Creative Writing Manifesto

Creative Writing Manifesto

I am a writer. I sit at the keyboard and words flow out from my fingertips, racing each other, vying for a place on the page. 

I struggle with consistency, mute until the deadline, then rushing to capture the torrent in writing. This usually happens late at night or mid-morning. 

I am paralyzed by bright, sterile places. My mind goes blank and the words freeze up in my head and on the page. Instead, I long to be in touch with nature or withdraw into the dark. 

I need human noise to be quiet. Then words can flow into that silence and stories make sense again. Sometimes I loop The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe soundtrack. The haunting yet hopeful melodies unlock my mind as well.

I want to make a habit of getting up earlier and writing, making it a top priority. I know I need to practice writing regularly so it becomes more and more natural.

I use writing as a healing catharsis from depression, a release from frustrating circumstances, forcing me to reach deeper and persevere through. If I’m upset, I will be agitated and restless until I can sort through my jumble of thoughts on a page.

I love stories. I am intrigued by the idea of character development, that a character could begin to do and say things that I didn’t tell them to do or say. That thought thrills me.

I realize that there is a contract between the reader and me, but I also hold a contract with myself. If I’m not interested by what I’m writing, I find it extremely difficult to continue.

I jot down ideas as I read, things that I find interesting or springboards that inspire me to write. I also make up stories about people as I pass them on the sidewalk, recording unusual snippets of their conversations.

I appreciate the empathy that writing brings. In understanding a character that you wouldn’t necessarily agree with, you can then be more compassionate in reaching out to other people you meet who are similar to that character.

I am not a writer because I have published books. I am a writer because I write.