Push Me!

This post is coming directly after the last one for a reason. My own rule is never to put two blog posts up at the same time from the same blog as I like to focus on one at a time, plus I rarely have two posts ready at the same time! But I am breaking it this time because this post is linked to the one I’ve just done, Finding Me Now.

At the end of that post I said I needed to stretch myself more, I was in need of a challenge. So I’m asking for your help.

Over the course of the next month or so I will write a series of blog posts, based on topics you set me. They can be on pretty much anything, I will go and research where needed. The only thing I ask is that you remember I have two small children, so please don’t make it too obscure, requiring trips to the British Museum for example!

There’s a few reasons for this challenge. Firstly, it will get me doing research and finding out new facts, possibly on subjects I’ve never explored before. Secondly, it will stretch my writing skills, as I will have to suit my style to the subject given and make the posts interesting and fun instead of a school essay. Thirdly, it will give you a reason to keep coming back to my blog and I’m hoping will give me new connections here! I’m also very willing to reciprocate – leave a link to a similar post on your own blog and I’ll leave my challenge for you (heh heh).

So, have a look through my blog to see the sorts of things I’ve mentioned before. A couple of posts to look at might be Ten Things You Don’t Know About Me or Creative Writing Awards. Or give me something completely new (gulp). Post a comment, catch me on Twitter (@rebeccaebrown) or use the contact form on the blog. I’m nervously awaiting your challenges!

UPDATE: I’ve received 5 challenges, so here are the results in no particular order. Sorry, been watching too many tv talent shows lately. Anyway…

The challenges I’ve been set are: Ukeleles, Theatre in Second Life, The Passion of Football, My Home Area, and Twilight vs Harry Potter. Gulp. That’s quite a range of subjects and almost all brand new to me so lots of research to do and lots of exciting new stuff to find out, I’m really looking forward to it. At the minute, here’s the order I’m going to tackle each in, and I’ll post a link on Twitter so you can see when your favourite topic is up. (Or you can subscribe to the blog…hint hint!).

  1. My Home Area. I’m starting with a less obscure post to get me going! However there’s a lot of interesting history in this area so there’s lots of ways I could go with this, it’ll be hard to focus on one!
  2. Ukeleles. I have an interest in music in general although ukeleles are not something I’ve come across much.
  3. The Passion of Football. Doing this after the other two should just about get me to the end of the World Cup so the timing works well.
  4. Theatre in Second Life. This will require quite a lot of research I’m thinking, so will take a wee bit longer.
  5. Twilight v Harry Potter. This will take the longest to do properly, as (big admission here) I’ve never actually read any of the Twilight books.

I’m setting myself a target of the end of July to get all 5 posts up and will blog about my progress in the meantime so keep checking back. If anyone else wants to suggest new topics please feel free! I’m thinking I will make it a regular challenge for myself, so keep them coming and tell people about it.

Thanks for all your support and input so far!

UPDATE 2: Today (13 June 2010) I posted the first response to the challenge, which you can visit here, about my home area. Go me!

19 thoughts on “Push Me!”

  1. Hi Rebecca, enjoyed reading your last two posts. I think you are wrestling with something that a lot of writers deal with, particularly writers who are as yet unpublished. That very fact can often be enough for that voice in your head to go off on a regular rant “who do you think you are fooling being a writer. you are no writer. No one wants what you write.” blah blah. I am sure you know how this goes. I think your idea of putting out a challenge to your readers to set you topics for your blog posts.

    Can I suggest a topic – an easy one – tell us about your village/town. Whats to do. What the countryside is like. Your community? Any disadvantages.

    I am suggesting this only because I love being able to visualise where bloggers are in their day to day lives!
    You may decide this is too easy and so feel free to disregard!

    b

  2. Hmmm ukeleles and how great they are. I will definitely give this a go, it should be quite a challenge! I could wish you had asked me to research cake though 😛

  3. A blog post title:

    “Why Football Matters”

    It’s World Cup time in eight short days. The beautiful game will take its rightful place in Primetime schedules night after night for a month. Passions will be roused. Grown men will go week at the knees over the ball control of Messi, the balance of Kaka, the poise of Ronaldo or the genius of Rooney. I’d like to see you write a post making an honest stab at unerstanding this love affair. It’s more than the sum of its parts. At its best (and this month should display the very best of the best) it is a work of art…an expression of beauty…an outlet for sublime gifts which can and does overcome class, language, race and creed. Discuss.

  4. Hi Barbara! Yes that is definitely something I am wrestling with, and of course having a baby makes you re-evaluate your life even more.

    I like that suggestion of posting about my area, there are loads of different takes I could do. There’s a couple of ideas ticking over in my head already!

  5. Wow that IS a challenge! 😉

    I will definitely give it a go although I suspect an ulterior motive…

  6. Thanks everyone for your suggestions, there’s some great ones there. I’ll update tomorrow with the order I’m going to tackle them in (gulp!).

  7. What a great idea! Good for you, Becca.

    I’d like to see a post on Twighlight vs Harry Potter please. Apparently that is incredibly important in the world of 14 year olds.

    x

  8. Ooh yikes, that’s a thinker! I’ll have to read Twilight now lol, so this may take a wee bit longer 😉

  9. Eek, sorry about my horrific spelling yesterday! Sorry for making you read an entire book, I won’t expect that post any time soon then!

  10. Lol don’t worry about it! It will take a little longer but I will do it!

  11. ooh – don’t know if you’re brave or foolhardy! Bit of both, I suspect. If you are still looking for a challenge, how about 10 reasons Glasgow is Better than Edinburgh? (@Chiddle84, shush!)

    Nettie x

  12. Ooh this is a nasty one! I shall have to play devil’s advocate here, as to be perfectly honest I adore Edinburgh! However I am a professional and I will (gulp gulp) rise to the challenge once again.

  13. Considering the large variety of subjects you’ll be researching, this won’t be that difficult. I’d like to know why Asian people are generally thin? There must be something in our diet which our metabolism doesn’t process.
    How exciting to see how you overcome all your challenges.

  14. Yikes that sounds like a hard one! And the pressure is on now too!

    You people are rather more imaginative than I’d bargained for! Let’s hope I can live up (down?) to your expectations. 🙂

  15. Hi,

    I think you should go with the one that really pulls you the most, regardless of the amount of research – which one gets your excited the most!

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