Five Pieces of Advice For Writers, As Told by Hamilton Lyrics | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Five Pieces of Advice For Writers, As Told by Hamilton Lyrics

We can all learn from Alexander Hamilton. And Lin-Manuel Miranda.

11
Five Pieces of Advice For Writers, As Told by Hamilton Lyrics
USA Today

Unless you haven't been on the Internet, or watching TV, or reading entertainment news, or talking to anyone at all over the course of the last nine months or so, you've most likely heard of Hamilton. Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator, writer, and former star of the play, described it in an interview as "a love letter to writers". So what writing-related wisdom can we collect from the hit show? Let's take a look at the song lyrics and see.

1. "Write day and night like you're running out of time"

If you want to be good at anything, the first and most important things you need to do is practice. If you want to be a better writer, the first and most important thing you need to do is write. Write journal entries, essays, emails, blog posts, short stories, novels, flash fiction, fan fiction, personal essays, tweets, whatever you can. You need to get as many hours of practice under you belt as you can.

2. "Scammin' for every book he can get his hands on"

Second thing you need to do if you want to be a better writer: read absolutely everything you can get a hold of. Finding your voice as a writer starts with exposing yourself to as many different genres and styles as you can. So fill up your bookshelf and get reading.

3. "There's a million things I haven't done, but just you wait"

Most people who want to writers are just that, people who want to be writers. But I have news for you: if you don't write, you're not a writer, you just intend to be one. You cannot build a reputation, a following, a career, a body of work, or anything else out of what you intend to do. So stop intending and just do. Which brings us to...

4. "I'll do whatever it takes, I'll make a million mistakes"

You're going to screw up and you're going to face rejection, and you're going to pour a lot of effort into some things that ultimately won't work. That's true of every worthwhile pursuit in life, and it's true here too. You have to give patient enough with yourself to give yourself room to mess up, especially at the beginning. You can't expect to be brilliant right out of the starting gate. Learn what you can from your mistakes and keep going.

5. "Do not throw away your shot"

Combining all of the above, there are always a million excuses for why you haven't started writing yet. It's easy to say that you don't have the time, or you don't have any good ideas, or you don't think you can commit to a project right now. It's easy to say oh, if only this thing was different in my life I'd write. I'll start at the end of the school year or after I've completed this big thing I'm working on, or after this thing changes. At some point you have to accept that that's not what your life is like, at least not right now, and learn how to work in the space you have available to you. If you wait until your circumstances are what you wish they would be before you start, you'll never start.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1360
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

819
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199992
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20745
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments