I’ve always been quietly impressed by those who can grasp an idea, hold it deeply, and communicate it clearly to others, building the passion they have for something into a drive and commitment to it that others want to mimic.
Some of these things become zeitgeist, capturing a mood or a moment so well that what started as a simple, personal, idea, is catapulted into the minds of others and —because we live in a capitalist world— is quickly monetised into a system or a product.
Think; The Power of Now, How to win friends and influence people, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Think; The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, The Little Book of Hygge, Make Your Bed.
And even on my own bookshelf —behind me as I type— are Atomic Habits, Time to Think, Fear Less, How to be Bored, all of which show that I too am as interested in learning how others think in the hope that I can apply some of it to my own life.
There is a definite vein of self improvement, better productivity, of being ‘better’ and so being ‘happy’ that these books tend to follow. Ultimately, these systems are borne from a good place but, in my opinion, veer too far into rules that can’t always be followed and can set people up for failure no matter how softly the author treads.
But then, they’ve gotten their book deal and have a manifesto to push now because that’s how they make their money to live their lives, and I’m ok with that but it starts to feel self-perpetuating… and so it goes, and so it goes…
I’ve written about productivity ideas before but my own approach has never been to go all in on one but rather skim and borrow the best parts to get my own —oh god I can’t believe I’m about to use this word— flow working as well as it can. I guess it’s the same for the lifestyle lessons and the habit forming suggestions, you grab things and try them and some stick but most fall by the wayside. Being ok with that approach has to be a fundamental principle you hold close though, or you can end up looking for the next solution, the next thing that will fix something that likely isn’t as broken as you think it is.
I think that’s why I’ve always been drawn to people and ideas that are simple yet seem complete, although despite collating many of these little nuggets of wisdom, and smushing them all together in my brain, I’ve been singularly unable to produce such a thing myself.
As much as my logical brain would love me to live in a world where a single system or idea will hold my life on a true course to a better outcome, the simple fact is that life is not simple, nor direct, and so like everyone else on the planet —no none of us are all that original— I shuffle, I tweak, I adjust. And anyway, ‘better’ and ‘good’ are subjective, right?
All of this, at times, leaves me pondering if there is any part of my life that I can state, as others have, is both a clear direction that others could follow and something I’ve held true through my adult years on the planet. Do I have a manifesto? Do I even have one area of my life that I could collate into something approaching a “written declaration of the intentions, motives, or views” that I hold for it?
Then I realised that for most of my adult life there is one constant. One thing that has guided me, sometimes along the wrong pathway, but always in a similar direction. And you, dear reader, are reading it.
Without really trying to, this blog has helped me thinking around ideas of my own and those presented to me, has helped me connect to others with similar/adjacent views, has helped me become a better person by letting me explore a world where cultures and ideals don’t match mine.
This blog IS my manifesto.
Thinking about why I write here, what I choose to share and my general approach to this blog since it started, I have been —for someone who lives his life borrowing from/copying others in an odd attempt to find happiness whilst accepting that it will never be fully attained (hence the title of my site)— remarkably consistent and if I peel back the years and look at how I’ve managed that I realise that I’ve always had a set of my own ideals of what this blogging malarkey is all about, it’s just that I’ve never really stopped to acknowledge them, nor write them down, yet alone had any thought to hold them up for critique (my own, and yours, dear reader).
Now, to be clear I should point out that this blog has never been successful, it never crossed that chasm, few people have heard of it and while it was popular enough for a while that I featured in newspapers and on the radio, that was about the sole moments of fame my blog brought me. And those moments were all back in a time where you could know and visit ALL the blogs in the UK in an afternoon (a long long time ago).
I often wondered if the lack of popularity was because I didn’t have a hook, a niche, or a focus* but, in hindsight, I’m glad that I didn’t as it kept my blog honest and true. I have never gone chasing views or any kind of blog related fame.
Although it is nice to have that approach validated from time to time, I know that for some there are hopes that their blog may take them somewhere —but then we are back in the capitalist productisation chat which we left a few paragraphs ago. Suffice to say that at some point along the line I think I figured out how best to approach blogging to keep within my own ideals, and then I thought I might share those thoughts with you.
I am not alone in these thoughts, others have said similar, I am aware.
Let’s be honest, you hear the word ‘manifesto’ and surely, you think, this must be something grandiose, something distinct, something clear. A manifesto is a serious thing to be absorbed, a direction that will lead you somewhere true, and right, and good!
Well, we will see. I’ve never really been one for such things yet, despite all that, and with no small amount of trepidation —but the usual amount of hey this is my blog so what the hell— I thought I’d give it a bash and with that I’ll knock off the faux modesty and present you with a manifesto for blogging.
Please be gentle.
The Blogger’s Manifesto
Write to understand things, not to perform for attention; choose clarity and depth over noise and speed every time.
Be real in what you share without hiding behind a persona or polishing the edges. Try not to lose the truth of what you are writing about, if you’re not saying something honest, it’s better to say nothing.
Pay attention to small details —the feel of things, the tiny moments most people pass by, the flowering weed between the cracks— that’s where the real connection lies.
Create don’t wait! You don’t need permission to write and you should publish without chasing perfection. Finished and genuine will always matter more than flawless but unseen.
Respect the reader enough to make every word count, their time is valuable to them so make it worth their while.
Allow your voice to change as you do, knowing that growth isn’t inconsistency, it’s the whole point.
Don’t get distracted by numbers or metrics, focus instead on whether something you’ve written connects with someone, even if that connection is a quiet one.
And lastly, keep going, especially when it feels like no one is listening, because blogging isn’t about being heard, it’s about having something real to say, and choosing to say it anyway.
Thoughts?
So there you have it, a manifesto of sorts, or perhaps I’m being a little too extra and should just call it advice. Over the years I’ve read a LOT of blogs and the ones that I returned to all matched, roughly, that way of thinking.
Even the ones that made money, or ended up with book deals, TV shows, and more. They remained true to themselves, to their writing style, to their connection to others. And I think, that’s really what it’s all about.
* I did for a while maintain a professional blog, aimed at those in the field of technical communications, it did well, and through it I was invited to speak at a couple of industry conferences.
What are your thoughts?