Trying new things on the blog! (and in life...maybe....?)

I really like trying out new things on my beloved blog. Even though at times it can make me feel like that awkward old pub just down the road, always putting out a freshly-painted blackboard with the week's many zany events and various new and exotic recipes listed, in the hopes that they'll draw in more of a crowd...I power through and give things a go. 

My new feature 'Just Some Things' is something I'd been cooking up for ages, on the slow burner, but then the crucial fundamental idea – the missing ingredient, if you will – actually hit me quite suddenly. Then I got a plan together and had sent emails out within 2 days. I love it when that happens; inspiration strikes and shit gets done. Sometimes shit happens...but mostly, it gets done. The feature has done insanely well stats-wise, but it's really not about the number of clicks for me. It's about getting some of my favourite writers' pieces out into the blogging universe! I am trying to only post one every week, but with a hefty backlog building up I may have to make it more regular than that...! 

Another idea I'd entertained not too long ago was the #AskGracie thing. That went so well too, and had me all warm and fuzzy; helping others with their problems like an Agony Aunt at times, or just answering the odd 'about me' questions. However, I soon felt that I was indulging myself a bit too much and surely people wouldn't want to be bothered with me begging for Q's that I could A...so I have stopped doing that. At least for a while. I may bring it back sometime, but not yet.

The numbered Facts posts, a really old blog feature of mine, were often used as a space filler in the beginning. A couple of years ago I'd post a list of facts about me, the girl behind the blog, which really read like a stream of consciousness, and was always accompanied with a less-than-flattering photo. I enjoyed writing them. I still do. I actually enjoy posting them that much more now, as they get such an awesome response. Having someone tweet me saying 'I worry about this too', or 'I LOVE crunchy peanut butter as well, smooth is rank' just...makes my heart burst.

One thing I've never really properly tried, however, is...life updates. I actually thought about this when I read one of Debbie's; her posts about what she's been doing, what she's been reading and what she's been seeing make me smile. It's like Emma Gannon's email newsletter – or Fiona's, or Amy's. And of course several YouTuber humans do a monthly round-up, often with a cute punny title such as 'Time of the Month' or 'PMS (here meaning Pretentious Monthly Scrapbook, though)'. I often have to set aside chunks of time to get through those, but I do love them. 
One of my favourite YouTube trends is the 'Monthly Favourites' tag, too. I may draw inspiration from those as well. 

I love a quick snapshot of others' lives and a chance to see what they've seen. Y'know?

So, I thought I'd give that a go next. Also because I really enjoyed doing my 2016: A Year on the Blog post. 

I'll be posting (hopefully) monthly updates on my life; the things I've seen, done, read and loved. Or hated...

I said to my lovely pal Kasim, back when we attended the National Short Story Awards in the BBC Radio Theatre, no big deal (?!), that I kept going to these events or parties or shows and thinking 'I wanna blog about this' but worrying that I won't have enough content for an entire post. Or maybe it's something I'd tweet about, but that would be too...brief? So this updates thing would be perfect, right?! Let's hope so. 

Please let me know in comments or tweets of any blogs you follow that do this kinda thing. I wanna read them and learn (I promise not to copy anything, obvs).

Also if anyone can come up with a cool title for these posts, y'know, I'd owe you a drink. Ta.