My Creative Manifesto: What Is It and How Will It Impact My Work?

IMAGE: Umanoide via Unsplash.com

If you work in a creative field like I do, you know that creative briefs are essential to creating quality client work.

A manifesto is essentially a second mini-brief you can use to make sure you’re creating quality work that is representative of you and your values.

This was a relatively new concept to me until I heard Todd Henry talk about manifestos on his podcast, The Accidental Creative.

Henry explained that, by deciding which aspects of your work you value most, you can develop a manifesto that helps you make effective decisions and create quality work.

This caused me to think about my own manifesto – my creative manifesto, if you will.

As a copywriter, I decided that Purpose, Voice, Quality and Creativity all topped my list of priorities. Therefore, I built my manifesto around these four themes.

Have Purpose: Does This Surpass the Objective?

If my work doesn’t meet the objective, my clients won’t be happy. If my work doesn’t go above and beyond the objective, I likely won’t be happy.

It’s that simple.

Maintain the Voice: Does the Personality Match the Project?

Brands have personalities. Unfortunately, the voice of an office supply brand won't match the voice of a tequila brand.

As a result, writing for multiple brands can feel a lot like playing mental musical chairs, and I want to win.

Strive for Quality: Is This My Best Work?

Without compelling, accurate writing, how can I expect readers to enjoy all of the fantastic words I’ve strategically strung together?

If you’ve made it this far, I thank you. Please, do read on.

Stretch Creativity: Does This Push Boundaries?

I liken my creative work to the T-Rex from Jurassic Park. After testing the fences, it finally broke free. Without that, Jurassic Park would not have been a good movie. At all.

If I want my creative work to thrive in the wild, it has to push boundaries.

We make decisions every day. Whether these decisions impact our personal lives or our professional careers, it’s those of us who continually make thoughtful, effective decisions that find great success in life.

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I hope to use this manifesto to help me make thoughtful, effective decisions throughout my young creative career.

I challenge you to find more inspiration for your manifesto and create one that reflects your core values. Then, post it somewhere publicly so that people know who you are, what you stand for and how you approach the work you do.

This article also appeared on LinkedIn.