NaNoWriMo

first day, first page

inspiration: mission mountains

If you are looking for a short term, creative commitment, November is here!  November is National Writing Novel Month. Am I going to write a novel?  I highly doubt it.  I am, however, going to fill one page (or several) of my visual journal/sketchbook everyday.  

I know I spend a lot of time discussing creative commitments here.  I get so excited about them.  Today, I  wanted to share a few other people who get excited and/or believe in this process as well.

About 10 years ago, Leah Piken Kolidas was inspired by the idea of NaNoWriMo and created Art Everyday Month (in November).  I stumbled upon this challenge last year and it really got my goose!  And by goose, I mean, it really lit my fire.  I joined her flickr group and posted everyday.  I plan on doing the same this month.  

Anika from a is for anika has created a "letsmakepatterns" challenge.  Check out her work.  It is playful and inspiring (two very important adjectives in my world).  It's been fun for me to find someone else "out there" who designs her own creative commitments and embraces them with such enthusiasm.  

Austin Kleon responded yesterday to a question on his blog of how one remains focussed in an "ever-distracting world".  He said, "...get up early every morning, don’t look at your phone, don’t get on the internet, don’t even talk to anybody, and work for 2 hours. Do this long enough and you’ll finish something."  

I agree.  The truth is, it doesn't even need to be 2 hours.  I remember a friend of mine spent 5 minutes creating a 5 X 7 collage every morning for 30 days.  This was the catapult for her life of creating.  This is what got her goose.  

It's out there.  People are doing it.  Find them.  Follow them.  Light your fire.  Let's do this.

p.s. If you need a little jump start, my create everyday online class is beginning again this coming Monday, November 5.  It's a five day class that requires a 30 minute/day creative commitment.  Boost your creative fuel and check it out!

first day, second page

inspiration: my cat + dog

To see more days of my sketchbook project visit my flickr set.