Fave Blogger Interviews: Alana from Fancy! NZ Design Blog

Not a week goes by that we don’t dip into our reader to get a dose of blog goodness, so we thought we’d have a chat to some of the people behind them.

First up is Alana Broadhead, the curator of one of our favourite design blogs, Fancy. We’ll let the blog describe itself to you: Awesome design from New Zealand. And around the world. But mainly New Zealand. 

 

 

We’ve been reading Fancy for a couple of years now. When did you start blogging?
Fancy’s been going for about 2.5 years. I’ve just checked now, and I’ve done 990 posts!

One of our must-reads every week, Fancy! NZ Design Blog

At what point did you go ‘ah, my blog is popular, people are watching it’. Did it make you change your style?

Good old Google Analytics let me know when I had more readers than just my mum. (Hi, mum!) Yeah, I guess my style has changed a little. I used to swear a lot more when I got excited about something, but someone commented that they thought my swearing was lazy. I hate the thought of being lazy, so I went for a power-walk in my shape ups, then decided to minimise my filthy curse words in future. Aside from that, I try my best not to be anything but who I am. Perhaps there is an expectation that my blog should be filled with clever and creative prose because I am a copywriter in real life… but I write and concept all day long, so Fancy is my chance to just enjoy the visual side. Seems to work.

 

Whats the best thing about being a blogger? Whats the suckiest thing?
I love discovering new New Zealand work and sharing it. Make more please everyone!

It’s also great that new opportunities and projects have started opening up for me. I’m meeting wickedly inspiring and ridiculously talented people, and together we’re starting to work on projects or talk about things we could do.

The suckiest thing is not (yet) being able to be full-time with Fancy and related projects. It wunt heppun overnoit, but ut difunutly wull heppin. That’s my joke from 1997.

 

Whats your fave blog….

…Of all time
Swiss-miss, and I would like to buy Tina Roth Eisenberg a nice Italian meal.

…Right now
Design Love Fest, oh yes.

…For interiors
Seriously too many to mention! Lemme pick two – Design Sponge for real lived-in looking homes, Nordic Design because I’m freaky for Scandi style.

…For design
There’s nothing like a fresh identity to get my heart racing, and September Industry and Identity Designed both serve up the quality. Friends of Type are friends indeed, and Designspiration is a good eye candy too, with a scrapbook flavour.

So what’s up for Fancy in 2013?
A complete re-design (at long last) and more content, as I plan to give Fancy a lot more time. Ooh, and some other exciting things which are about taking the Fancy brand offline – one of which is printed, the other an event.

Finally, got any tips for start-up bloggers to get them over the global average 3 month lifespan?
Only blog if you would do it for free for years, with no recognition at all. It’s not glamorous, unless you think New Zealand’s Got Talent is also glamorous. On the same note, pick a niche that you personally really love, even if it’s a photo blog of awkward office party dancing. It doesn’t mean you can’t evolve into awkward family reunion dancing, but at least it’ll keep you going when it feels like no-ones reading.

Chances are, Fancy is already in your bookmarks. But if not, check it out here.