Beat Writer's Block With Lin-Manuel Miranda's New Spotify Playlist

Everyone struggles with writer's block from time to time—even Lin-Manuel Miranda. In the past, the Hamilton creator has advised aspiring scribes to put their noses to the grindstone and work their way through the temporary condition. But to keep the creative juices flowing, artists occasionally need outside inspiration, which is why Miranda has created a Spotify playlist called “Write Your Way Out,” designed especially for writers.

As The Los Angeles Times reports, Miranda debuted his new playlist on Twitter earlier this week. It features 19 literary-themed tracks and spans a variety of genres, from rap to pop to indie folk.

Some tunes, like “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles (2007), directly reference the frustration that accompanies writer’s block, with lyrics like "Blank stares at blank pages / No easy way to say this / You mean well, but you make this hard on me." Others, like 2003's "Song for Myla Goldberg" by The Decemberists, or Vampire Weekend's "Oxford Comma" (2008), pay homage to writers or celebrate the craft of writing.

This isn’t Miranda’s first themed Spotify playlist: In February, the Broadway star released a “Galentine’s Day” mix, featuring power anthems by female artists, and he’s also made a playlist of songs that inspired him while working on Hamilton, among others.

You can listen to “Write Your Way Out” on Spotify.