I haven’t seen Hamilton, but I know a lot of you are fans—and in this article about the making-of documentary Hamilton’s America, author Charles Wendig offers up storytelling lessons, noting, “there’s nothing more fascinating than watching an interesting creator in the process of creation, and Lin-Manuel Miranda is nothing if not a very interesting creator, indeed.”

Wendig notes several truths, including “It takes the time that it takes,” and “Characters are made up of both light and dark,” but I particularly liked “Read broadly, because inspiration happens in weird places”:

Lin-Manuel found the inspiration [for] Hamilton in Ron Chernow’s book. At least, that was the match that lit the powder keg—Miranda was sitting on an explosive barrel packed with hip-hop culture and historical musicals and his own life (and his own father’s life, too). There is an astonishing creative alchemy there, but it only happens when you let it. … Miranda isn’t absorbing a creative diet of only other musicals. That’s part of it. But it’s also his life. His experience. And then it’s also about reading broadly. Go beyond the fence. Leave the comfort of the town and head out into the woods where unexpected books offer unanticipated mystery—and, better yet, unseen inspiration.

I also really liked that he uses the word grok, which is a word I also use and appreciate. 🙂 It’s a good article. As is always the case with Wendig, there is strong language, so be warned.

Have a great weekend. Spend some of it reading, mayhaps.

Tweet: Watching other creators create yields lessons for writers.
Tweet: “Read broadly, because inspiration happens in weird places.”

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