New Year, New Look, New Features

So, you may have noticed that my blog looks entirely different than the last time you saw it. I've been thinking that it's needed a makeover for awhile, so last night I started experimenting with some backgrounds and banners from The Graphics Fairy, and once I found this combination, I loved it too much to even consider going back. It's a lot different from my previous layout, but I think the change is for the better. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Over the next few days, I'm going to continue to modify the layout. There won't be any major changes, but I'll be adding some new pages and some things will probably be moved around. I'll post another update or edit this one once those are done.

The layout isn't the only thing new about this blog. I've decided that it's time to add some new features. The only one that I've been consistently posting is The Reading Room, and while I definitely enjoy posting that, I want to add some more.

I'd like to bring music into the blog more, since I love it almost as much as I love books, so I've come up with two music-related features. The first is called Song Wars, which will compare two (sometimes more) songs with similar titles, lyrics, or meanings, different versions of the same song, or an original song with covers that have been made of it. I'll discuss both songs, decide which one I like better (if there is one) and ask for reader's opinions.  The second music-related feature doesn't have a name yet, but is somewhat similar to The Reading Room - I'll share an artist, song, or album I've been listening to a lot that week, and talk about why I like it so much.

As for writing, which is supposed to be the third focus of this blog, I'd like to try again at posting regular writing updates - for awhile I wasn't writing much, so I had nothing to post, and then I sort of gave up the attempt. Before I try to do this, though, I definitely need to come up with a name for this feature. Having nothing better than "What I'm Writing" might drive me insane. I'm also thinking of adding writing prompts as a feature, but that idea definitely needs some more thought.

I haven't decided on when all of these things will be appearing, but a posting schedule is one of the things I'll be working on over the layout. I'll update again soon, and keep an eye out for new features appearing on the blog!

~blackandwhitedreamer