Who is This Manifesto Written For?
I’ve given this question quite a bit of thought and here are some of the qualities and attributes of the people I feel I’m here to serve with this manifesto.  As you read over them see how many of them resonate with you.  If most of them apply, read on, if not, you can go ahead and pass on the rest of this. (But feel free to pass it along to any of your friends who you feel fit these qualities.)

  •  You want your life to matter.  Now, I know you might be saying, “Well, doesn’t everyone?” And yes, at some level I believe that’s true.  However, I also know that there are many people who have bought into the erroneous belief that their life doesn’t matter, and have become exceedingly resigned about it.  This manifesto isn’t for resigned people.  It’s for those who still yearn to have a life that matters.
  • As a part of a life that matters, you want to make a difference in the world and to serve contribute to your fellow human being.
  • You’re committed to living a life on purpose.  Now, you may or may not yet know with real clarity what your life purpose is, but you know you have one and that you want your life to reflect your purpose as much as possible.  Another way I like to say this is that you’re consciously on the Purposeful Path with the final destination (if there is such a thing as a final destination) being your own flavor of a life on purpose.
  •  One of the ways you want your life to matter, a significant way you want to contribute and make a difference, and how you want to express your life purpose is as a writer, but not just any kind of writer.  You want to be inspired by what you write, and you want others to be inspired by it when they read it. You want to be a Visionary Writer. Oh, you might not yet know how to go about being or becoming a Visionary Writer, but that doesn’t stop you from yearning for it.
  •  You’re ready, willing, and able to learn whatever you can and then take the actions consistent with what you learn to turn this desire/dream into a reality.

You may notice that I’ve not said anything yet about how old you need to be, or what your current career or work is, or even how much or little experience you have as a writer. That’s because these factors play little if any part in what this manifesto is about.
It really doesn’t matter how young or old you are.  If you’re old enough to be reading and comprehending at least some of what is in this manifesto, you’re the right age.  In other words, just like it’s never too early or too late to become crystal clear about your life purpose, it’s also never too early or late to choose to express that purpose as a Visionary Writer.
It also doesn’t really matter what you’re currently doing to put food on your table and keep a roof over your head.  Oh sure, having a decent education certainly will help, but it’s not required, if the desire is strong enough because with the desire you’ll create ways to get the education.
Of course, you’ll be ahead of the game if you have developed some skills as a writer, but this manifesto and everything that follows after it will really be more focusing on the being and becoming a Visionary Writer.  Sure, I’ll share some of the tools and techniques I’ve learned over the past twenty-five years about the “art and craft” of writing, but that’s not really where the emphasis will be, in large part because there are many other resources for this kind of information.  I’ll point you to these resources including to other people who I feel have some real value to share and who really ‘get it’ — like for starters, Robin Sullivan of the Write2Publish blog.  She shares a wealth of information, especially about a vital component of being a Visionary Writer — how to promote and market yourself without coming across like a real jerk.  (Yes, I’m still learning from her. )
Here are some of the points where we’ll be focusing this manifesto:

  •  What does it take to be and become a Visionary Writer?
  •  What role does purpose, passion and play have in being a Visionary Writer?
  •  What is one proven avenue you can take to become a Visionary Writer that will allow you to make a difference while also earning income — a way to “earn while you learn” that I think many emerging Visionary Writers haven’t considered but that has worked well for me.
  • The importance of having a proven, systematic process for developing yourself as a Visionary Writer.

Okay, your turn again.  Who or what are some of your favorite writing resources? No, you don’t get “brownie points” for listing me. (Well, not many brownie points.)  How well do you fit the qualities and attributes covered in today’s post?  Don’t worry if you don’t fit all of them.  What else would you like to share at this point in our journey?
Next Time:  Let Me Introduce Myself