I always had an eye toward the stage for the story of Hamilton's life, but I began with the idea of a concept album, the way Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Evita' and 'Jesus Christ Superstar' were albums before they were musicals.
Lin-Manuel MirandaRead
I like the quiet it takes to pursue an idea the way I pursued 'Hamilton,' but I couldn't write a book, because there's no applause at the end of writing a book.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the solitude required to develop creative ideas and the lack of immediate recognition in writing compared to performing.
Lin-Manuel Miranda emphasizes the importance of quiet reflection and solitude in the creative process while pursuing ideas, as illustrated in his work 'Hamilton.' He contrasts this with writing a book, which may lack the immediate feedback and validation that comes with a performance, highlighting a common struggle among artists and writers in seeking both creative expression and external acknowledgment.
Themes
Creative ProcessSolitudeWritingPerformanceValidation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can inspire aspiring writers who feel they lack recognition for their hard work.
More from Lin-Manuel Miranda
All quotes →You know what's a great way of tricking people into thinking you're a genius? Write a show about geniuses!
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I think I'm always subconsciously trying to write the ideal school play. Lots of parts for everybody, great parts for women - don't forget, more girls try out than boys in the school play; everyone gets to be in the school play.
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Anytime you write something, you go through so many phases. You go through the 'I'm a Fraud' phase. You go through the 'I'll Never Finish' phase. And every once in a while you think, 'What if I actually have created what I set out to create, and it's received as such?'
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Everything we know about Hamilton, we knew when he was alive, because he told us.
Lin-Manuel MirandaRead
In the best works of fiction, there's no mustache-twirling villain. I try to write shows where even the bad guy's got his reasons.
Lin-Manuel MirandaRead
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