How to Write a Manifesto

Last Updated: September 1, 2022 References Approved

A manifesto is a document wherein a person, government, or organization outlines their intentions, motivations, and/or views. These texts ask and attempt to answer the question: What do I believe?^{[1]
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Research source} The Declaration of Independence is a form of manifesto. There are artistic manifestos, philosophical manifestos, corporate manifestos, personal manifestos, and political manifestos. A religious manifesto is referred to as “a creed”. The word manifesto comes from Latin, and it connotes something which is very clear and conspicuous. While the length and content of a manifesto varies between each one, any well-composed manifesto will not only present clear attack on a worldview, but also a practical means to manifest goals. When writing a manifesto, you should keep all this in mind.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing to Write Your Manifesto

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?^{[2]
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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.

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3
Brainstorm your ideas. 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.
4
Research. 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.
5
Write an outline. 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.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Writing the Manifesto

1
Identify yourself and your aims. This might include your personal beliefs, your worldview, and your experiences that directly inform your manifesto. By introducing yourself, your readers will have a better sense of your life course.^{[3]
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- Make sure that you share life details related to your ideas.
- Relate important experiences from work, school, or life that help readers see you as an authority.
- Mentioning your degree in art might be useful in an artist's manifesto, just as civil service would be worth mentioning in a political manifesto.
2
Include a thesis. There should be some unifying point to your manifesto. This is delivered in your introduction. It will be a compelling argument, connecting all your ideas together. Make sure you take time to craft a well-written thesis statement.
3
Explain your precepts in the introduction. A precept is an actionable ideal, an instruction meant to regulate behavior or thought. Tell your readers a little about what ideals they're going to read about, before they go into it. You don't want to say everything, just a little bit, so that readers can engage with your manifesto's larger picture. Give yourself at least one sentence to mention the main points of your manifesto.
- You can use bullet points to list your precepts.
- Follow a precept up with a sentence explanation if you need clarity, but save most of your explaining for the body paragraphs. If it isn't merely presenting the precept, don't put it in the introduction.
4
Give a plan for action. Don't just provide your ideas. Offer a direction for change. Manifestos are revolutionary by nature.^{[4]
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Research source} Though not all revolutions are equal in scale, all share in this desire for change.
- Focus on verbs to evoke a sense of action. Avoid verbs like "am/is/are", "have/has" and other passive constructions. For example: "Every artist manifests Art itself," instead of "Every artist is Art itself."
- Use concrete details. Avoid words like "thing" and "something", as these are not specific. For example: "Something in our political system disturbs me" becomes "Negligence in our political system disturbs me."
- Take a current problem and re-imagine it changed through your ideology.
5
Elaborate on your ideas individually. Even for a short manifesto, you will want to make sure you devote a section to each of your main points.^{[5]
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Research source} This will make your points more concrete for readers. It will also help to make sure you address any questions your readers might have.
- Give each precept its own paragraph.
- For longer sections, use a subheading.
6
Be concise. A well written manifesto is crisp and sharp. The focus is clear and there is exactness in the intention. Its meaning and purpose are unmistakable. ^{[6]
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Research source} By keeping your manifesto concise, you avoid getting off-topic.
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Make sure to have a conclusion. This way you can remind your readers about what they've read and the main point of your manifesto. The conclusion will help give readers a sense of closure. Make sure to restate your thesis at some point during your conclusion.^{[7]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Refining Your Manifesto

1
Read it out loud. Especially once you've gone over your work several times, it can sometimes be difficult to see what is on the page. You lose focus. You read sentences half-way or you read too fast and you miss mistakes. When you read your work out loud, you're more likely to catch some of these errors you missed. It can also help you catch awkward sentences, but also will give you a sense of how it feels.
2
Revise your work. This means making changes to the big picture. By revising your work, you take your rough draft and turn it into something that is better developed and tailored to its purpose. Don't worry about all the little things in this phase. What you want to do is to make broad-stroke changes.
- Rethink structure, such as paragraph order and focal points.
- Elaborate where needed.
- Cut out anything unnecessary.
3
Edit your manifesto. This is different than proofreading. When you edit, you go through your work with a sharp eye, crafting style and coherence. When you edit, you also correct awkwardness in your writing.
- Check for cohesion and flow by assuring each sentence connects to the sentence which follows.
- Make sure your information is accurate.
- Use stronger language.
- Seek ways to build sentences that are more clear and exact.
4
Ask someone you trust or respect read it. It can often be very helpful to have someone else read your work. This can give you a new perspective on the ways you present your ideas. Talking about your manifesto with someone else can also help you to develop stronger ideas and more specific articulations of your aims.
5
Proofread your manifesto. Proofreading is very important to help maintain your credibility. This means looking for all the little errors you made while you were writing. These can make your work look sloppy and not credible. Do this once you're sure you won't be making any more big changes. It will be the last stage of your editing process.^{[8]
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Sample Manifesto

Declaration of Independence

Community Q&A

Question

What's the key difference between a mission statement and a manifesto

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

A manifesto is a declaration of someone's intentions, motives or ideas. It usually proposes some changes that the group or individual thinks should be made to the current system of government. A mission statement is what a company sets itself as its intended goal.
Question

How am I going to write my manifesto at home? It's an activity they gave us at school.

Community Answer

Go to a space where you won't get distracted - no electronics, just the items you will need for your assignments.
Question

How do I write a manifesto to be a prefect in my school?

Community Answer

Engage with your colleagues to know what they like or dislike in the school and how they want to see it in the future.After that you can now follow these simple steps to write your manifesto. Introduce yourself: Hi, my name is Fonty M Kabbah. I am ____. Show them why you are suitable for the position.(achievement). Objectives (what you will want to achieve) at least three and at most four objectives. Conclusion. Note: It is usual to use metaphor, hyperbole and alliteration to write a manifesto and it should be brief (about 200--300 words).