I have learned so many things from music about writing. I think there are three important elements: rhythm, harmony, and free improvisation. I learned these things from music, not from literature. And when I started to write, I tried to write as though I were playing music.

As a child, Shahabi remembers how she preferred to pick up piano pieces by ear, and the importance of listening as a creative tool has only grown over time. One name that always comes up in this context is Pauline Oliveros and her philosophy of deep listening. “I remember when I got to know about her sonic meditation and deep listening methods.... See more