Named in a remarkably similar style to both her debut film You and Me and Everyone We Know and recently released collection of short stories No One Belongs Here More Than You, Learning To Love You More sounds deceptively like it belongs in the realms of self-help and life coaching. Well it’s not entirely false advertising, given much of July’s work is deeply introspective, commonly featuring characters of the wallflower and socially inept variety who are yearning for attention in this busy world that seems to privilege extroverts.

Learning To Love You More is a departure from the level of introspection and often awkwardness that has marked July’s previous work and is unusually endearing.

The project has been running since 2002, originally with 63 original assignments. Continuing along the same trajectory but less singular than the collaborative Internet project Post-Secret (where American blogger Frank Warren publishes confessional postcards sent to him from around the world on his blog each week), the site encourages readers to complete, document and post their fulfillment of the aforementioned suggestions online. The selection of suggestions is completely arbitrary and participants can choose to complete as many or as few as they like.

‘Braid someones hair,’ is assignment #33, #64 asks participants to ‘Teach us an exercise,’ #47 asks for a re-enactment of a scene from a movie that made someone else cry. Or maybe you’d like to make a child’s outfit in an adult’s size (assignment #1) or record the sound that is keeping you awake (#58).

July along with artist Harrell Fletcher point out that the assignments are deliberately simplistic and specific. ‘Like a recipe, meditation practice or familiar song,’ they write on their website, ‘the prescriptive nature of the assignments is intended to guide people towards their own experience.’

The result has been the creation of a unique online gallery that catalogues completed assignments - photographs, sound recordings, drawings, poems, videos, transcripts and written recollections. It is impossible not to marvel at the subtle yet revealing differences within each assignment that allow remarkable insight into the lives of others. # 55 asks participants to photograph a significant outfits (accessories included) and the posts range from predictable first date outfits, ensembles worn to the gigs of favourite bands to the exact outfit one particular girl was wearing the day her mother died.

On a cheerier note, the Oliver family from Seattle – Mum (Mom?) Carol, father Mike, their twenty-something son Nigel and littlies, Pete, Syd and Mary (who doesn’t look much older than 5) have earned their very own section on the site, having completed all 63 tasks between them. And it’s hard not to wonder whether the Oliver family sits around their dinner table every night discussing their latest conquests and future plans.

Whether you’re into the quirk factor or not, Learning To Love You More is worth a look. Embrace your inner voyeur and check out the recently released book of the same name that catalogues some of the best contributions, or become a contributor yourself at www.learningtoloveyoumore.com

5 Other Internet Projects worthy of your click…

1. Post-Secret– the no-frills original blog where strangers confess their most bizarre and confronting secrets on postcards published online. http://postsecret.blogspot.com

2. The Flat Stanley Project– remember the story of Stanley Lambchop, a child flattened by a notice board who discovers he can travel the world in an envelope? The Jeff Brown’s story for kids gets a digital makeover and this site documents the travels of Stanley around the world. www.flatstanley.com

3. Exploding Dog– You send a caption and in time Sam Brown may just illustrate it, but never quite like you might expect. www.explodingdog.com

4. You are Beautiful– Arty philanthropists challenge the use of public space for advertising and offer something more positive and energising in an attempt to brighten your day. www.youarebeautiful.com

5. Simply Breakfast– the art of breakfast – The least interactive of the five, all you can do is eyeball what Manhattan girl Jen has eaten for breakfast that day. Which is not so bad because it’s styled so beautifully, is always changing and is especially inspiring if you’re waking up to yet another bowl of cornflakes. http://www.simplybreakfast.blogspot.com/