I am Nicole Ayers and this will be my fourth year doing the
Blogging from A-to-Z Challenge at The Madlab Post as well as my second year in
a Co-Host position.
In addition to hosting the Monday Movie Meme – a weekly
blog event challenging you to pick films you've seen that fit various themes, I
pimp out my short film "ABYSS: The Greatest Proposal Ever" in hopes of finding my place in the world. You
can connect with me on Twitter, Watch videos on my YouTube channel and Follow
my boards on Pinterest – but many of you all knew that already, so let’s get
down to business where I tell you what you probably didn't know about me.
I favor action and adventure
movies among most all other genres. If I’m going to the theater, something has
to start exploding within the first half or somebody (preferably Bruce Willis
or Matt Damon) better be jumping off of moving vehicles on the highway.
Otherwise, I tend to lose interest quickly.
Right now, my Top 5 movies
(in no particular order) are:
Lord of the Rings: Return of
the King
The Town
Bad Boys II
Schindler’s List
A Beautiful Mind
My fascination with movies comes from the
invention of video cameras. During childhood, I was always fascinated with
recording devices -- being able to capture moments and play them back on
television or a boom box stereo system.
An uncle used to bring his huge VHS
camcorder to most of my family’s’ events and I was always excited by how he
could get everything on tape for us to watch later for amusement or
remembrance. I later developed interest in learning how films were made.
If I was forced to choose between spending
the rest of my life without books or without films, I would say goodbye to
films. Books would be my best friend forever because they can be
enjoyed as-is whereas we need so much more resources to watch films such as hardware & utilities.
Films require high maintenance, even as a pastime. People
don’t need DVD players, iTunes, electricity or data plans and other first-world
luxuries to read a book. Plus, it would be silly of me to ignore how much more
beneficial reading is compared to watching movies.
What I like best about co-hosting the A-to-Z Challenge is the chance to give back to Arlee Bird and his event that helped me
step my blogging game up, saved me from existential despair and helped me build
so many quality friendships.
My philosophy on life can be described in the
following sentence:
Each day is a blessing, so make it count!
The weirdest thing I've researched is vesicovaginal fistulas,
for a freelance writing assignment, which made me even more apprehensive about
childbirth.
The last book I really did not enjoy was The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus. I
had high hopes for this book but it pissed me off by being so difficult to read
that I stopped after only a few pages in.
If I could describe my short film “Abyss: The Greatest
Proposal Ever” in one word, it would be: Propositions
In a classroom full of creative, sporty and geeky children, the
artistic group is where I would fit in. I was a creative kid who could usually be
found drawing pictures, painting and writing short stories at any given time. I
also played “school” while managing a home library. While sports weren't my
thing, I was pretty good at soccer but if I could turn back the hands of time,
I’d repeat my cheerleading days in a heartbeat.
I’m still prepping a theme and am not even at the halfway
mark for completing my A-Z posts in advance. Add to that my spontaneous plan to
do the challenge with two blogs this year and it’s just one big ol’ pickle of
madness that could very well be a recipe for disaster. I don’t know what the
hell I was thinking!
Telling someone my darkest secret would defeat the whole
purpose of it being a secret, would it not? I think so.
Sometimes I blog in one of the student lounges at a local
University and other times I blog in the (dis)comfort of my kitchen.
Also, shouts out to Yvonne, Susan Scott and Rob Tobor for
obliging in Tina Downey’s (at Life is Good) request to hit us all with your
best questions. Stay tuned for additional nuggets of stuff about me, which I’ll
be putting up over at The Madlab Post.
Since 2013, the Blogging from
A-to-Z Challenge Co-Hosts have hammered out the system of categorizing Adult
Content (AC) and how we are going to consistently police it so everyone knows
where they stand. Blogs that contain adult content -- including but not limited
to harsh language, are REQUIRED to identify themselves as such by adding the
(AC) category next to their blog name on the sign-up list. Ideally, this must
be done when you first sign up for the challenge.
Unlike the other categories, the (AC)
label is NOT optional; if you find that you are indeed among the adult content
blogs, this category must be present with your blog on the signup list.
We know that there are some A-to-Z
Challenge participants who are not sure if their blog’s content falls within
the (AC) territory and they may be wondering if their blog is considered as
such. For those of you who are in this boat, look no further – here is an easy
way to figure out the answer:
Let’s imagine for a moment
that Steven Spielberg called you this morning and said he wants to make a movie
based on your blog. Upon his film’s completion, what rating would this movie receive
from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) – keeping in mind that the
film is inspired by your blog and its content? Your answer to this question
will give you a good idea of where your blog stands in terms of the Adult
Content (AC) category with regards to the Blogging from A-to-Z Challenge.
Our policies and administration
practices in the matter of Adult Content blogs are put in place to address
concerns about there being no age limit on who can sign-up for the A-to-Z
Challenge. Considering that just having a blog meets the precondition of
participating in the challenge, we define “Adult Content” as material that
would be unsuitable for teenagers.
Adult Content – An A-to-Z Challenge Co-Host
Encyclopedia Reference
We define Adult Content as
any material that may be something a teen should not be viewing. By “Adult,”
this means sexual content, frequent use of harsh language, nudity, gore, and
overtly violent content. By “Content,” this includes blog posts, images,
graphics and any other related material on display at your blog.
Below is an ADULT CONTENT CHECKLIST for the
A-to-Z Challenge. If your blog contains any of the following material, then it
should be marked with the (AC) category code:
Nudity
Frequent use of harsh language
Gore
Sexually oriented language
Explicit Violence
Again, if your Blog contains any of material listed above
in this checklist, then it should be marked as such with the (AC) category code!
Our guidelines are reasonably
simple to follow; this is not rocket science. It is easy to figure out whether
or not your blog belongs in the Adult Content category. If you have any of the
aforementioned material on our checklist, you MUST have your blog labeled with
(AC) on the signup list. Otherwise, your blog will be flagged and removed from
the A-to-Z Challenge signup list.
At this time, we don’t
consider a few profane words scattered in some blog posts here and there to be
listed in the (AC) category. That said, if you might be among these particular
Non-AC blogs, you are not out of the woods, where the nature of the content you
publish is concerned.
Those of you who are one of the Non-AC bloggers who do
happen to have some harsh language sometimes, we strongly urge you to at least
put a Disclaimer or Warning Notice at the top of your posts containing
questionable content. These warning notices can help protect you if a teen
participant happens to come across your blog during the A-to-Z Challenge.
Now that we’ve made this
clear, if you do happen to have a run-in with Steven Spielberg, get him to
reach out to me at The Madlab Post so he can check out one of my screenplays,
will ya?!!
Hi guys! It's time to cruise into the mechanic for an oil check to be sure we're moving forward in the best shape possible. Wouldn't want to stall out on the way along the A-to-Z Highway!
The holidays have been a busy time for all of us, whether because of gatherings with friends and family, time spent shopping and preparing feasts, children vacationing from school, finals, or even work deadlines before the end of the year. So if your visits to your A-to-Z friends slowed, there's no shame in it. Get that engine check, make sure your spark plugs are in working order, and continue along at whatever pace your speedometer is comfortable with.
If you need to take an extended pit stop, grab some eats at a greasy spoon, nab a night in a motel, that's okay, too. We hope to see you on the road when you're able! Above all, have fun and stop to enjoy the tourist traps.
In the meantime, I'll continue cruising along with my fantastic Road Trip partners, Tina, of Life is Good, and Nicole, of The Madlab Post. I couldn't ask for two better ladies to Road Trip with.
Honk if you're still taking part in the A-to-Z Road Trip!
After running low on gas and making multiple pit stops, I nearly fell asleep at
the wheel. Good thing I have two partners – Tina Downey at Life is Good and
Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse to share in the driving duties as we move
along through the A-to-Z Challenge list, stopping by the blogs we missed in
April, to pay them a visit before the next challenge rolls around. Although I
put the car on cruise control, I did manage to read more A-to-Z Reflections
posts and visit some blogs located in the first half of the sign-up list.
During my visits, I found that some people either stopped
blogging after the challenge or kept new blog posts coming sporadically until
early-to-mid Summer. Still, the last posts that were published on these blogs
were worth a looksee. I also came across some places on the list with blog
posts that were cool to read, yet, difficult to leave a comment on. For those
of you who are still on this Road Trip with Tina, Shannon and I, this is likely
not a surprise, as you’ve probably encountered similar situations during your
blog visits.
When I started this road trip, I planned to visit at least five
blogs per day, keeping in tune with the recommended visits of the April
challenge. Now, I’ve reduced that number to one blog per day. I figure that way,
it will be much easier to fit a visit to a new blog into my schedule – and – if
I encounter non-active blogs or blog posts where leaving a comment feels like I’m
participating in some type of three ring circus with no instructions, my Road
Trip efforts are still time well spent.
As co-host, I want to try to also make sure that your time
is also well spent, so in the name of efficient fun, here is some roadside assistance
to stay on course if you find yourself running low on gas or hit something on
the road that caused a flat in your tires at this stretch of our Post A-to-Z Adventure.
Now, I’m no Allstate or AAA, but these blog visiting methods can be especially
useful if you’re taking the one-and-done approach, or a similar one, that I’m
using for the A-to-Z Road Trip.
Pick a Number –
Think of a number…any number during your day and then visit the blog on the
list that corresponds with this particular number. You could also make this a theme and visit all
of the blogs that fall under a specific area of the number table such as every hundredth
or so (102, 202, 302, 402 and so on).
Heads or Tails? –
Visit a blog that is among the low numbers (1-100) on the sign-up list and then
visit another blog that is among the high numbers (101-500 and up) on the list.
The number range doesn’t matter…you determine what is considered “low” and what
is considered “high” just so long as two blogs on both ends of the list get a
visitor today (or tomorrow or whenever you’re doing your A-to-Z Road Trip
visits).
Hit the Reflections
– If you haven’t read all of the 2013 A-to-Z Reflections posts, visit blogs on
that list. That way, you’ll know that the blogs you’re visiting are run by
people who finished the challenge – or at least attempted to complete it.
Funny Names –
Scroll through the signup list and visit blogs with names that either make you
laugh or fill you with curiosity. These are usually the types of blogs where,
at first glance, you have no idea what the topic or theme of the blog is about
such as Big Girl Panties (#264 on the list), Buttered Toast Rocks! (#365) or
Cabin Goddess (#432).
It’s all about making it fun. If we make this road trip as
simple and as fun as possible, we’ll have enough gas to keep our cars steady
and well maintained…at least until the next Check-in. Now, the only thing left
to do is call Allstate and tell them that you don’t need them because you’re in
better hands. Ha!
There are 26 laps on this alphabet track with 14 down and 12 to go. We've traveled far and wide beyond our wildest expectations -- of ourselves and fellow blogathon contenders. Many of us had to make pit stops along the way -- some to adjust and others to regroup. There were even some crashes (shout out to Stephen Tremp workin' that phone and tablet!) that caused a blog or two to spin out of control but many drivers on this track prevailed and remained on the leading lap, as a result.
It does not matter who is in the first, ninth, fiftieth or eight hundred and twelfth spots because everybody is aiming for that checkered flag, or rather -- badge, representing their survival through one of the wildest events to ever hit cyberspace. There's no one winner in this race to the flag. In fact, this isn't even a race. It's more like a multi-caravan cruise along the letters that link us together from different states, countries, time zones, viewpoints, hobbies, experiences and generations.
At times, some of us were way ahead of others while the rest was just trying to keep up. The ones who have perfected their visiting, posting and commenting down to a science have started just coasting along and riding their comfy wave in the winner's circle, but now...
We're all pretty much Neck and Neck.
So, let's keep it that way and meet each other at the finish line!
Now that we're just getting into the swing of things, let's make the most of the A to Z Challenge by keeping in mind that it stretches beyond your blog. We’re
social, with a presence on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to make it easier for
you to find likeminded participants and keep up with what’s trending –
including the latest news from the challenge Co-Hosts. That is why it’s
important to tag the challenge by
using the official #atozchallenge hashtag when referencing the challenge in
your social media updates – especially Twitter. Adding the A to Z Challenge
hashtag to your tweets can help all of us cut through the clutter when
searching for blogs to visit or staying up to date on discussions related to
our daily alphabet party.
If you’re still wondering “how the heck do I use a hashtag?”
or “why the heck would I use a hashtag?” the time for guessing games are over.
Here are simple ways to Hashtag the heck out of the A to Z Challenge.
Hashtag your correspondence with us
When you send a tweet to us by writing @AprilA2Z, also make
sure to add an #atozchallenge hashtag to the tweet. Unless it’s a really
pertinent matter, you probably would do better just replacing the @AprilA2Z
text with the #atozchallenge hashtag, altogether!
Hashtag your comments
Everyone and their momma is leaving comments that are one
variation of “Hey, I’m stopping by from the A to Z Challenge!” or another – as
if we really need to know (and we really don’t…or at least, I’ll speak for
myself by letting you know today that I don’t need the reminder that you’re
doing the challenge, ok?!) this bit of information. We get it. We read the
memo. It’s been signed, sealed and delivered. Now here’s a thought…
If you really…I mean, really
need to inform the blog that you’re visiting about your A to Z Challenge
status, just put the #atozchallenge hashtag at the end of your comment. It
takes up much less space and is less likely to leave a blogger wondering why he
or she wasted time trying to read a comment that was nothing more than an
announcement along the lines of “me too! Yay!” when it could have just as
easily been summed up with a simple hashtag.
Hashtag your questions
Most, if not all, of the questions that people ask A to Z
Challenge administrators can be useful to other participants who have similar
concerns. Using the #atozchallenge hashtag can help your fellow participants
get answers to something that they may have been wondering. At the very least,
it also puts other bloggers on alert about matters that they are curious to
know. Adding a hashtag can help simplify the question-and-answer sessions for
@AprilA2Z on Twitter as well as other social media websites. It is easier for
some participants to create a list or do a search for topics that are of
interest to them if the hashtag is utilized more often, because it cuts down on
the workload of having to find profiles and topics that might have come up in
conversation about the challenge.
Hashtag your photos
Add hashtags to the photos that are included in your blog
posts related to the challenge. This can be done by adding text directly in the
image, using photo editing software or online photo apps such as Pic Monkey. If
you don’t want to interfere with your visual masterpiece that you snapped in
preparation for winning visitors over with your photographic images, you can
also add hashtags to the “caption” section when editing the photo before
publishing the blog post. The official A to Z Challenge hashtag can also be
used to promote your blog posts on Facebook and Instagram.
So tell us…
How are you
Hashtagging the Heck out of the A to Z Challenge? -Nicole @MadlabPost 2013 Blogging from #atozchallenge Co-Host See you at the movies!
1. Where do you hail from? (D.G. Hudson) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or otherwise known as
The City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly
Affection – which is a questionable nickname, depending on who you ask.
2. Would you rather have your own
personal sailing ship or spaceship? What would you name your ship? (L.G.
Keltner) I’d rather have my spaceship named Captain Data, as
homage to two of the coolest “Star Trek” characters ever!
3. How do you comment? - if someone
posts 5,6,7 times a week .. once - or 3 times .. then each time or once or
twice .. then each time I can't keep up .. but hate not supporting everyone ..
(Hilary Melton-Butcher)
I comment in a manner that directly correlates with the amount of time available
to complete all tasks laid out in my day. If my time is limited, I just comment
on the most recent blog post. If I have more time to spare (or if I really like
the blog), I’ll read through a few of the recent post titles and then comment
on the ones that peak my interest.
Just because a blogger posts multiple times a week doesn’t mean that I’m going
to comment on them every single time. It also depends on the frequency of my
visits to a blog. If I visit more often, then it is more likely that I would
comment on most, if not all of the blog posts but if I only visit the blog
every now and then, I will usually comment on whatever is present on the page.
4. How do you use those HTML tags? ..
and I've yet to learn about the signature line too ..(Hilary Melton-Butcher)
I searched for the HTML tags and then tested them out by creating a draft post
under the HTML tab and not the “Compose” tab, in one of my least active Blogger
blogs. When I got to a point when the links worked and appeared to my liking --
after previewing them in “Compose” and also as a live post preview, I created a
document file with the proper HTML tags that fit my needs such as text links,
bold, photo links, etc. and I keep that file handy so that I don’t have to keep
searching or reaching through tutorials every time I need to create a hyperlink
quickly.
It’s sorta like my own HTML Template file that also includes a template of code
that I made for my signature. So now, all I usually have to do is go to the
file, copy the tags that I want to use at the moment and then paste it in the
comment box or blog post draft page or online forum or wherever I need to
create HTML links.
5. If you were a contestant on the CBS
show "Amazon Race" and could pick ANY movie character to be your
partner, who would it be and why?
It’s a toss-up between Jason Bourne from “The Bourne Identity/Supremacy/Ultimatum”
and Bryan Mills from “Taken.” Bourne keeps himself in shape, meaning he can run
fast, lift heavy things, climb building structures and bounce back quickly if
he falls. Mills on other hand is very meticulous about gathering information --
a quality that could be very useful in our team’s ability to complete tasks
that involve assembling items that contain several different pieces of a puzzle
or gathering activities that involve repetitive routines where I could easily
forget a key step.
Bourne and Mills both have a very special set of skills that they’ve acquired
over long careers and would each be an asset in helping me advance to the next
Pit Stop. I’d be more likely to go with Bourne, however, because he knows how
to live off the grid and get himself out of a jam without always needing aid
from technology, friends in high places and fancy gadgets. 6. Describe the last Halloween costume
you wore.
I dressed as Uhura from Star Trek, complete with the red dress and black boots.
Now, I wonder if I should have worn a homemade costume because I have this Star
Trek dress sitting around and no reason...or place to wear it.
7. What is the most unusual thing you
have ever given as a gift? (Matt Conlon)
A fanny pack; and get this...the recipient gave it back to me!
8. If you could make a recommendation
for a book for World Book Night (awesome event on 4/23), what book would it
be? (Tracy Bermeo-A2Z Mommy)
How to be Black by Baratunde Thurston. It is a funny, insightful and surprisingly
relatable read.
9. "Where do you go to "Get away
from it all"?" (Matt Conlon)
To the land of alcohol. It’s cheaper than health insurance, requires less of a
commitment than therapy and the bartenders/cashiers never ask for a referral
when ordering a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon! When that fails or is not
available, I simply rock out to Lenny Kravitz.
10. "When
writing, do you prefer to compose your first-draft by hand, on your computer,
or using Morse Code?" (Mina Lobo)
My writing methods vary by the nature and
purpose of whatever it is I’m working on. I tend to write blog posts on a
computer so that they’re ready to be published when necessary. I do jot down
random notes for future posts in notebooks as well as on napkins and store
receipts. I write the first drafts of my screenplays by hand because
distractions like email, Words with Friends and YouTube aren’t a click away. It’s
healthier to spend hours in front of a notebook than a bright computer screen.
I also write songs on both and would be down to try some Morse Code for a project,
just to get the experience.
Writer and Director Nicole Ayers on the Set of "ABYSS"
If you have any other questions, feel free to leave them in the
comments below. In the meantime, I’d appreciate your contribution to my film festival campaign for ABYSS and convincing of your friends to do the same!
Did you know blogs that publish guest posts could be
penalized by Google? I didn't at least not before reading about this latest
news regarding the practice, a few days ago. Yesterday, I also received an
email containing tips from another blogger on how to play it safe when
publishing content from guest bloggers.
The overall message from both of these
posts is that our blog’s search engine rankings, traffic and general reputation
could be affected if we publish content written by third-parties. Sounds scary,
right? I don’t blame you if you’re scratching your head wondering what the heck
is going on. Just remember that this guest posting penalty thing isn't as
simple as A-B-C; Pun intended for all you folks gearing up for the April
Challenge!
Most, if not all concerns surrounding the matter stem from a video that Google released where it’s CEO explained why they frown upon guestblogs. Just like mainstream media, however, some bloggers who have brought attention to this news are sensationalizing the situation by yelling “penalty” first but ignoring the rest of what he said. If you are among the bloggers who did (or will) watch the video and listen – I mean, really pay attention to what is being explained, then there might not be much for you to worry about. Does this mean you’re safe from being hit by some type of sequel to the Panda and Penguin updates? Not at all – and this is where things get kinda risky for those of us in the blogging arena.
All of these practices are simple to implement – for me, at
least. I do suspect, however, that it might take some time for a lot of
bloggers to adjust their guest posting routines and develop a new – more
Google-friendly practice in how they manage guests on their blogs. So, the news
comes at a very inconvenient time. I considered outsourcing the posts for my
blog via guests -- after shelving the theme that I initially wanted to use for
this year’s A to Z challenge. I was going to invite 26 people to write a post
for my blog and now I’m going to have to change that plan up a bit.
I’m also currently at the beginning of making what will be
several, or more, guest appearances around the blogosphere; promoting my short film campaign, which runs all the way through March. How in the world am I
going to swing this? I’ll tell you how – the same way you’re going to save your
own blog from being shot down by search engines like there’s a hit out on you by
Frank Costello (as played by Jack Nicholson) in “The Departed.”
Here’s how we’re going to make this happen through a summary
of proper guest posting practices that I learned from blogs managed by Darren
Rowse and Neil Patel.
“Guesting” Language
Hurts Your Blog
Stop using language such as “guest post” and any derivatives
of the title including “guest author,” “guest blogger,” etc. on your blog. Do not address people as guest
bloggers nor posts as such in your titles, within the body of the content
itself or in any introductions or closings that you add to the post.
The Remedy: A
good rule of thumb is to publish blog posts in a manner similar to magazines
and newspapers. When was the last time you saw “guest writer” in an issue of
Rolling Stone, VOGUE or Architectural Digest? There is a reason you didn't so
take heed of how these publications do things when it comes to featuring posts
on your own blog.
Say No to Bios/Bylines
Filled with Several Links
Author bios and/or bylines should not contain more than two
links. In fact, links aren't even be necessary if you just create a page with
short bios of all your contributors and then link to their blog or wherever
else readers can find them.
The Remedy: Create
an author page for each contributor and link their name to those pages, OR,
link their name to their blog/website/social media page or whatever. That could
count as one of the two maximum links, so they wouldn't even need to add more
to their bio, OR, just stop allowing guests to send you bios containing a link
to every single online site or social media profile they have online. Since I
don’t have a staff of people and am short on time, I’d likely opt for the two
latter solutions.
Don’t Pimp your
Blog’s “Write for Me” Page in Exchange for Guests
Telling potential readers that they will receive link(s)
when contributing to your blog is a violation of Google’s linking policy.
Receiving a link back to a blog or social medial profile should not be the sole
benefit of someone being featured on your website.
The Remedy:
Change your “Write for Me/Us/this Blog” call for submissions to something less
saturated. Again, this is a good time to check out what the Big Boys do and
follow that model. Next, establish editorial guidelines that include a
requirement for original content that was not previously published elsewhere.
If you wouldn't eat food that somebody else already chewed
up and spit out, then why would you accept blog posts that were seen on another
website? It’s what’s known as “duplicate content” by Google’s standards. By the
way – secure the rights to these posts, while you’re at it. Doing so brings the
extra satisfaction in knowing that a contributor won’t spin something they
wrote for you today, into a post for another blogger, tomorrow.
Be Selective About
Who You Feature on Your Blog
Don’t just accept posts from anyone and everyone who submits
something to you – especially content that is already written. In fact, why are
you even accepting open submissions in the first place? It’s much easier to
review, accept and reject queries or proposals or cover letters or messages of
intent than to have to read through entire blog posts.
I thought that most bloggers already knew this (…even I don’t
write or submit guest posts blindly. I query FIRST and then wait for a response
from the blogs that I’m interested in submitting a post to), but, I guess there
are blogs out there who just put up an “open call” and take everything that
comes their way.
The Remedy: Only
accept posts from people who have a track record of writing great content on
other blogs – and on their own website! Do a Google search for the name of your
potential blog contributor; this search should not yield a bunch of spammy
websites and spam links. If it does, then that’s a red flag and you may have a
spammer trying to ride his or her spammy wave through some of your blog’s link
juice. Also welcome contributors who are community builders and can add some
discussion to your blog, by responding to comments on their post.
Restrict Access and Privileges
It is not necessary to give contributors author accounts to
your blog, like handing out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Maintain a
filtering system that compliments your submission guidelines, by restricting
the publishing privileges allowed on your blog to you only. Are there
exceptions to this tip? Yes, of course there are exceptions. Does this mean
that leaves more work for you in terms of formatting, scheduling and publishing
posts on your own? Yes, but in many cases, that’s better than the alternative
-- being penalized by Google.
The bottom line is that unless they are a part of
your main administrative team or a regular contributor who has established a
good track record of posting on your website, everybody online shouldn't have
the access and authority to publish anything they want on your blog. When contributors
publish blog posts about weight loss or diet pills on your homeschooling and
parenting blog – you know you have a problem!
Solutions to the Guest Post Dilemma in a nutshell:
Stop telling people you have guests. Those
who read your blog already know who is who, thanks to author bios, tags and/or
bylines. Speaking of author bios, those of contributors on your blog should
contain two links maximum – and they better not be spammy (diet pills, SEO
marketers, Viagra, anyone?). The bio link concerns could be solved by
designating a page on your blog for all of your contributors. Of course, this
part (making a “contributors” page…which also takes a lot of time to setup and maintain)
is optional – I’m surely not doing it unless I feel it’s useful. That day isn't coming any time soon.
Now that we’re all up to speed on the happenings of blog
post authors, Google rankings and best blogging practices, I’m pleased to
report that this long post is done.
These Blogging from A to Z subjects are brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post... Today marks the day that the Alphabet Soup series is going on a hiatus, so I am offering up the following prompts that can be used as themes or topics during the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. It is my hope that these blog post subject ideas will help get those of you experiencing some writer’s block through the entire alphabet with little to no fuss.
Adolescent Art - Scan or photograph one of your favorite (or least favorite) pieces of artwork that you made during your childhood years. This can be a sculpture, collage, painting, drawing, sketch or some other type of art that you made in school, church, at summer camp, etc. you get the picture.
Bake or Broil - Compare different foods that you think are better when prepared one way compared to the other. Does fish come out better when broiled? Is chicken more moist when baked? Do an experiment or share with readers a point of view based on your previous cooking and/or tasting experiences.
Censorship Commentary - Answer the question: Does censorship make you feel like you’re being shortchanged in the context of your ability to enjoy and/or absorb a television show, movie or song that you know has been edited for broadcast purposes?
Doomsday - If the world was ending at the end of April 2013, how would you spend your time between now and then?
Embarrassment - Describe an embarrassing experience that you once had that would not embarrass you if it occurred today.
Fortune vs. Forbes - Read the current issues of both magazines and write a review on them, focusing on which one you would be more likely to want to read again and why.
Goodwill - Mention an act of goodwill that you received from another person within the last year; Or, mention an act of goodwill that you provided to someone else within the last year.
Hugh Hefner - Identify some things that one group of people (bloggers, parents, business owners, celebrities, seniors, etc.) can learn from the Playboy tycoon. Your post can be comical or serious or inspirational or whatever.
Illuminati - Describe the most absurd “discovery” that you read or hear from someone regarding the activities of this secret group.
Jumping Jacks - Conduct an exercise experiment by timing yourself doing 100 jumping jacks every day for one week and blog about your findings including how long it took you to do them, if you had to stop to take a break and how you felt before and after doing them. Did the exercise make you tired or did it boost your energy?
Killing with Kindness - Share your experiences with the “Kill them with Kindness” saying, focusing on whether or not you think it works in all circumstances; sharing tips, if any, that you may have for others who find it difficult to practice this in their lives.
Lapsed Laws - Blog about a particular law that you think is too old to be still on the books.
Muses - Do you have a muse? If so, what is it? If not, do you think there are benefits to having one or does it really matter?
Neverland - If you could build your own version of Neverland Ranch, what would it contain?
Offensive Oppositions - Blog about a gesture or behavior, etc. that usually offends most people, except you.
Prince and Princesses - Highlight a real-life prince or princess that is little known among the masses.
Qdoba - Compare the quality of two different restaurant locations that you visited, paying attention to customer service, state of the food (did it seem stale, was it hot, etc.) and atmosphere.
Rich Reflections - Define what makes your life rich.
Satirical Secrets to (Fill in the Blank) - List humorous “secrets” to parenting, completing the A to Z Challenge, finding the best parking spot, preventing wrinkles in clothes, aging well or whatever topic you are interested in poking fun at.
Timeless Toys - Highlight a few toys that you believe will never go out of style.
Utterly Unattractive - List some unattractive traits that you find in the opposite sex or in the general population.
Victory - Blog about a time in your life when you felt most accomplished and what it took for you to get there.
Mr. Winkle - Do you think this is a real dog or a marketing ploy? If the former applies, what do you think Mr. Winkle is mixed with? Do you think mixed breeds are a blessing or a curse? Does the Mr. Winkle phenomenon beneficial to the importance of bringing more awareness to animal welfare and animal shelters or does it exploit our western culture’s obsession with stardom, fandom and materialism?
X Games - Blog about a high profile X Games participant or some X Games controversy that might be of interest to sports fanatics.
Yokozuna - Offer some background information on the significance of this particular wrestling rank; Or, just highlight the name of the WWF guy who had this name. Your choice.
Zipcar - If you’ve used this car sharing service, blog about your experiences; If this does not apply, then compare the service to car pooling, focusing on which one you think would be more useful.
The following blog photos are brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post...
It’s time for Letter Play - Where DIY activities, cinema and life offline collide!
Marking the very last post for Letter Play 2012 and Letter O in this Friday Fun Time series, here are four O’s that I found on popular consumer goods. I wonder which among you devout Blogging from A-to-Zers can match the “O” to its accompanying grocery store item.
#1
#2
#3
#4
Have a Fun Friday, everybody!
NICOLE Also@MadlabPost on Twitter Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday atThe Madlab Post!
These blogging prompts are brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post....
It’s time for The Alphabet Remix - A Writing Prompt Idea Engine Treating A to Z Blogging Avoidance Disorders
Today, Letter O is for one of the most popular snack items made by the Nabisco company -- Oreos! These classic chocolate cookies with a vanilla cream filling can be the focus of your Blogging from A to Z Challenge blog posts if you need a topic to write about. Here are some quick and easy ways to feature Oreo cookies for Letter O in April.
Odd Oreo Offerings Review the oddest flavors of Oreos you’ve ever tasted or list varieties of these cookies that were only available for a limited amount of time -- such as Gingerbread Oreos.
Oreo Recipes Share a recipe that uses Oreos as one of the main ingredients. You can also curate a listing of recipes that other people have created such as Cookies Stuffed with Oreos. If cooking isn’t your thing, you can also write a blog post that covers the history and/or significance of Deep Fried Oreos being served at Oktoberfest celebrations throughout the world.
Outrageously Outspoken on Oreos Make a list of what you think is proper Oreo-eating etiquette. Go crazy and hold nothing back while writing your rules for eating Oreo cookies:
Is it best to open them and eat one side without the cream and then dunk the other side into milk? Do they taste better eaten dry or should they always be dipped in milk? What is the best flavor of milk to dip Oreos in before eating them -- regular, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, almond or soy? Do they even need to be dipped in milk -- can they be dipped in other liquids such as Orange Juice? Should Oreos be dipped halfway or are they supposed to be completely covered in milk? What is the best time ratio between when an Oreo is dipped and when it is eaten that offers the less risk for it becoming soggy? Can Oreos be topped with condiments such as whipped cream? Should they be eaten for breakfast or remain as a dessert or snack?
Now onto other business, the winner of the Only One themed Alphabet Soup Game is...
Tina Downey at Life is Good. By correctly unscrambling all of the one-word movie titles that begin with Letter O, Tina reclaimed her title of Alphabet Wizard. Her prize package also includes the choice of a letter for the next Alphabet Soup game and the option to pick a theme for the Monday Movie Meme at my blog.
Congratulations Tinaand, Have a Fun Friday, everybody!
Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!
This word puzzle is brought to you by Nicole at The Madlab Post...
Since Loca4Crafts won the previous Alphabet Soup game, today’s word scramble was going to focus on Letter L. We already covered that letter in all three of the Friday Fun Time series, so I decided to move on to the next one in the alphabet that has not yet been featured in Alphabet Soup -- O. It stands for One, particularly where movie titles are concerned.
Unscramble the following movie titles that make up one word only. The first commenter who is able to correctly unscramble all or most of these one-word titles at best wins this weeks’ Alphabet Soup game. Answers to the game and the name of the winner will be posted here at the A to Z blog during the next Friday Fun Time - Alphabet Remix.
1. bOdoyl is _________________________. 2. Osssebde is ______________________. 3. Opucossyt is ______________________. 4. hOanpr is ________________________.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Make sure to satisfy your curiosities about all of the A to Z Co-Hosts by adding a comment to the 2013 Co-Host Questionnaire.
Sign up for the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly group blogging series that inspires discussion about entertainment in a whole new light and provides recommendations for your DVD, on-demand or theater fix. New topics are posted every Monday at The Madlab Post!
