The Writer’s Manifesto: Stop Writing to Be Read & Adored

Excited to read it Jeff!

Thanks for sharing, Jeff.

well done buddy and congrats

Great, great book. It’s what I’m thinking and feeling. But the lure of popularity and the jealousy of seeing the rising fame of other writers makes me want to chase them. Thank you for reminding me of what is important.

That was good! I’ve got a manifesto in me, too, just don’t know what exactly… this is as close as I’ve gotten: http://www.bradblackman.com/blog/lunacy/

Perhaps you will allow me to question for a moment, and rest assured, I do not do this to be combative (accept, perhaps, arm-in-arm with other creatives against lethargy and apathy and other ominous forces which seek to squash any creative endeavour) First off, love the manifesto, it is something that I needed to read, but I wonder,…what would you have done if no one read it; If you had found yourself a lone soldier, fighting a war that others saw as ridiculous?

As writers (storytellers in any medium, really, because I consider myself a storyteller, who sometimes uses writing to deliver my tale.) we are looking for a conversation. I could spend all day writing what I believe to be so, and without another voice to encourage, or confront, the words die on the page.

Getting published for publishing sake, is a great evil. But really, we must not look at publishers as the enemy of writers. They are in a different field, and many of them are very good at what they do. They look at writing, and look at the audiences they have access to as a publisher, and determine whether that writing is a good fit. We must remember, the audience for a publisher is not, “every person in the world,” but rather a small subset of the population. A publisher looks at your writing, and determines whether your writing is a good fit for that audience.

If your writing is not a good match for that publisher, try a different one. But, the conversation has begun. You have forced one person’s hand to speak with you about what you wrote, even without saying a word. A rejection is a conversation about your writing. If the editor is extremely nice, they might even give you a few words of advice,…and the conversation goes deeper.

In the end, I create for me, but I write to be read, and conversed with. The feeling of inadequacy I have so long felt, comes mostly from the anonymous, quiet consumption that takes place by people over the internet, who have deemed my work, “Too inconsequential to either agree or disagree with.”

I only say these things, because the manifesto your wrote is good. Good enough to discuss, and think about, and possibly question.

Sorry for the book-length response, but it is obvious you have hit on something.

Hey Jeff,
I just wrote a review of the Manifesto on my blog site.  There will be more to come from me relating to how the book struck me personally, but I first just wanted to get as many people to read it as possible because I think it’s THAT good!  (not that you need the applause ) 

The review is here…  http://bit.ly/jsa0uY  (my blog is http://www.soulunpacked.blogspot.com)

Ahhhhh! I’ve been found out. I’ve been writing since FOREVER not just  because I love to but because I have to. Unfortunately my foray into blogging has turned me into a comment fixated, status updating, people pleasing monster. Thanks for the permission to back off the ledge of writing for all the wrong reasons!

Loved it, Jeff.  You’ve described much of the tension I’ve felt.  Writers write because “they cannot not write.”  Truth.  

This is stunning. Thanks.

One could easily replace “writer” and “write” with “artist” and “art”. It’s a universal message to all creatives.

Cool! Thanks Jeff!

Page 22 is my favorite. I’ll be sharing the manifesto with my writer’s group. Thank you. I wrote my thoughts and reactions here: http://alyssasantos.com/2011/06/23/just-say-no-to-approval/

Jeff, you are your manifesto personified. I’m not sure how to congratulate you without congratulating you… so I’ll just say, “Great job!”

I just finished reading this, and thank you, thank you, thank you Jeff for writing this.  I’ve been finding myself more often than not labouring over words and such for the wrong reasons.  This was the reminder and the challenge I needed to get back on the right track.  You really are some sort of awesome writing ninja.  (But I won’t call you ginger.) 

Good stuff. Thanks for the motivation. 

Looking forward to reading it!  It sounds like a valuable reminder for us all. 

I just read it through two times.  Thanks for a much needed paradigm shift.  I can already feel the change in my attitude.  It is like a breath of fresh air.

I think we share a common insanity. I almost ran my mini-van off the road today trying to write 2 sentences.  I’m just at the beginning of my writing journey. What better time to be reminded of what really matters. 

I forgot. I forgot that I used to love just sitting down with an idea that grabbed me and writing about it.  I forgot that I used to just love telling stories and not worrying about if I was getting it right, getting the structure right, getting any of it right.  I forgot.  You and your manifesto reminded me today.  And just a few minutes ago, I had to stop what I was doing at my day job to write a quick sentence about a piece of my story.  I don’t remember the last time that happened!  Reading your manifesto is going to be the first thing I do every day when I sit down to my story (and maybe reading my own if I find what I want to say to write one).  Thank you!