How to Write a Manifesto
Start with a meaningful question., Think about your audience., Brainstorm your ideas., Research., Write an outline.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Start with a meaningful question.
This a way to help you form inspiring ideas.
These meaningful questions can give you focus.
You may wish to ask more than one, or to focus on topics surrounding a particular question.
Some examples of meaningful questions include:
What do you want your legacy (as an individual, group or organization) to be? What gives your life purpose and meaning? What types of actions are aligned with your values? How do you want to show up in the world? What do you want to accomplish in your life? What are you willing to do to achieve those accomplishments? -
Step 2: Think about your audience.
To whom are you writing the manifesto? Will your work be read by your colleagues, the general public, or clients? This may change how you choose to use language.
A theological manifesto might have a lot of academic terminology if your audience is academics, but it might use very plain speech if it is directed at a wider audience. , When you're first starting out, don't feel like you have to know exactly what you're going to say.
Just write down your ideas in little brainstorming sessions.
There are lots of ways to go about brainstorming.
Choose one which suits you best, and which enables you to most freely jot down your ideas.
The key is not to criticize, but to open yourself up to ideas.
Thought webs can help you to connect many different ideas.
Make sure you are adding as many connected details as you can.
This will also help you to build an outline.
Lists are a great way to get a lot of ideas down quickly.
Make a list for each section of your manifesto, and to title them appropriately.
Stream of consciousness writing can help you to get your brain working on the topic.
By writing whatever comes to mind, and not worrying about the punctuation and grammar conventions, you can feel free to express important concepts.
Give yourself a time limit, and see how much you can jot down in that time. , By researching your topic, you will strengthen your ideas.
Provide yourself with sources to back up your argument.
Also, survey other manifestos to see if anyone has written something similar which can provide you with models.
Read other manifestos on a similar topic for useful tools and arguments.
Famous manifestos include:
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, "I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King, or John F Kennedy's "Man on the Moon".
Strengthen your arguments by reading the opponents of your views online.
Take a class if you have the time and the money.
Familiarize yourself with theory surrounding your topic.
Go to your local library or bookstore and ask a librarian or clerk to help you find similar writers. , Once you have enough ideas that you see a unifying point, make an outline.
This will help you to arrange your ideas once you write.
Put them into a logical order.
Make sure to include an introduction and a conclusion in your outline.
You don't need to write full sentences here.
This is a point where you're just trying to figure out the flow of your writing.
Use Roman numerals to number the major sections.
Use uppercase letters to list details about the major sections.
Use Arabic numerals (1,2,3) to give specifics or examples about the details of your major sections. -
Step 3: Brainstorm your ideas.
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Step 4: Research.
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Step 5: Write an outline.
Detailed Guide
This a way to help you form inspiring ideas.
These meaningful questions can give you focus.
You may wish to ask more than one, or to focus on topics surrounding a particular question.
Some examples of meaningful questions include:
What do you want your legacy (as an individual, group or organization) to be? What gives your life purpose and meaning? What types of actions are aligned with your values? How do you want to show up in the world? What do you want to accomplish in your life? What are you willing to do to achieve those accomplishments?
To whom are you writing the manifesto? Will your work be read by your colleagues, the general public, or clients? This may change how you choose to use language.
A theological manifesto might have a lot of academic terminology if your audience is academics, but it might use very plain speech if it is directed at a wider audience. , When you're first starting out, don't feel like you have to know exactly what you're going to say.
Just write down your ideas in little brainstorming sessions.
There are lots of ways to go about brainstorming.
Choose one which suits you best, and which enables you to most freely jot down your ideas.
The key is not to criticize, but to open yourself up to ideas.
Thought webs can help you to connect many different ideas.
Make sure you are adding as many connected details as you can.
This will also help you to build an outline.
Lists are a great way to get a lot of ideas down quickly.
Make a list for each section of your manifesto, and to title them appropriately.
Stream of consciousness writing can help you to get your brain working on the topic.
By writing whatever comes to mind, and not worrying about the punctuation and grammar conventions, you can feel free to express important concepts.
Give yourself a time limit, and see how much you can jot down in that time. , By researching your topic, you will strengthen your ideas.
Provide yourself with sources to back up your argument.
Also, survey other manifestos to see if anyone has written something similar which can provide you with models.
Read other manifestos on a similar topic for useful tools and arguments.
Famous manifestos include:
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, "I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King, or John F Kennedy's "Man on the Moon".
Strengthen your arguments by reading the opponents of your views online.
Take a class if you have the time and the money.
Familiarize yourself with theory surrounding your topic.
Go to your local library or bookstore and ask a librarian or clerk to help you find similar writers. , Once you have enough ideas that you see a unifying point, make an outline.
This will help you to arrange your ideas once you write.
Put them into a logical order.
Make sure to include an introduction and a conclusion in your outline.
You don't need to write full sentences here.
This is a point where you're just trying to figure out the flow of your writing.
Use Roman numerals to number the major sections.
Use uppercase letters to list details about the major sections.
Use Arabic numerals (1,2,3) to give specifics or examples about the details of your major sections.
About the Author
Claire Nelson
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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