300 blog posts in 2021?

I was so bored yesterday that even the idea of going to sleep wasn’t interesting. So, instead, I opened my journal, took out one of my favourite pens, and started writing about how bored I was. I like to burn a candle when writing so I did that, too.

Eventually, I stumbled on an idea: to write 300 blog posts in 2021. Before I get ahead of myself, I’m not committing to the project. It’s an interesting idea because it is asking me to do something that I want to do. Even still, if it becomes a new year’s resolution it is likely to fail. In order for me to be successful with this venture, I have to be able to explain to myself what the value of the project is.

The project will get me writing nearly every day. This is a good habit for me to be in because it helps me turn my attention toward a challenge that I enjoy. Unlike the Morning Pages which I write nearly every day, blog posts are meant to be published. Making something public adds a layer of care that I wouldn’t otherwise put into my writing.

Caring about something you do is another good habit.

Writing regular blog posts will help me improve my writing, too. I do pride myself, rightly or wrongly, on my ability to write. When I find that I’m not writing well, when I can’t put down the thoughts that are floating around in my head, it bothers me. The regular practice of writing will exercise the skill. I want to be able to write even when there’s nothing to write about. To become that accomplished, I have to practice.

Waiting for the muse to appear is a great way to write because the words flow almost too easily; it’s the moment when the water starts to spurt in the percolator. Coffee grounds that were once dry become soaked, releasing their colour and flavour to the water. It’s a beautiful thing.

Unfortunately, a muse is not always available. Sometimes, you have to do the work of writing yourself. I’d like to be more self-reliant. This is when I need to look back at my life and think about where there might be a story to share. There is always one there.

Sometimes, it’s worth going out to look for a story. I find that photography is a nice way for me to take a different look at the world. The viewfinder frames things precisely, zeroing in on just one view of the world. This narrowing can be inspiring because it’s manageable. If writing daily gets me taking more pictures, I’m into it.

Finally, I want to develop consistency with my blogging. In the twelve-plus years that I’ve kept a blog, I’ve never been consistent. 300 posts, while not one for every day, is pretty close. I could go for the 365 but I want to be realistic. I suppose it would give me something to look forward to each day.

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