Do you like to write with background noise, or in complete silence?

For those aspiring writers out there, do you go insane when you hear noise outside your perimeter, or can you filter them out?

I go nuts when I hear someone speaking in my native tongue, and or English, or when I hear music blaring in the background. But foreign, or reasonable chatter (so low you can barely hear it) is nice.

I know some who are complete antithesis--like Stephen King.

I can work with or without noise. But when it's with noise, it has to be a certain kind--namely music. I can't write listening to my brother and his friends play video games. Actually, come to think of it, I normally play the music when I'm trying to block him out. Hmm...

It depends what I'm writing, and where it's being done. At school, I've learned to put up with the droning of teachers and the ceaseless yammering of students while I write. At home, I can be a bit more choosy. So, I tend to listen to music based on the mood I'm setting in what I'm writing (e.g.: a darker scene might have something by Radio Iodine whereas a more thoughtful one might demand Tori Amos). If there's no real mood in particular, I like to listen to something in foreign tongues, Apulanta being one of my favourite bands in that category. That makes it more like white noise I can tune out that manages to block out unwanted sound.

I can't work in absolute silence, it drives me crazy.
having said that, noise is a distraction too. I don't like to write with the TV on or when the kids are playing nearby. A little background noise just takes the edge off things.
I usually log onto pandora.com and select my Tangerine Dream Radio for some nice floaty ambient music - never any music with lyrics.

The way I think of it is that when I'm writing, I'm using the language centre of my brain and if it's got to decode all lyrics, tv or chatter then it's not going to be helping me write! (well, that's what I think!)

Andy

Sometimes I write in complete silence during Study Hall, working on Story A, or sometimes I work blaring my brains out to music I don't know or comprehend, writing Story B. I find it easy to write both ways, but if I have friends over and they're doing random shiz, then I'll usually get distracted and join in on the random shizzy wiz. I think it's a bad excuse to say you can't work with noise surrounding. I can see why it bothers some people, but I get annoyed of listening to those who DEMAND that others be quiet while they're working; especially when their work happens to suck.

When I'm writing outdoors, I want (and don't get ) silence from humans, but noise from nature is very OK. When indoors, I definitely want music. With or without lyrics. I like the way it can inspire and give unexpected ideas, abstractly or concretely. The Mozart Effect, perhaps? If it is, then it works with all kinds of good music, not just good ol' Wolfgang A.

*mrkgnao*

I can't write with music, but I don't mind background noise of other people doing stuff. Ideally though, I'd be on a mountainside in absolute solitude, with a wonderful view to inspire me!

It depends. If I've got a good rhythm going, I prefer to listen to music while I write. But if I'm struggling with a section, or trying to work out the science or military tactics to a particlar situation in the story, then I prefer silence.

For this historical series I'm working on I play music of the 18th century, or sea chanteys.
Linda Collison, author of Star-Crossed (Alfred A. Knopf; 2006)