6. On show don’t tell
A Hamilton playbill
On “Show don’t tell.”
In writing, it’s better to show than to tell. This is because the best stories that show can transform and move us.
In the musical Hamilton, Eliza becomes emotionally moved by everyday settings such as palaces and cathedrals, structures more vividly imagined simply from reading her husband’s illustrious letters to her.
In the song Burn in the musical, Eliza sings:
“You and your words flooded my senses
Your sentences left me defenseless
You built me palaces out of paragraphs
You built cathedrals”
ETA: Burn is an emotionally charged song in which Eliza’s brittle voice pierces through the ear, wishing for her cheating husband torture. I love Hamilton and have viewed it multiple times at home. The last two lines in which Eliza talks about palaces and cathedrals always stick out to me.
A great story can create a whole new universe, construct on the page what is unimaginable and/or unthinkable. Hamilton shows us that one’s goal as a writer should be to tap into their inner creativity and channel their ideas across the page.
Look at your favorite toastmasters’ videos as well as the books you’ve read. Can you tell how they’re showing and not simply telling?
The reference artwork
