Since I can remember, writing has been an integral part of my life. Stacks of journals and unfinished stories fill my room, and words constantly jumble around in my mind. Whenever I get a free second, it is usually spent with my nose in a book, or writing random story plots in the Notepad app on my iPhone.
Even as I write this, I have a million stories longing to be told. But, one important aspect of this story is that I have always doubted my writing.
Is it good enough?
Will people want to read it?
These are all validated concerns, but it has prevented me from writing as much as my mind urges me to. There have been many a post that I have simply deleted in fear that people won't understand how I think, or why I decide to tell the story of a girl when everyone wants to hear something much more interesting.
Recently, I have developed an obsession with "Hamilton," the musical, a show about the first treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton. I did quite a bit of research on him, and the writer, Lin-Manuel Miranda. The more I researched Miranda, the more I realized how much I can relate to him and Hamilton's story. Writing is the common string through all of our lives.
The other day I was watching an interview with Miranda, and he was asked to give young artists advice. In few words, he said to never stop doing what you love, even if it is not what is going to pay the rent. He said that we can not ignore the pull that we feel from our hearts when we have a passion for something.
This got me thinking.
I may not be the best writer, and it may not pay my bills, but it is my passion. Words fill me up like nothing else can. They soothe me, and encourage me. They are there when I feel as though nothing else is. It is the "pull" that I feel from my heart, and something I have relied on during my darkest moments.
Miranda is one of my inspirations, and through his work, I have learned that words can help one overcome their situation. They can pull someone from the dirt, and help them get back up on their feet. Words are powerful, and those who create from them must understand their power. We have a duty as writers to use words in ways that heal, encourage, uplift, inspire, and inform. Miranda has done so above and beyond his duty. Through "In the Heights" and "Hamilton," he has shown the world the importance of diversity, and the power of a story.
By listening to these two musicals, and reading his work, I am inspired to be a better writer. I am inspired to not let others' opinions of my words dictate what I share with the world. I am also inspired to use my words as a platform for change. I have always been in love with words, but thanks to Miranda, now I am enamored.
