SoFoBoMo. What seemed like a great idea when it was several months (and fuzzy months at that) away is now starting to loom large. Angst ridden posts about not good enough ideas or concerns about not good enough pictures that haven't yet been taken are popping up on the blogs of the various participants. It seems to be a
stressful time to be called Paul in particular. I'm not called Paul, but I am starting to feel that same
will it be good enough pressure. I haven't even taken a picture yet and I'm writing off the images as somehow not worthy or the concept too boring for anyone to want to see. Perhaps I'm more concerned that people will actually want to see it, then get disappointed when they do.
Fearing the work isn't good enough before the first shot is taken - isn't that where procrastination springs from ? Aren't these the exact feelings that SoFoBoMo is geared to helping us move through ? The deadline is real. The deadline is short - so we'll just have to get on with it regardless. No chances to third or fourth guess the book concept (I'll leave a chance for a first, second guess of it after a few days and images). No real opportunity to find that you don't have enough pictures and need to reshoot for months on end. You've either got the pictures or you don't. If you take them, I'd suggest that they'll be good enough.
Good enough should be the motto for SoFoBoMo. Not perfect, not your best work of a lifetime, just good enough. Good enough to pull together and show to people. Good enough to wrap up into a book.
On the flip side, it will all have been put together in only a month. You can always use that as the excuse for why it isn't amazing. If it
is amazing, then that is even better, but good enough is better than didn't finish, or gave up half way. I'm feeling my own doubts and concerns. This pep talk of a post is aimed more at myself than anyone else. I have to find 35 people. I have to find and ask 35 people. I have to find 35 people, ask them and have them say yes. Then the pictures actually have to be any good. So that probably means asking 70 people, for all the upfront rejection and subsequent rejected pictures! It'll never be good enough. Must be time to write my own angst-ridden blog post about SoFoBoMo and changing my idea. But I'll find the people. They'll say yes. The pictures will work. It'll all be good.
SoFoBoMo. It'll be good enough.
5 comments:
Gordon, I found this post poignant, yet hilarious. I am anything but angst ridden. If anything, I'm terribly excited, chomping at the bit, and rarin' to go!
Periodically, these little fears, or doubts, pop up in my head and I choose to write about them. Mainly it's to share. It's kind of soothing to know that you are not the only one going through this process. I would assume that most, if not all of us, have some of these self-doubts, but a lot of times, they are easily overcome, sometimes not.
So, right now, it is an exciting time to be Paul Lester. Each day that the sun shines through my windows and look at the little plays of light and shadows around the house, which is the topic of my book, I cannot wait to get started.
It's going to be fun and challenging.
Hi Paul,
glad you found it funny, I hoped it might be!
Thanks for the terrific pep talk. I am grateful for the cheerful boost because I confess to mixed emotions--eager to begin, excited about the project, yet anxious about facing a disappointing work product. "Learning to make a photo book" is where I am focusing now. After a bad case of the jitters, I have settled into reminding myself that the goal is to produce "a" book, not "the" book.
Yes, it's funny. Myself, I have not done more than ordering an InDesign training DVD yet. Oh yes, and I have an idea, and it's going to be challenging :)
We'll see.
Gordon, Good Luck with stepping out of the old comfort zone. They say that the fun in life is outside the comfort zone,, let me know if that is true and I might try it myself. You go first though.
Jim
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