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Write a Manifesto.
In 2006, when I started Naplwrimo, I was pretty active in the theatre blogger scene.
There was a while where a whole bunch of people started writing manifestoes. I wrote one too and called it a "mash-up" manifesto because it included my ideas but also things I had heard from other people that I wanted to have in my manifesto.
I thought it would be fun to repost it here for your viewing pleasure:
MANIFESTO FOR MAKERS AND SHAKERS OF THEATRE IN THE NEW MASH-UP WORLD
What are you doing? What the @%$# are you doing? No I mean what are you really doing?Spirit= energy= emotion= voice= body= truth.
If you don't see it, I don't either.
If you dont'hear it, I don't either.
If you don't care, I don't either.
It's possible to make small things matter.
Begin to care.
Everything matters.
It's not about you.
100 percent character / 100 percent you.
Love the game in you, not yourself in the game.
Get out of the way.
Show me yours even if I don't show you mine.
Time matters.
Space matters.
Rhythm matters.
The thing you don't want to reveal, that is where your risk taking lives.
You don't have any control over anything so might as well give up now.
Make it matter. Because you care. Not because you want me to care.
The texts we want to write aren't precious.
The texts we want to write are texts that honor the human body and voice.
The texts we want to write are lyrical in essence.
The texts we want to write honour shape, rhythm, time, emotion, repetition and truth.
The texts we want to write aren't about WHAT but about HOW.
The texts we want to write come out of necessity, not ego.
The texts we want to write are meant to be shared, downloaded, uploaded, cut-up, copied and pasted.
The texts we want to write are transformative.
The texts we want to write aren't anything by themselves.
The texts we want to write require performers of athletic abilities: strong discipline, amazing resilience and a will of iron. Wisdom , don't forget wisdom. Forget intelligence, because it's already there. It's already at work.
The texts we want to write are just "one bit of a complex dialogue." This dialogue happens between the writer and self, the writer and the play, the writer and the performers, the writer and all shapers of the work. All are equal.
The texts we want to write are about big dreams in small places. Not small dreams in big places.
Where does your soul live and is there sufficient parking ?
Now go write your own! Why do you write? What keeps you going? What keeps you doing what you love?
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Love the image of having sufficient parking for the soul
I think it's important to know exactly why you write and what your goal is. And not 'I want to be on Broadway!' type goals, although if that's what you want, that's what you want.
The more specific the why, the clearer the path. The simplier the why, the clearer the path. The strong the why, the easier it is to shrug off detractors who want to make you write something you don't want to write. Cause there's always those.
Yes, so true!
The line about parking is from Gaping Void. I've liked his work for a long time.
Go Rhino, go !
I write because it is cheaper than therapy and healthier than drinking. I write because for me it is easier to communicate through the silence of a pen rather than the rambling thoughts of a nervous mouth. I write in the hope that I too will one day have the power to touch millions of lives, just like my life has been touched by the great works of many a wordsmith before me. I write because it gives me the freedom to experience the hopes and dreams I gave up on through the characters I create. I write because I enjoy watching my characters show me what would've happened if I had said "no" all the times I said "yes". I write by choice not obligation and I hope that no circumstances force me to change my mind. I also hope to one day reap the rewards of this delightful but sometimes maddening daily toil and say "Yes, I have made the write choice..."
BLD