​A manifesto is a type of document that gets a lot of bad press.

​A manifesto is a type of document that gets a lot of bad press. Well known manifestos include The Communist Manifesto (Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles), Anarchist Manifesto (Anselme Bellegarrigue), and Mein Kampf (Adolf Hitler). Part of the reason people have such a negative opinion of manifestos is that the label tends to be given to documents produced by people or groups who are outside the mainstream school of thought; those who are less radical use terms like “declaration” to describe their principles. In reality, a manifesto is simply “a written statement that describes the policies, goals, and opinions of a person or group” (Merriam-Webster). 

​For this essay, you are going to write your own personal manifesto. It can be about something important, such as politics or social issues, or less controversial, like a sports team or a hobby you have; all that is required is that you have a strong opinion about it. You will then support this opinion with personal experiences you’ve had regarding it. Some guidelines to writing a manifesto:

1. Have something you feel strongly about.2. Have some points you want to make. Five is a good goal.3. Support those points with detailed descriptions of your experiences.4. Be clear and concise in your writing.5. Use slang and jargon carefully.6. Don’t Be Wishy-Washy.7. Expect to be misunderstood.8. Don’t hide yourself.

Don’t get this confused with an argumentative essay. While you are explaining your beliefs or views and supporting them with personal experiences, you are not necessarily trying to get people to assimilate and adopt your beliefs as their own. Focus more on developing and describing your experiences in detail so that your audience can better understand where you’re coming from and why you believe what you do.