Speed River Journal is going to turn into a photo blog for the month of November. You might ask, “Doesn’t this blog already feature great original images?” If you happened to say that, I would take it as a compliment. Now for a change, you can look forward to more photographs and fewer words.
Why? Because I want to. I have been feeling the change of seasons. My energy and motivation are shifting. After the May 2012 Blogathon I committed to posting three times a week, and so I have done ever since. But during the past week or two this challenge started to feel weighty, for the first time. I find it harder to research and write coherent prose.
This does not need to be a bad thing. My creative impulses have been moving toward the tactile and visual. I am trying to adjust to the idea that I should follow my motivation as it changes from season to season, rather than fighting it.
Despite all this, I hope to participate in National Novel Writing Month. I realized that writing more than 1,500 words a day and three 500-word blog posts per week did not appeal to me. I considered taking a break from blogging, and then I had the idea for Photovember. Because a change is as good as a break. Besides, spending time with my camera will bring inspiration. Suddenly I am excited about blogging again.
Here is what to expect this month: daily photo posts instead of written posts three times a week. Normally I start with a story idea, then look for images to illustrate it. Instead I will present images that speak for themselves. This puddle by the back gate seemed an appropriate place to start the pilgrimage. I will take an enforced break from the usual writing, apart from commenting on the images.
I hope you enjoy Photovember. Let me know what you think.
Neat idea, Van. I remember your LJ 100 words posts awhile back, and I like how you’re adapting your creative efforts to the change in seasons, mood or motivation. I wish I could do that more easily. I think I’m grieving a little about the loss of motivation to work on my egg art, or my writing. I haven’t written an egg (yes, it’s called writing because you’re writing on shell like you do with a pen on paper) in over a year, let alone written a poem lately. I’ve given up trying to understand why. It may be that a fallow period is inevitable but this is ridiculous. There’s perfectionism in there somewhere, so I’ve thought of turning to a more forgiving medium. Mosaics with tile and mirrors keeps catching my attention. Maybe I can learn to cut the pieces in the same ancient patterns I use on eggs. It would be different, that’s for sure. *sigh*
I hear you, Joe, and can certainly relate. Everyone goes through fallow periods. Sometimes I find it helpful to simply set aside a couple of hours to do something I enjoy, and then see what I feel like doing when the time comes. The only rule is I have to do something out of the ordinary. If I go to a coffee shop alone with a notebook and pen, writing is unavoidable.
wow. plan to do the same for this November this year 2017. i hope you dont mind if i borrow the name Photovember. thank you and all the best to you