diff --git a/builtin/bytesview.mbt b/builtin/bytesview.mbt
index cdb496fef..f67d749b8 100644
--- a/builtin/bytesview.mbt
+++ b/builtin/bytesview.mbt
@@ -346,8 +346,10 @@ fn write_byte_hex(logger : &Logger, byte : Byte) -> Unit {
 }
 
 ///|
-pub impl Show for BytesView with fn output(self, logger) {
-  logger.write_string("b\"")
+/// Writes the bytes with printable ASCII kept as-is and everything else
+/// rendered as `\xHH`, without the surrounding `b"`/`"`. Shared by `Show`,
+/// which adds the quotes, and `ToJson`, which does not.
+pub fn BytesView::escape_to(self : BytesView, logger : &Logger) -> Unit {
   for byte in self {
     if byte is (b' '..=b'~') && byte != b'"' && byte != b'\\' {
       logger.write_char(byte.to_char())
@@ -356,7 +358,11 @@ pub impl Show for BytesView with fn output(self, logger) {
       write_byte_hex(logger, byte)
     }
   }
-  logger.write_string("\"")
+}
+
+///|
+pub impl Show for BytesView with fn output(self, logger) {
+  logger <+ "b\"\{l => self.escape_to(l)}\""
 }
 
 ///|
@@ -593,14 +599,7 @@ pub fn BytesView::to_owned(self : BytesView) -> Bytes {
 ///|
 pub impl ToJson for BytesView with fn to_json(self) -> Json {
   let sb = StringBuilder()
-  for byte in self {
-    if byte is (b' '..=b'~') && byte != b'"' && byte != b'\\' {
-      sb.write_char(byte.to_char())
-    } else {
-      sb.write_string("\\x")
-      write_byte_hex(sb, byte)
-    }
-  }
+  self.escape_to(sb)
   Json::string(sb.to_string())
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin/char.mbt b/builtin/char.mbt
index 964fd6db4..41d32ec16 100644
--- a/builtin/char.mbt
+++ b/builtin/char.mbt
@@ -504,9 +504,7 @@ fn Char::escape_to(self : Char, logger : &Logger, quote? : Bool = true) -> Unit
     ' '..='~' => logger.write_char(self)
     _ =>
       if !self.is_printable() {
-        logger.write_string("\\u{")
-        logger.write_string(self.to_hex())
-        logger.write_char('}')
+        logger <+ "\\u{\{l => l.write_string(self.to_hex())}}"
       } else {
         logger.write_char(self)
       }
diff --git a/builtin/console.mbt b/builtin/console.mbt
index 941515684..745a0ec11 100644
--- a/builtin/console.mbt
+++ b/builtin/console.mbt
@@ -81,8 +81,7 @@ fn base64_encode(data : FixedArray[Byte]) -> String {
     let x1 = base64[(b0 & 0x03) << 4]
     buf.write_char(x0.to_char())
     buf.write_char(x1.to_char())
-    buf.write_char('=')
-    buf.write_char('=')
+    buf <+ "=="
   } else if rem == 2 {
     let b0 = data[len - 2].to_int()
     let b1 = data[len - 1].to_int()
diff --git a/builtin/fixedarray.mbt b/builtin/fixedarray.mbt
index 4a8e2af2e..2403f31a3 100644
--- a/builtin/fixedarray.mbt
+++ b/builtin/fixedarray.mbt
@@ -1397,8 +1397,7 @@ test "iter" {
   let exb = StringBuilder()
   let mut i = 0
   iter.each(x => {
-    exb.write_string(x.to_string())
-    exb.write_char('\n')
+    exb <+ "\{x}\n"
     i += 1
   })
   assert_true(i == arr.length())
diff --git a/builtin/iterator.mbt b/builtin/iterator.mbt
index 8238c8f53..9e6dac957 100644
--- a/builtin/iterator.mbt
+++ b/builtin/iterator.mbt
@@ -63,15 +63,14 @@ pub impl[X : Show] Show for Iter[X]
 
 ///|
 pub impl[X : Show] Show for Iter[X] with fn output(self, logger) {
-  logger.write_string("[")
+  logger <+ "["
   if self.next() is Some(x) {
     logger.write_object(x)
     while self.next() is Some(x) {
-      logger.write_string(", ")
-      logger.write_object(x)
+      logger <+ ", \{l => l.write_object(x)}"
     }
   }
-  logger.write_string("]")
+  logger <+ "]"
 }
 
 ///|
diff --git a/builtin/linked_hash_map.mbt b/builtin/linked_hash_map.mbt
index f61828f2b..e818bb733 100644
--- a/builtin/linked_hash_map.mbt
+++ b/builtin/linked_hash_map.mbt
@@ -669,17 +669,15 @@ pub impl[K : Show, V : Show] Show for Map[K, V]
 
 ///|
 pub impl[K : Show, V : Show] Show for Map[K, V] with fn output(self, logger) {
-  logger.write_string("{")
+  logger <+ "{"
   for x = 0, y = self.head {
     match (x, y) {
-      (_, None) => break logger.write_string("}")
+      (_, None) => break logger <+ "}"
       (i, Some({ key, value, next, .. })) => {
         if i > 0 {
-          logger.write_string(", ")
+          logger <+ ", "
         }
-        logger.write_object(key)
-        logger.write_string(": ")
-        logger.write_object(value)
+        logger <+ "\{l => l.write_object(key)}: \{l => l.write_object(value)}"
         continue i + 1, next
       }
     }
diff --git a/builtin/pkg.generated.mbti b/builtin/pkg.generated.mbti
index ff222a722..e0013d42d 100644
--- a/builtin/pkg.generated.mbti
+++ b/builtin/pkg.generated.mbti
@@ -1170,6 +1170,7 @@ pub fn BytesView::compare(Self, Self) -> Int
 pub fn BytesView::data(Self) -> Bytes
 pub fn BytesView::equal(Self, Self) -> Bool
 pub fn BytesView::equal_to_bytes(Self, Bytes) -> Bool
+pub fn BytesView::escape_to(Self, &Logger) -> Unit
 pub fn BytesView::find(Self, Self) -> Int?
 pub fn BytesView::get(Self, Int) -> Byte?
 pub fn BytesView::get_view(Self, start? : Int, end? : Int) -> Self?
diff --git a/builtin/show.mbt b/builtin/show.mbt
index 9e091f9d2..6abc0a296 100644
--- a/builtin/show.mbt
+++ b/builtin/show.mbt
@@ -191,9 +191,7 @@ fn StringView::escape_to(
       code =>
         if code < ' ' {
           flush_segment(seg, i)
-          logger.write_string("\\u{")
-          logger.write_string(code.to_byte().to_hex())
-          logger.write_char('}')
+          logger <+ "\\u{\{l => l.write_string(code.to_byte().to_hex())}}"
           continue i + 1, i + 1
         } else {
           continue i + 1, seg
diff --git a/diff/hunk.mbt b/diff/hunk.mbt
index 56a64c266..ce570ec3b 100644
--- a/diff/hunk.mbt
+++ b/diff/hunk.mbt
@@ -20,15 +20,13 @@ impl Show for Range with fn output(self, logger) {
   let mut beginning = self.0 + 1 // from array index to line number
   let len = self.1 - self.0
   if len == 1 {
-    logger.write_string(beginning.to_string())
+    logger.write_object(beginning)
   } else {
     if len == 0 {
       // empty ranges begin at line just before the range
       beginning -= 1
     }
-    logger.write_string(beginning.to_string())
-    logger.write_char(',')
-    logger.write_string(len.to_string())
+    logger <+ "\{l => l.write_object(beginning)},\{l => l.write_object(len)}"
   }
 }
 
@@ -67,7 +65,7 @@ fn HunkHeader::new(edits : ArrayView[Edit]) -> Self {
 
 ///|
 impl Show for HunkHeader with fn output(self, logger) {
-  logger.write_string("@@ -\{self.0} +\{self.1} @@")
+  logger <+ "@@ -\{self.0} +\{self.1} @@"
 }
 
 ///|
diff --git a/hashmap/utils.mbt b/hashmap/utils.mbt
index 3ecd385e1..02da14a68 100644
--- a/hashmap/utils.mbt
+++ b/hashmap/utils.mbt
@@ -337,18 +337,14 @@ pub impl[K : Show, V : Show] Show for HashMap[K, V]
 
 ///|
 pub impl[K : Show, V : Show] Show for HashMap[K, V] with fn output(self, logger) {
-  logger.write_string("HashMap::from_array([")
+  logger <+ "HashMap::from_array(["
   self.eachi((i, k, v) => {
     if i > 0 {
-      logger.write_string(", ")
+      logger <+ ", "
     }
-    logger.write_string("(")
-    logger.write_object(k)
-    logger.write_string(", ")
-    logger.write_object(v)
-    logger.write_string(")")
+    logger <+ "(\{l => l.write_object(k)}, \{l => l.write_object(v)})"
   })
-  logger.write_string("])")
+  logger <+ "])"
 }
 
 ///|
diff --git a/json/json_path.mbt b/json/json_path.mbt
index 06ca70746..adfd6a209 100644
--- a/json/json_path.mbt
+++ b/json/json_path.mbt
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ pub impl Show for JsonPath with fn output(self, logger) {
     }
     for ch in token.iter() {
       match ch {
-        '~' => logger.write_string("~0")
-        '/' => logger.write_string("~1")
+        '~' => logger <+ "~0"
+        '/' => logger <+ "~1"
         _ => logger.write_char(ch)
       }
     }
@@ -60,16 +60,10 @@ pub impl Show for JsonPath with fn output(self, logger) {
   fn build_path(path : JsonPath, logger : &Logger) -> Unit {
     match path {
       Root => ()
-      Key(parent, key~) => {
-        build_path(parent, logger)
-        logger.write_char('/')
-        write_token(logger, key)
-      }
-      Index(parent, index~) => {
-        build_path(parent, logger)
-        logger.write_char('/')
-        logger.write_object(index)
-      }
+      Key(parent, key~) =>
+        logger <+ "\{l => build_path(parent, l)}/\{l => write_token(l, key)}"
+      Index(parent, index~) =>
+        logger <+ "\{l => build_path(parent, l)}/\{l => l.write_object(index)}"
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/json/types.mbt b/json/types.mbt
index 0a4750f4c..f518fd328 100644
--- a/json/types.mbt
+++ b/json/types.mbt
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ pub impl Show for ParseError with fn output(self, logger) {
     InvalidChar({ line, column, }, c) =>
       logger <+
         $|Invalid character \{c.escape()} at line \{line}, column \{column}
-    InvalidEof => logger.write_string("Unexpected end of file")
+    InvalidEof => logger <+ "Unexpected end of file"
     InvalidNumber({ line, column, }, s) =>
       logger <+
         $|Invalid number \{s} at line \{line}, column \{column}
@@ -43,9 +43,8 @@ pub impl Show for ParseError with fn output(self, logger) {
       logger <+
         $|Invalid escape sequence in identifier at line \{line}, column \{column}
     DepthLimitExceeded =>
-      logger.write_string(
-        "Depth limit exceeded, please increase the max_nesting_depth parameter",
-      )
+      logger <+
+        $|Depth limit exceeded, please increase the max_nesting_depth parameter
   }
 }
 
@@ -57,34 +56,18 @@ pub impl Show for Json
 #warnings("-deprecated")
 pub impl Show for Json with fn output(self, logger) {
   match self {
-    Null => logger.write_string("Null")
-    True => logger.write_string("True")
-    False => logger.write_string("False")
+    Null => logger <+ "Null"
+    True => logger <+ "True"
+    False => logger <+ "False"
     Number(n, repr~) => {
-      logger.write_string("Number(")
-      Show::output(n, logger)
+      logger <+ "Number(\{l => Show::output(n, l)}"
       if repr is Some(repr) {
-        logger.write_string(", repr=")
-        logger.write_string("Some(")
-        Show::output(repr, logger)
-        logger.write_string(")")
+        logger <+ ", repr=Some(\{l => Show::output(repr, l)})"
       }
-      logger.write_string(")")
-    }
-    String(s) => {
-      logger.write_string("String(")
-      Show::output(s, logger)
-      logger.write_string(")")
-    }
-    Array(a) => {
-      logger.write_string("Array(")
-      Show::output(a, logger)
-      logger.write_string(")")
-    }
-    Object(o) => {
-      logger.write_string("Object(")
-      Show::output(o, logger)
-      logger.write_string(")")
+      logger <+ ")"
     }
+    String(s) => logger <+ "String(\{l => Show::output(s, l)})"
+    Array(a) => logger <+ "Array(\{l => Show::output(a, l)})"
+    Object(o) => logger <+ "Object(\{l => Show::output(o, l)})"
   }
 }
diff --git a/set/linked_hash_set.mbt b/set/linked_hash_set.mbt
index 234152cc8..331491da6 100644
--- a/set/linked_hash_set.mbt
+++ b/set/linked_hash_set.mbt
@@ -468,13 +468,13 @@ pub impl[K : Show] Show for Set[K]
 
 ///|
 pub impl[K : Show] Show for Set[K] with fn output(self, logger) {
-  logger.write_string("{")
+  logger <+ "{"
   for i = 0, curr = self.head {
     match (i, curr) {
-      (_, None) => break logger.write_string("}")
+      (_, None) => break logger <+ "}"
       (i, Some({ key, next, .. })) => {
         if i > 0 {
-          logger.write_string(", ")
+          logger <+ ", "
         }
         logger.write_object(key)
         continue i + 1, next
diff --git a/v128/simd_basic.mbt b/v128/simd_basic.mbt
index 8431be082..a88d8a6f8 100644
--- a/v128/simd_basic.mbt
+++ b/v128/simd_basic.mbt
@@ -29,14 +29,19 @@ pub impl Eq for V128 with fn not_equal(self : V128, other : V128) -> Bool {
 }
 
 ///|
-fn u64_hex(value : UInt64) -> String {
+fn u64_hex_to(logger : &Logger, value : UInt64) -> Unit {
   let digits = value.to_string(radix=16)
-  let buf = StringBuilder()
-  buf.write_string("0x")
+  logger <+ "0x"
   for _ in digits.length()..<16 {
-    buf.write_char('0')
+    logger.write_char('0')
   }
-  buf.write_string(digits)
+  logger.write_string(digits)
+}
+
+///|
+fn u64_hex(value : UInt64) -> String {
+  let buf = StringBuilder()
+  u64_hex_to(buf, value)
   buf.to_string()
 }
 
@@ -46,11 +51,8 @@ fn u64_hex(value : UInt64) -> String {
 #internal(experimental, "subject to breaking change without notice")
 #doc(hidden)
 pub impl Show for V128 with fn output(self : V128, logger) {
-  logger.write_string("V128(")
-  logger.write_string(u64_hex(lo(self)))
-  logger.write_string(", ")
-  logger.write_string(u64_hex(hi(self)))
-  logger.write_string(")")
+  logger <+
+    "V128(\{l => u64_hex_to(l, lo(self))}, \{l => u64_hex_to(l, hi(self))})"
 }
 
 ///|