My personal creator's manifesto
A grad school assignment designed to help me define my creative purpose
This week’s assignment in Common Read and Writing Craft was to explore our “why”—why we create, what drives us creatively, what we see as our purpose and goal as creators. Figuring out our sense of purpose—our “why”— is a useful exercise for everyone to do on a regular basis, regardless of whether or not we work in a creative field.
Some of our exploration and self-reflection centered around our motivations, passions, values, and identities. We sought to understand the target audiences and desired impact of our work. We defined our respective voices and approach to the work. The output of all this was a “creator’s manifesto.” I’ve shared mine below (just a first draft, sure to evolve over time).
What’s your “why”? Share in the comments!
Much of our present-day storytelling (especially in cinema) serves to entertain and distract with escapism—the notion of bread and circuses comes to mind. I want my storytelling to be different—to make an emotional impact and build a human connection. (With apologies to my earlier self, who wrote two popcorn movie scripts.)
If I had to pick one creator whose work most closely aligns with what I hope to achieve, I’d probably choose screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin (Ghost, Jacob’s Ladder). Like him, I seem to gravitate toward themes of grief and loss—perhaps because these powerful emotions can serve as unstoppable catalysts, forcing my characters to confront issues that they might otherwise conveniently push aside.
But I’m typically more inspired by creative works than by those who create them. The Chronicles of Narnia sparked my imagination at a young age, followed quickly thereafter by The Lord of the Rings and countless Dungeons & Dragons sessions. These days, I find myself more moved by stories set closer to the “real world,” but with speculative elements. Some examples include The Time-Traveler’s Wife and How High We Go in the Dark.
I recognized the allegorical power of speculative fiction early on. The ability to use a futuristic narrative context to comment on present-day human struggles (hello, Star Trek) is what fostered my lifelong love of the genre.
We humans face difficult macro and micro struggles today: localized wars and recurring threat of global war; polarizing social debates related to race, identity, religion, and human rights at the international, national, and personal level (especially driven by social media); and perhaps a coming technological singularity, when superintelligent AI will render it all moot. All this threads through our daily, distracted modern lives, making it all too easy to lose sight of the human connections between all of us. I want my creative work to refocus my readers back on those connections.
Did you enjoy this post? Buy me a beer if you’re so inclined. Or hit that ❤️ button—it helps me reach more readers, and lets me know people are enjoying what I write.
Creativity also comes from a deep sense of being independent. You want to pursue your own thoughts and ideas, not those being directed by someone else.
Interesting as always Mike