One of the most satisfying parts of creating this blog and its daily entries is the selection of the accompanying image for each post. Admittedly, this blog is mostly for the purpose of shaking the dust off of these fingers and penning ideas, regardless of whether or not they're invaluable additions to the wide world of writing. Upon embarking on this blogging journey, I never would have expected that part of the exhilaration of blogging would be the partnering of text with visual imagery. At first, I hadn't even considered including pictures or photos with posts. However, after publishing and scoping out my first entry, the blog had this bare, bereft look to it. I immediately took action to rectify the situation and thereafter have thoroughly enjoyed finding just the right image to sit atop the text and make the connection from sight to idea.
Sometimes I like to go back and look through the books I repeatedly pored over as a child. Part of the magic of many children's books is the fact that pictures or photos can be paired with the story without fear of dumbing down the quality of the storytelling. I'm certainly not arguing for adult literature with watercolor art on every opposite page. But it's hard not to feel nostalgic about books with images, and it's hard not to notice that visual stimulation is something the eyes and mind crave, but not just in the form of TV shows and movies.
Although some people might scoff at the idea of including pictures along with a novel created for serious consideration, suggesting that truly wonderful and competent literature can stand on its own two feet (which it usually can), past authors haven't shied away from giving this juxtaposition a try. The very next books on my reading list, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll, include what appear to be black and white ink drawings interspersed throughout the story. I have no doubt that those pictures will only add to the reading pleasure I anticipate deriving from Carroll's writing, rather than detract from the experience.
Carefully placed illustrations can enhance the bliss of reading high quality writing, and simultaneously tickle multiple corners of the mind. The only drawback is that the mind is quick to latch onto visual images, and once a picture is introduced, it may be difficult to shed that from the mind's eye and develop one's own mental imagery while reading. Even though I've made the decision to include pictures in this blog, maybe I wouldn't do the same with a novel in order to let readers' minds run free without constraint. Part of the art of combining words and pictures is knowing when and how to do so to maximize the audience's enjoyment of your work.
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