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Writing Challenge

Manifesto

This week, make a forceful case for… something.

Image by susancorpuz90 (CC BY 2.0)

A manifesto, according to Wikipedia, is…

a published verbal declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government.

Thinkers and artists have used the manifesto form for centuries to crystallize their thoughts into a succinct, clearly-defined program or call for action. The American Declaration of Independence is a manifesto; so are Martin Luther’s 95 theses. Artists love manifestos, too, whether they be futurists, surrealists, or austere Danish filmmakers.

For this week’s challenge, we invite you to write your own manifesto. It can be on any topic — the evils of sheep cloning, selfie technique, raising a child — you care about. Wear your heart on your sleeve and mince no words. Unless you’re writing a manifesto calling for heart-free sleeves and minced words.

You can structure your manifesto as a numbered list, a series of bullet points, a narrative, or any other format that works for you. From the serious and heartfelt to the satirical and tongue-in-cheek, you can choose any tone you wish.

Ready to go? Manifest away! Need a few more ideas for inspiration? How about…

  • Enumerating your pet peeves and how (and why) they need to be banned, immediately.
  • Structuring your plan for becoming a better X (baker, dog walker, existential philosopher…) as a manifesto.
  • Drafting the declaration of independence of your own imaginary utopia.
  • Writing a short story in which a character composes a manifesto.
  • Coming up with your own official guide to blogging etiquette (or dating etiquette. Or driving etiquette. Any etiquette, really).

I look forward to being swayed by your ironclad logic and sharp rhetoric.

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  1. I’m a little early to this challenge, with my manifesto on public spaces in Accra, Ghana: “Re-imagining Accra’s public spaces”

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  11. Oh my goodness gracious. I love this.
    Seriously.

    I WILL find away to integrate this into my content (with appropriate given credit, of course). It feels like this post was written just for me 😉

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  12. Really? Citing Wikipedia as a reference? May as well get the word from Uncle Joe in his garage down the block. Aside from that, this Wikipedia entry is someone’s transparent pilfering from Merriam-Webster (whose credibility ranks supreme). Shame the pilferer didn’t give credit where credit is due. Carry on now …

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  17. Actually that’s what I did yesterday. I think writing a manifesto may help to figure out what people want to achieve and which way to choose if they have several options.
    Great ideas, by the way, as for how to start and finish such a piece of writing.

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    1. I read your blog which I thought would be a love letter of sorts – and it was. What I did not know was that you were writing it to, and for, your deceased husband.

      And when I learned he had pancreatic cancer that was inoperable, at so young an age, my heart tapped into yours. My mother (obviously older) had pancreatic cancer (operable, if you will, but the disease killed her nonetheless) and I well understand the horror in watching a loved one suffer, and dealing with the un-dealable, as we somehow must muddle through ourselves.

      It is a long journey, and there are so very many important lessons to learn along the way. I hope your path has beautiful and aromatic flowers upon which to gaze and inhale, as a reminder of what is alive, and well, and here still. Your writing is that flower for me; expressive, filled with beauty and longing, love and pain. An exceptional ode to him, your family, and yourself. I’m glad you are willing to share the experiences, I believe they enrich us all. Thank you.

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      1. Thank you so much for reading and writing this lovely comment. It also happens that I’ve developed an obsession with flowers while trying to write my way out of some of the pain. I’m so glad you saw it as more of a love letter.

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  28. Two more manifestos—How to plan to escape from a domestic violence situation: http://carolyncholland.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/how-to-plan-to-escape-from-a-domestic-violence-situation/ and why women don’t leave: http://carolyncholland.wordpress.com/2009/05/25/why-women-stay-in-abusive-relationships-is-this-the-right-question/ in my domestic violence category http://carolyncholland.wordpress.com/category/child-abuse-issues/domestic-violence/

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