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Monday, April 27, 2015

W is for Willpower

The month of April has zoomed by at the speed of light, in my case anyway.

We're getting close to the finish line with only four W, X, Y and Z left before we can zone out and take a breather. So far, it's been a blast. I've come across many blogs with great topics. The only thing lacking seemed to be comments, which I can only assume is the result of two things, but I'll save those observations for my A-Z Reflections post.

Some of us will be zinging over the finish line come Thursday, others will be jogging over and some of us will be hanging on by a thread when we get there, but get there we will, because we can do it! Will-power to move forward is what has motivated many of us in this Challenge and another shot of will-power is what will keep us going until the 2015 Challenge comes to an end.

You may not have added 'writer' to your list of professional tags, but just in case you need a shot of energy or encouragement, here goes:

The life of the [professional] writer - like that of any freelance, whether she be a plumber or a podiatrist - is predicated on willpower. Without it there simply wouldn't be any remuneration, period.
                                                              
                                                                                     - Will Self

Have you written up all your posts yet? Ready to hit the visiting trail again this week? Scoping out any new blogs to visit?

36 comments:

Unknown said...

This is such a great idea. My blogging friends are really struggling to write posts so I'm extending your challenge to them to see if I can get them blogging on a regular basis. Thanks for this great idea!

Mary Aalgaard said...

Almost done. Feeling like the Little Engine that Could, I think I can, I think I can. Choo choo!

I tried leaving a comment, TWICE, on a blog that rejected it, calling it spam, and I even filled out the form. Frustrating.

Play off the Page

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'm going to blast right through Z.
There are numerous reasons some blogs don't get comments, ranging from the blog owner not visiting others to a long post to an uninteresting post.

Unknown said...

One of the best parts of the A to Z challenge is the community of writers. We need each other and these challenge help us to encourage others. Every year my goal is to visit everyone (and leave a comment) I always fall short. This year I will continue on and visit after the challenge as there are always bloggers get to know. I am also disappointed that so few people have commented. I know those who have blogged longer understand the value of those comments - it signifies community.
Moondustwriter

It's Kelley! said...

I try to leave a comment every time I visit a blog, especially a blog I hadn't seen before. Unfortunately, work has gotten in the way and I haven't been able to visit as much as I would like. I have roughly 20 new to me blogs that I'm trying to follow. I'm hoping to be able to read them all chances are it won't be until after the challenge is over.

Pooja Priyamvada said...

reminds me of Hemingway's famous quote- " there is nothing much to writing, you sit at the typewriter( keypad for us) and bleed".
kudos to this wonderful full of will-power community of amazing bloggers.
read my posts at http://www.poojasharmarao.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I have 2 posts left to write, Y and Z, I just have to come up with something good for them. As for the commenting, I have been trying to comment as much as possible, but the Blogger based blogs aren't that easy to comment on...
Thanks to the challenge I have build up quite a nice blogging community, we mutually comment on each others blogs which is a lot of fun.
I do believe that maybe I have not visited enough other blogs. But I guess I can still continue my visiting during mai and beyond.

Michelle Wallace said...

I will not be be zinging over the finish line come Thursday. I'll need two days of double posting in order to jog over, which means I'm one of those hanging on by a thread... LOL
Willpower will get me there!

Anonymous said...

we CAN do this!

Anonymous said...

We are at that point where I'm a bit stunned it's almost over. Only a few posts left? No, it can't be.

~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

Liz Brownlee said...

I have certainly noticed a complete lack of comments on some brilliant blogs. And there are certainly a lack of commenters - the other day I commented on 60 blogs, and received a further 7 to the comments already on my post! Plenty of 'likes' on the comments I left, but not that many reciprocal visits. A lot worse than previous years, sadly.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hope it's not a train because I already feel run over. LOL.

Bevimus said...

I echo Susan's sentiments!

Stephanie Bird said...

I posted about writing and being a professional writer today too. How could I resist? I'm writing my posts day-by-day. I have been working this way throughout the challenge. Thanks for the inspiration. I'm enjoying all the new blogs I've discovered and new visitors. Thanks!

Ravyne said...

I feel the finish line quickly approaching. I haven't commented on many Blogger blogs as I have WordPress blogs. For some reason commenting on Blogger has been difficult for me. My comments keep getting rejected, even though I have a Blogger account. A few comments have gone through though. I try to visit 5-10 blogs per day and have commented where I could. Unfortunately I have received very few comments on my posts from this community or my own WordPress community. My challenge has been a Science Fiction story and I know that has a limited audience, so I am not too bummed. Onward and Upward... off I go!

Idea-ist said...

I wonder if people are getting tired? I had tons of comments the first half of the alphabet and those numbers dwindled drastically by the second. I also notice that not everybody links back to their own blog when they comment and I've had to go searching for their blog link...

@Get Lost in Lit

Carrie-Anne said...

I'm still discovering awesome new blogs as the Challenge winds down. I've got all my posts written, edited, and scheduled, though I may do a few more tweaks on my Z post to whittle the length down just a tad bit more.

aFieldtriplife.com said...

"I know I can, I know I can, I know I can..."

aFieldtriplife.com said...

I'm feeling like the Little Engine That Could knowing that I can do this. Thanks so much for getting this great blog challenge going.
I've discovered many great blogs and have learned a lot by seeing the formating of different ones. I agree with others who have had problems commenting on some blog posts. If it isn't easy I just move on.

Rob Z Tobor said...

I have had some major time issues this year so am pleased to get the all the letters written but have not visited or commented on many blogs. As a result I can count the comments from new visitors on the hand of one foot. . . . . sorry the fingers of one leg . . . or something like that.

But I have got round this issue in a new and exciting way I am commenting on my own blog and I have to say they are very positive comments (OK mostly positive comments).

Rob Z Tobor

Anonymous said...

Yes, willpower! I started out with a bang in commenting, then petered to a few. =\

Lisa said...

I am starting to feel the drag, but know I will make it to the end! I can't believe how much I have learned, how many blogs I've started following, and how many were hard to comment on! This has been a great ride so far! Looking forward to the finale!!! Lisa, co-host AtoZ 2015, @ http://www.lisabuiecollard.com

Anonymous said...

Willpower is right.

J.L. Campbell said...

Hope you get all your pals energized, Sue.

Mary, yup, choo-chooing on too!

Alex, I know! That's why you're the Ninja Captain.

So true, Moonie. I like meeting new bloggers and yet those who've been at it for a while undersand the value of visiting and commenting.


Hi, Kelley, sounds like a plan.

Hi, Pooja, thanks for stopping in. I'll catch up with you!

Solveig, as long as you're participating and enjoying it, then that's wonderful.

Hey, Michelle. Yup, willpower makes all the difference.

J.L. Campbell said...


Yes we can, Pam!

That's right, Claire.

Patricia, so true. April has whizzed by.

Hi, Liz. Good job on the visits. Sorry you didn't see many in return.

Me too, Susan!

LOL, Beverly.

Me too, Stephanie. I've read some really cool posts.

Ravyne, great attitude. I have had a friend with a Wordpress account say she had a bit of trouble commenting on Blogger blogs.

You may have a point Idea-ist. This isn't for the fainthearted and it really is better to pre-write posts. I can see how not linking properly could cause a challenge.

That's true, Carrie-Ann. You're among the wise ones who did the job early.

Claire, glad you're still moving forward!

Rob,LOL, I hope your time issues taper off.

Debra, yes, it does take inner strength to get to the end.

Yup, I've found some interesting blogs along the way.

Storytreasury, I know you'll get there!

J.L. Campbell | A-Z Co-Host

Bushman said...

All done except for the afterparty!

Bushman
2015 A to Z Challenge Ambassador
@jwb81074

SpookyMrsGreen said...

I have to say I will be glad to end this month and take a breather from blogging! It has been thoroughly enjoyable, but completely consuming. I have not visited even half of the blogs I wanted to, much less been able to comment on a wide variety of posts. I just did not find the time amid my personal commitments (read crazy preschool children and ill family members). Still, I will take my time catching up during May... I hope! Thank you for having me. http://catherinegreenauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Joy .. we do need to interact with other bloggers and visit new sites - couldn't agree more ... but I've enjoyed the Challenge once again, which has given me another asset base of posts ..

Cheers Hilary

J said...

I do not always get tons of comments, but I do comment on blogss as much as I can.

J said...

I do not always get tons of comments, but I do comment on blogss as much as I can.

TheCyborgMom said...

I've spent most of my time commenting back, or searching for the blog that I have to comment back to ;) I wish more people would take advantage of posting a link in their blog response. Maybe the A-Z team can do a tutorial post about this?
Katie @TheCyborgMom

bookworm said...

I had a lot of activity the first week or 10 days; then it just about died. I have a family situation also that has taken some of my time. I've visited fewer blogs than I had hoped.Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

betty said...

I wish I had the will power to diet like I had the will power to finish the challenge :) I think my most frustrating thing with this year's challenge, like last year's, was how hard it was to comment on some blogs. I gave up on some because I couldn't figure out how to do it even though they had written something I really wanted to comment on. I did find quite a few blogs that I enjoyed following through the challenge.

betty

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

My fourth year is coming to a close and it has been the Best Year Yet!!! And I got my T-shirt today! Give you one guess what I'm wearing to work tomorrow.
~ The end in in sight!!! ~
Visit me at: Life & Faith in Caneyhead
I am Ensign B of Tremps' Troops
with the A to Z Challenge

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

What a challenge. I just hope I had willpower to do all of those.

Mica
Piano Lessons for Beginners