in my industry.
Some Cat Power, Hayley Kiyoko, some more ā90s stuff, and new tracks to kick off your good writing or reading vibes, hereās the playlist on Spotify.
NOW DANCE IT OFF
Note: I havenāt added these tracks to the playlist! Because itās largely chiller music. But I love to dance it off, so take a peek yourself at these beautiesā¦
After youāve sat down for a while, itās important to get up, stretch, and dream (daydreaming being the hallmark of a good novelist). Here are my autumn bedroom dance / park strut songs.
āFull Of Lifeā by Christine and the Queens ~ first one, where you stretch and warm up via the medium of interpretive dance
āNothing Mattersā by Last Dinner Party. Canāt stop playing this RN!!!!!
āI Follow Rivers, La Vie dāAdele version on YouTubeā by Lykke Li. Or this.
āDopamineā ~ Madelline. Gorge.
āCasualā by Chappell Roan. Happily going on coffee dates for vibe checks and declaring, āIām looking for a Long Term Relationshipā, this fall. Confidence looks good on us. Nothing is casual.
āHurt You Mostā by Veronica ~ youāll think itās about an ex, but sheās actually talking about how tough she is with her own heart, #softness required here, babes, being the chill girl is over.
āCall Your Girlfriendā by Robyn. That DROP.
āGood luck, babe!ā By Chappell Roan ~ obviously.
What tracks would you add? Happy autumn!
AJK Tarttelin xo
Wow at the end of October! That's so exciting!
I write with silence or Mexican waves but this seems like a good daydreaming playlist too.