Saturday, December 30, 2017

Meet 2018 with a manifesto

Hello fellow amphibians, this is Bjorn and today in the last quivering hours of 2017 the time has come to both reflect and look ahead. For many of us 2017 will stand out as an Annus Horribilis. I am sure that there have also been a year of positive changes but maybe we tend to focus on negative movements. It’s like weather, we remember the days of hurricanes and rain and forget the many days of sunshine. The good thing about stormy weather is how much we appreciate the days that follows.

What can we do then to make 2018 into an Annus Mirabilis?

Many times we focus on the changes we can do ourselves by giving new year’s resolutions, but having lived some years I have learned how much this means failures. At the end of the day we are all alone in our resolutions, and if we are really successful we might end up with a better body, a happier mind, we might have found a new love or made some improvements to the housed, but we have failed to change the world.

Through history change has been driven through movements, through inspired actions and through art, and at the core of change there is often a declaration or a manifesto.

Today I want you to write a manifesto, for yourself, for a group (real or imaginary), for your writing or for any cause you find important.

Analyzing manifestos we find some common themes:

Name your manifesto to make it clear what you want to achieve. (e.g. Declaration of independence, the Communist Manifesto)
Write it in first person (singular or plural
State the problem but do not dwell too much on what is wrong but focus on what you think is right and what should happen
Use strong language. Use verbs. Start sentences with a pronomen (I will…, we believe…, I have a dream …
If you use metaphors make them clear and not ambiguous. In a manifesto you can (and should) use cliches that are easily understandable
Focus on rhythm and cadence. A manifesto should be written to be spoken.
Use repetitions and rephrase the main points of what you want to change.
Identify any threats and tell us how to deal with them.
You might even quote famous passages from other works and manifestos, like Martin Luther King reminded us of the declaration of independence.
But primarily: try to win me over to your views.


If you want some inspiration why not listen to Martin Luther King


I wish you all a happy new year, and let us make 2018 the best year ever. I will return with my Physics Prompts during 2018.


16 comments:

brudberg said...

Hello friends... I will post mine a little later. Hope to be overwhelmed with the best manifestos ever.

Angie said...

I’m johnny on the spot today... And though I’m not usually one for Manifestos I liked thinking (and writing) about it. May you all Embrace 2018 with fortitude, remembrance, and goodwill.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Ah, a manifesto after my own heart. I will see what I can do. Smiles. Changing the world, one poem at a time.

sarah said...

Happy New Year, Bjorn. Hope 2018 is full of wonderful words for you.

Vivian Zems said...

Hello Bjorn! A great task you set for us... and i really took it to heart. In a few months' time, I'll check it again.

Charley said...

Björn, a great prompt! I once made a New Years resolution not to make any more New Years resolutions; to date, the only one I've ever kept! However, a manifesto is another animal. We'll see how well I tame this one.

tonispencer said...

I am submitting a "manifesto" I wrote for another prompt site after an ugly contretemps with one of the so-called "poets" who posted on that site. Luckily I also had a very pleasant conversation with two positive, educated, and true poets. this manifesto is the result of that conversation. there are a few changes from the original.

Kerry O'Connor said...

And a very Happy New Year to you too, Bjorn and to all who frequent the imaginary garden. Without doubt 2017 has been the worst year of my life, so I am certainly going to try to put the mirabilis back into 2018.

I have had a busy December, which has found me quite out of the loop in terms of my writing. Your prompt provides much needed motivation.

Thank you for hosting on the final day of the year.

Jim said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! ! This was a fun write. Thank you, Bjorn. Of course I didn't do it very well. The fun started with figuring out a good cause. My Muse lady came through for me. I thank her.
..

Kim M. Russell said...

That was a tough challenge and got me thinking so hard I now have a headache - although it could be the after effects of sedation from yesterday's hospital procedure. I think my poem needs a lot of work but it'll have to wait until next year! Happy New Year, Toads!

brudberg said...

Oh Sorry to hear that Kim... didn't mean this it be a hard challenge, but an uplifting one.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

Happy New Year Bjorn and to all Toads!❤️ It's been one hell of a fantastic year! Here's wishing 2018 to be even better!🎊🎉

Linda Lee Lyberg said...

Love this, and Thank you! I hope you have a Happy new Year!

Frank J. Tassone said...

Good Afternoon, Toads, and Happy New Year! Bjorn, thanks for this thought-provoking, gut-wrenching, soul-searching challenge! ;) (LOL!) I can sum up my manifesto in three words:

Ride the Dragon!

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

Well, I am a bit late to this party. I thought I wouldn't do this prompt, as it seems rather like New Year resolutions and goal-setting and other such gung-ho stuff which I abhor ... but, after all....

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

I hastily add that MLK's 'I have a dream' speech is the most wonderful thing ever written!