Welcome to International Fake Journal Month 2013!

What is IFJM?
Please read the page "What Is IFJM" for details.
Learn the difference between Faux, Fake, and Fake Historical Journals.

2019 IFJM Celebration
IFJM has been suspended indefinitely. Please read the pinned post about this below.

Participants who Post Their Journals
A list of 2018 participants who are posting their fake journals this year will appear near the top of the right side bar of this blog around April 6. Lists of participants who posted their pages in 2010 through 2017 appear lower in the same column. Please pay them a visit and check out their fake journals.

View a Couple of Roz's Past Fake Journals
Roz's 2009 fake journal takes place in an alternate Twin Cites, where disease has killed the human and bird populations. (It ends up being an upbeat tale of friendship.) Watch a video flip through of Roz's 2009 fake journal here.

Read an explanation of Roz's insanely complex 2011 fake journal.

Tips on Keeping a Fake Journal
Click on "tips" in the category cloud.

Remember, "Life's so short, why live only one?"


Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Are You Ready for International Fake Journal Month 2017?

International Fake Journal Month 2017 begins this Saturday, April 1. 

I will try once more to convince you to spend about 30 minutes a day keeping a journal as someone else.

Think of it as a way to try on a personality trait that you would like more of in your life (courage, modesty, energy, balance). Dedicate your 30 minutes a day to working in a new medium without your own hang-ups—as someone who has none!

It's also a way to get your internal critic on the run!

Perhaps the best way I can convince you to join in is to talk about it with you!

In 2015 "Design Recharge" artist and podcaster Diane Gibbs interviewed me about the process of keeping a fake journal.
Part one—is here, we got a little side tracked and talked about visual journaling and sketching in general. So Diane had me back later for part 2!
Part two—is here, this time Diane and I talked about the guidelines and typical pitfalls first time fake journal keepers encounter. This video runs 65 minutes and is a great “short” introduction to the practice of keeping a fake journal.

See the category list in the right-hand column (scroll down) for tips, suggestions, and other cool stuff.

You don't need any elaborate preparation. You don't have to buy materials. Use what you have. You don't even need a journal—you can work on loose sheets (which still have to have a date and time written on them—hey, the guidelines have hefty reasons that feed into the learning and fun).

If you would like to participate and don't want to start a dedicated blog for your fake journal posts, or don't want to post them on your regular blog, or you just want to chat with everyone else who is participating you can contact me and ask to be part of the IFJM Facebook group. You have to friend me first (otherwise I don't seem to be able to find people in the list that comes up during the invite operation); and you need to let me know what your logo on Facebook looks like in case there are lots of folks with similar names, and I need to know what your Facebook name is (of course). That's all.

I'm off to sharpen my pencils! (I'll be using color pencil this year. Well at least I think so…it could all change on Saturday.)

10 comments:

LMNOP said...

Yay!!

Roz Stendahl said...

I'm so glad you're going to Join in again!!!!

Can't wait to see.

Louisa Ellingham said...

Wonderful idea--looking forward to the challenge of it. I have requested you as a friend on Facebook, since I do not have a blog. Thanks, Roz! (Name on Facebook: Louisa Ellingham)

Jennifer O. said...

Hi, Roz. I am excited to give it a go this year! I sent a request to be added to the FB group. Thanks.

Sparrow Girl said...

Hi, Roz!
Can't wait to be fake...again. :-)
Love this year's theme, and I am looking forward to seeing how things unfold throughout the month.

Cheers!
Evie

Cathy Kennedy said...

This sounds like a fun idea but honestly, I don't think I can do two challenges in the same month. Have you considered hosting it a different time? If so, then let me know as I'll create a fake blog journal (or is that even necessary?) for the challenge. Thanks for dropping in for peek at my A2Z 2017 theme: Art Sketching Through the Alphabet series! ~Curious as a Cathy

Here's my latest post:Art Sketching Through the Alphabet "U" (Unicorn)

Roz Stendahl said...

Sorry Cathy, it is always April, every year. It has to be April, the obvious choice because of April Fool's day, and of course the U.S. Income tax due date—I always needed a project in April and so it is.

Perhaps in a different calendar year the desire to do it will bring you in. I hope so. It's a lot of fun.

Roz Stendahl said...

Oh, Cathy, I see I didn't answer part of your comment.

It is not necessary to have a blog for your fake journal. Many participants participate without posting at all. They do it for their own personal reasons and don't feel the need to share.

Others post their pieces on their regular blog to share with friends.

Others wait until the end of the month and do the write up I request and send a couple images and then I post all that on this blog.

And for the last couple of years we have had a closed Facebook group and that's where most people post their projects daily, so that others can see them and comment on them.

So lots of ways to do IFJM that do or don't include posting.

Anonymous said...


This sounds like a fun idea but honestly, I don't think I can do two challenges in the same month. Have you considered hosting it a different time?
gclub
จีคลับ
gclub
Gclub

Dianne said...

Count me in too!! Time to start thinking about who I will be...😉