Why I Write... Part 2

Sharing my Writers (Wo)Manifesto

Hello, you beautiful human,

When I decided it was time to be brave and share my heart on a page Writers (Wo)Manifesto with you, a long-forgotten line from my childhood popped into my mind, refusing to leave until I returned to Substack and pressed send:

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
   "To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—
   Of cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
   And whether pigs have wings."

Similar to Lewis Carroll’s Walrus, I, too, feel compelled to talk about many things. While I could talk about my experience of an unexpectedly hot sea or even muse about winged pigs, I would instead like to talk about the things that ping my heartstrings. My intention is to inspire you to honour the desires that pull at your heartstrings.

I have been too shy to share my manifesto until now, even though I wrote it several months ago as part of the Creative Writing and Wellbeing Masters Degree I quietly began in May 2023. My manifesto is a living document that evolves as I do. It is the distillation of why I do what I do.

It lovingly encourages me to be kind to myself on days when firing up my neurosparkly brain feels like trudging through treacle. It motivates me to write my daily morning pages even on days when I feel despondent, doubtful, or down. Especially on those days.

My ultimate desire for my writing is to offer hope, remind others of their inherent magic and worthiness, and encourage them to dance with life again. Especially on those days when getting out of bed feels like climbing a mountain.

One of the biggest gifts of my Master's degree has been the reminder that writing is not just a solitary pursuit but a communal one. I hope my manifesto inspires you to be kind to yourself and to use your voice in your unique way, to make the positive difference in the world you’re here to make.

So, without further ado, let me share her with you… I hope she sings to your soul. Let me know what you think!

Over To You

Do you have a manifesto that inspires you, whether yours or someone else’s? Feel free to share it below in the comments so like-hearted souls feel inspired too 💖

If you know someone who might benefit from my words, I would love it if you shared this with them. I have also added a PDF link below that you can download and print for your own inspiration. If you do, I would love to see a photo of it in its place (that’s an invitation, not a Should!).

Thanks for reading, lovely soul… until next time, go gently and give yourself grace,