Writing, References, and Associative Memory

Human memory is associative. Incredibly associative. A whiff of fragrance drifting on the wind can make you remember that date that was a horrible trainwreck, but resulted in you meeting your partner. A few notes of music can help you remember the mathematical formula that you first learned while listening to that piece of music.

It works the other way, too. Sometimes when I’m writing, the mental outline for a chapter, or some key event in that chapter, or a single line, may make me think of a piece of music. And if that piece of music fits the tone of the chapter, or a single line from it resonates strongly with what I’m writing just then ... well, then the title of that song, or a line from it, may become the chapter title.

Because associative memory. It’s just part of how humans work.