Thar be gold in th' #AtoZChallenge 2018 Treasure Map Feedback PART THREE

Aft th' A t' Z challenge 2018 went t' Davy Jones' Locker, thar was a loot map written by th' captains 'n filled in by th' crew.

Break out th' booty! 'tis a week o' long posts!



16. In the past, sign ups opened in January. In 2018, sign ups for the "April blogging from A to Z Challenge" opened in March. What is your preference?

Ahoy, me mateys! MARCH be where X marks th' spot.

17. Theme Reveal 2018!

Fav'rit answers in th' loot chest were:

• I LOVE the theme reveal!
• I added my Theme Reveal link to the official Theme Reveal Google Form.
• I added my Theme Reveal link to Twitter and used the hashtag #AtoZChallenge .
• I added my Theme Reveal link to my own Facebook profile and/or page.
• I visited blogs using the Theme Reveal spreadsheet.
• There's a space to mention a blog's theme on the Master List, but I still like the Theme Reveal as well.
• I missed my chance to take part in the theme reveal (write in answer).

18. Please mark your choices about the Master list.

Most scallywags didn' care. O' those who did, th' majority said:
"I feel the Master List should stay open for ONE WEEK after the challenge starts, and those who wish to copy the list can do so whenever."

19. Please mark your choices about the Daily lists.

Winnin' by double th' amount be:
"I feel the Daily Letter sign-ups should CLOSE after 48 hours, as they did this year."

20. Which are nearest to your opinions and feelings?

Th' top answers be:

• I love the Master List and USED it.
• I love the Daily Letter lists and USED them.
• I'm glad that Google was able to provide a free option that kept this blog hop alive. Keep using it.

Also worth noting, 23 people didn't know that the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge and the Blogchatter challenge weren't run by the same people, and therefore were two different events.

21. Websites:

Almost half of you ONLY visited the main blog site.
30% never realized there were two different sites until reading the question. (The backup being on Wordpress.)
18% MOSTLY visited the Main blog site, but also visited the backup.



22. There are "pages" on the A to Z blog. Were you able to find and interact with them?

75% said yes.
Another 15% knew they were there but didn't use them.
While 8% don't know the pages are there or still can't find them.

23. In February, we let you know how to adjust Facebook to see our posts. Did you mark the A to Z challenge as a See First?

"you can click on up to 30 pages to see first"

Results:

24. On a scale of 1😞 to 5😍, did you feel like the A to Z team gave you motivation to do the challenge?

Most scallywags gave us a 3 gold doubloons or higher. Yo ho ho!

25. Please check any of these you are interested in.

Thin's that respondents showed an interest in, by order o' interest:

1. A column on the Master List for people who write connected stories during A to Z. (Choose your adventure, short stories in 26 parts, etc)
2. An additonal separate list for people who write connected stories during A to Z. (Choose your adventure, short stories in 26 parts, etc)
3. Being part of an A to Z book blog tour, as an AUTHOR, during another month.
4. Reading books written during or because of the A to Z challenge.

25 blogs are interested in Hosting an A to Z book blog tour, as a BOOK blogger, during a month other then April.
32 want to write reviews of books written during or because of the A to Z challenge.

That's great news for the 35 who answered that they have published a book/ will publish a book as a result of the A to Z challenge!

26. How many A to Z posts did you complete?

40% posted about the challenge beforehand, did the theme reveal, and completed all 26 posts.
30% did the theme reveal, and completed all 26 posts.
18% completed all 26 posts.


Sail back tomorrow!

Amazing #AtoZChallenge 2018 Remarkable Event Feedback PART TWO

After the A to Z challenge 2018, there was an Event Feedback survey.

Break out your potato masher! This is a week of long posts!


7. Which of these Facebook methods did you use for the 2018 challenge?

• The most popular answer is that 28% link up on a personal Facebook profile AND those include #AtoZchallenge hashtag.
• Whereas 41 people have links to their blog posts on a personal Facebook profile BUT DO NOT include #AtoZchallenge hashtag.
• 25% have links to blog posts on a Facebook PAGE and include the #AtoZchallenge hashtag.
• Conversely, 13% have links to blog posts on a Facebook PAGE, but those DO NOT include the #AtoZchallenge hashtag.
• Linking to blog posts in the comments on the A TO Z Facebook page was done by 40 respondents.
• Only 15 people used the direct links on Facebook to surf to the A to Z page to read the daily posts from the co-hosts/ guests.
• And 18% said they don't use Facebook.
• A few people wrote in that they have Facebook, but do not link it to their blog or do not share their challenge posts on Facebook.
• Two people said they tagged the A to Z Challenge when sharing blog posts on Facebook.
• A handful of people weren't sure the differnce between a profile and a page.

"A profile is a personal Facebook account. Pages are public profiles that let artists, public figures, businesses, brands, organizations and nonprofits connect with their fans or customers." Click to learn more- https://facebook.com/help/337881706729661?helpref=faq_content
💡 Tagging our Facebook page is nice, but it does almost nothing to improve your post's visiblity.

8. Instructional videos and PDFs:

The majority of people said they skipped the videos and instructions, but did okay anyway.
Reading the instructions was the second most popular choice.
Both reading instructions and watching the how-to videos came in third place.
At fourth place, 18% had no idea the videos or written instructions existed!
In last place, 8% regretted not checking out the instructions.
Three people wrote in that they don't watch or enjoy videos.
One person said we offered too much information.

9. Regarding your commenting on A to Z participating blogs. 

"I followed links left in comments on my blog." By far, the most popular answer.
People also visited their usual stops and visited links found in comments on other A to Z blogs.
Daily Letter Sheets and the Master List were not far behind.
Only two respondents said they didn't comment at all.

10. Receiving comments:

A staggering amount of people recieved over 100 comments!
Some people said they didn't count their comments. A few said they got likes instead of comments.

11. Commenting:

"I commented on over 100 blog comments last month." Was the most popular answer. Way to go, majority!
Commenting on less that 25 blogs came in second.
Some folks didn't count how many they commented on.

12. Replies:

"I replied to ALL the comments that were left to me on my blog in April." Another sweet reply by the majority!
A few said they planned to reply later.

13. Visiting Blogs:

Do you know the unwritten reciprication karma theroy?
The A to Z bloggers do!
"I visited the blogs of ALL of the people who left comments on my blog." Vast majority for the win.

14. Co-host comments:

Most people reported receiveing at least one comment from someone on the A to Z team. (Arlee Bird, J Lenni Dorner, Zalka Csenge Virág, John Holton, or Jayden R Vincente)
39% didn't get a comment from anyone on the team. 😞 #FAIL
Others weren't sure, either because they didn't look, didn't open up to comments, or didn't know who the co-hosts were!

15. Some people had trouble scrolling on the Sheets.

11 people never figured out how to scroll on the Sheets.
Most people had no trouble. Others figured it out.
A handful didn't know there were Sheets for the Master List or Daily Lists.

Be sure to check out tomorrow's post! It's gonna be awesome.

Announcing #AtoZChallenge 2018 Remarkable Event Feedback PART ONE

After the A to Z challenge 2018, there was an Event Feedback survey.

Break out your potato peeler, folks, it's time for a week of long posts!

Here are the results:

1. On a scale of 1😞 to 5😍, how satisfied were you with the Blogging from A to Z Challenge 2018?

Over 88% of respondents were 😊 or 😍! Only one person was totally unsatisfied.

2. How relevant, useful, and/or helpful do you think the hop was for you and your blog?



3. 2018 A to Z logos on your blog:

• 56% said they created a post with a logo in March.
• And 49% support the challenge with a logo on the blog's sidebar / widget area.
• Slightly more than half include it with April posts.
• Eight people never noticed the Banners/ Badges page tab on the top of the A to Z site, and thus didn't know about the logos!
• 28% only used the letters that match the new logo, not the logo itself.
• Only 1% answered that they don't use our logos to show support of this blog hop challenge.

4. Which of these List methods did you use for the 2018 challenge?

The overwhelming majority responded that they were on the Master List.
Only 14% had pre-scheduled post links on the Daily Lists.
But 69% included direct links on the Daily Lists after their posts were published.
Less than 5% of people didn't sign up on the lists, or thought they signed up but then couldn't find themselves.
A few people reported that they stopped using or missed out on a few of the daily links.
And since it came up in a write-in reply:

The A to Z Challenge uses feedburner to run the email list.

5. Which of these statements apply for the 2018 A to Z Challenge?

12%= I did not share links to my blog, but I did the challenge.
NO ONE only commented on blogs, but did not create blog posts.
30%= I visited the A to Z website each day in April and read the posts from the co-hosts/guests.
55%= I visited the A to Z website some days in April and read the posts from the co-hosts/guests.
8 people did not visit the A to Z website in April, and did NOT read the posts from the co-hosts/guests.
20%= I have links to my blog posts in the comments on the A to Z main webpage.
8%= I have links to my blog posts in the comments on the A to Z Wordpress site.
8 people marked "none of the above."
"I used the theme reveal to make a list of blogs to check in on during April, which I did." - Anonymous
Posts I created (days) late were not able to be added on the daily link lists.
Could not link in the comments on A-Z wordpress.
"After the first couple days I started to use a link under the letter badge with a comment hinting at what the team post was about so folks could go check the AtoZ site out." Cheryl Carter of promptlings
I made pins on Pinterest for each A to Z blog posts.
Too overwhelming.
Mainly promoted on Pinterest.
I was not aware there was a A to Z website. Saw this on a blog I follow.
Master list, starting from the end of the list, I visited every blog on that list, commenting on many of them.
I didn't notice the difference between the Wordpress and main site (Blogger) until late in the month.
"I visited the theme list and the daily list and chose almost 60 blogs to follow before the start date." - Donna McNicol of dbmcnicol.blogspot and ourprimeyears.blogspot

6. Which of these Twitter methods did you use for the 2018 challenge?

• 85 people included the #AtoZchallenge hashtag in the title of blog posts.
• 47% said they tweeted blog post links AND included the #AtoZchallenge hashtag.
• 27 people tweeted blog post links BUT DID NOT include the #AtoZchallenge hashtag.
• Only 11 respondents have links to blog posts in the comments on A TO Z Twitter posts.
• 6% used direct links on Twitter to surf to the A to Z page to read the daily posts from the co-hosts and guests.
• And 26% of the survey takers said they don't use Twitter.

---

#AtoZChallenge is our hashtag. @AprilA2Z is how to tag our Twitter account. Hashtags are easy to search and follow. They're a way to share a common conversation topic with anyone who is interested. When the "@" is used at the start of a tweet, it shows up in fewer places. It's a way to mention a Twitter account. More information- Click https://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/993583/hashtag-etiquette

Hashtags are used for searching. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest all support hashtags searches. Using a hashtag in a blog title, assuming that blog post's title is shared on social media, make seaching for it easier. If the hashtag isn’t something that is being searched for, then it’s not useful. Using a hashtag can group relevant topics into a search, which increases visibility, which can mean more shares and favorites.

Blog tags or labels: Check out this article, and be sure to scroll down to "What Are the Benefits of Using Blog Tags?" Click https://trafficgenerationcafe.com/blog-tags-seo
And here's another great article: Click https://bigonblogs.com/2016/12/30/the-purpose-of-labels -- It talks about tags (Wordpress) or Labels (Blogger). Using them can help readers find content on your blog, especially if you have a tag cloud on your sidebar/ widget area. They can be used by search engines (such as Google or Bing) to find your blog.

That answers most of the questions and addresses most of the remarks left in the "other" option box for this question.

---

Tune in tomorrow for more results!

ROAD TRIP #roadtrip #AtoZChallenge 2018

The ROAD TRIP is back! 

This year, we ask that you pick ONE post from your #AtoZChallenge 2018 offerings to link it up.

Which post that you published this year was your favorite? That's the one you put in the link up. JUST ONE DIRECT LINK PER PERSON/ BLOG.

Signing up for the Road Trip is a commitment that you will continue to hop to other blogs on the road trip from May thru March. 

That gives you ten months to stop at each blog on this list at least once. (Yes, you may skip Adult blogs if you are a minor or unwilling to view such content.) Please, first comment on the person's linked A to Z blog post, and then consider surfing to the person's latest post to comment there as well. 

Be sure to include this phrase in your comments:

"Stopping by from the #AtoZChallenge Road Trip!"

Here's where you put the direct link to your favorite 2018 A to Z post from your blog: 

https://goo.gl/forms/8n0rnvW7fc2UE1gt1

The form will remain open until June 23, 2018. Please remember to link directly to a post you published for the A to Z challenge in April 2018. 

(Your link will probably look long, as it likely includes your title in the link. If you only see your blog name, that's not a direct link to your post. Try visiting your blog -- not where you WRITE the posts, but where others go to view your posts-- and clicking on the date or on the title of your posts. That should bring up just the post, making it easy to copy the direct link. If you need help, please ask in the comments -- include a link to your blog and the letter of the post of which you need a direct link.) 

And here's the sheet to use to keep your commitment to visit others on the road trip:

https://goo.gl/xfYcCY

Yes, you may hop to the blogs on the list to comment even if you don't sign up for the road trip, and even if you weren't in the Blogging from A to Z challenge 2018. 

Reflections #AtoZChallenge

 

Congratulations!

Whether you completed all 26 posts or whether you only completed 1, that's still a step in the right direction. We now invite you to take some time and reflect on how things went this time. What went well? What could have gone better? (Tip: If you haven't filled out our survey yet, you should! It often sparks ideas on what you might want to include in your reflection post.)

We ask that everyone includes the link to their Reflections post on the list so that we know how many people finished the Challenge!

Form to add your link:

https://goo.gl/forms/zYL3XbeSoZlPG8jA2

List of Reflections Posts:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gi-JUhMz1cuaIbuWV7A3ez80o56oiQvuqGunhoSi5c8/edit?usp=sharing

Master List:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nd9634nZWf1FmHFZ6ofKxBiIwGPWqkct9T9H5ugDQBA/edit?usp=sharing

Now before you think we're done for the year, hold onto your hats! The Road Trip is coming in about two weeks, so start thinking about which post is your favorite to share. I know I personally saw lots of blogs where people were barely holding on, and I know that I didn't go look at as many blogs as I wanted to. So take some time in May and June, and beyond to visit blogs you didn't have a chance to visit before. And don't forget to let people know how you found them!

Happy blogging!
Jayden R. Vincente
Erotic Fiction Writer
A to Z Challenge Co-host

#AtoZChallenge After Survey and May Announcements

Welcome to May, A to Z bloggers! Here's what's going on right now.

1. The link to the after survey is below. Please fill it out if you did the challenge, didn't complete the challenge, thought about doing the challenge, did the challenge in a previous year, might do the challenge next year, etc. In other words, WE WANT YOU. Listen, the last few months were a real bear for the team. We had to adapt and come up with creative solutions to a lot of behind-the-scenes problems. Your feedback is the ONLY way we can know what we're doing right, doing wrong, or not doing at all. PLEASE, make time before May 18 to take the survey. Thank you.



2. GUEST POST SPOTS GIVEAWAY! What!?! Yeah, you read that right. We're giving away guest spots as a prize. To enter, fill out the after survey and check YES, that you wish to have a chance to win. Write your own, have team captain J Lenni Dorner interview you, or pitch us another idea. Use it yourself or auction it off. Any all-ages content, up to 2000 words, 7 images max. This blog has an impressive reach, as you probably know. The prize must be used between June 4, 2018 and March 3, 2019. Dates on a first come, first serve basis.  



3. Bonus good news! Filling out the survey can help you write your reflections post. It has been known to inspire discussions about what you did or did not like about the challenge. And it can remind you of what you've learned this month. For that reason, the SIGN-UP for reflections WILL REMAIN OPEN until May 18. (The same day the survey closes.) For those of you who don't know what a reflections post is, stop by on May 7 for the post with the details. 
   



4. The ROAD TRIP is coming back! This year, we're asking bloggers to pick ONE post from your #AtoZChallenge 2018 offerings and link it up. Which post that you published this year was your favorite? Start thinking about it, because the Road Trip is coming on MAY 23. (The Road Trip is where bloggers continue to visit each other from May thru March. Often, people will comment on one A to Z blog post and then surf to your latest post to leave a comment there as well.) 



5. Tee-shirts for sale. Our awesome graphics guy, Jeremy, made a tee-shirt for the 2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Think how cool you'll be strutting your stuff in the only official gear of the #AtoZChallenge! Impress people with your month of blogging and blog hopping fortitude by wearing a shirt that showcases your passion for this challenge. Post selfies in your shirt using our hashtag! Randomly find each other on the street. Wear it to remind yourself that you're part of an online community. Or wear it when you're going somewhere and need something that no one else is likely to wear. Perfect attire for rock concerts or the first day of college! It also makes a cool conversation starter among those who don't know what the challenge is. 



6. Former team member DL Hammons has WRiTECLUB voting still going on all month. It's your chance to make a difference for aspiring writers. Please check it out frequently!

To take part in the survey, please click: 

https://goo.gl/forms/ov9AUyP1dJ6lhoPl2

This form will close on MAY 18.

The A to Z team recommends TimeAndDate or WorldTimeBuddy for your time zone calculation needs.
We use Midnight GMT.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the standard by which all time zones are based. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the time zone used for UTC. That's why we use it.




https://goo.gl/9f9mfR
Click for the MASTER LIST of all participants who signed up for the #AtoZchallenge 2018!

Z is for Zzzzzz #AtoZChallenge

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have reached the end of the 2018 A to Z Challenge! Whew! Whether you planned it, winged it, stumbled or breezed through it, you deserve a pat on the back! Good job!

And now, go get some sleep.

Literally. Figuratively. Go and relax. Take some time off. Do something lazy and fun. Don't forget: Relaxing is important. Us writer-y, bloggy types tend to constantly go for the rush of writing, or feel like we should be writing, or thinking about writing. But it is just as important to let your brain rest occasionally, and recuperate for the next project.

So. Go sleep it off, and don't feel bad about it! We'll see you on May 7th for the Reflections posts!


If you wish to include a direct link to your blog post of this day's letter, please click: 

[LINK TO DAILY LETTER FORM ]

This form will close in 48 hours.

The A to Z team recommends TimeAndDate or WorldTimeBuddy for your time zone calculation needs.
We post at Midnight GMT.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the standard by which all time zones are based. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the time zone used for UTC. That's why we use it.


If you wish to visit other blogs in this bloghop challenge who have incorporated today's letter into their current post, please click: 
[ LINK TO DAILY LETTER SPREADSHEET ]
(If you intend to make a copy of the spreadsheet, we suggest waiting until the form closes.)


https://goo.gl/9f9mfR
Click for the MASTER LIST of all participants who signed up for the #AtoZchallenge 2018!


*********

Once again Jeremy Hawkins has designed a special T shirt to commemorate this year's challenge.
2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge T shirts now available!   For info visit A to Z T shirts.

************

More Testing 2

Still more testing...

More Testing - Please Ignore

Nothing to see here, folks...

Y is for You! #atozchallenge

If you've made it this far, you should be proud of yourself. You've done something not every blogger has done: posted every day (except Sunday) for a month. You still have today and Monday, of course, but after what you've done so far, you can probably do those with one hand tied behind your back.

Today's a day to celebrate! Get your post done, and have a good one!

   
If you wish to include a direct link to your blog post of this day's letter, please click:  https://goo.gl/forms/lqllqK9SIEOP39p13
If you wish to visit other blogs in this bloghop challenge who have incorporated today's letter into their current post, please click:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MGCPo2Vg-HzH0vCiSvZkjFYNesOeGLv56c8GofvSvus/edit?usp=sharing

Click here for the MASTER LIST of all participants who signed up for the #AtoZchallenge 2018!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nd9634nZWf1FmHFZ6ofKxBiIwGPWqkct9T9H5ugDQBA/edit?usp=sharing

Just one more to go!


*********

Once again Jeremy Hawkins has designed a special T shirt to commemorate this year's challenge.
2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge T shirts now available!   For info visit A to Z T shirts.

************

X is for ??? #AtoZChallenge

X is for ???

It's an incredibly difficult letter to come up with a post for, isn't it? Ironically, I used Xerox (adult content), which I now see the top result when googling "words that start with x."

xeroxed	xerarch	xyloses
xeroxes	xenopus	xerotic
xiphoid	xylitol	xysters
xanthic	xylenes	xeruses
xylidin	xanthan	xeroses

Then there are all the words that start with "ex," which aren't actually x words, but are close.

eXperimentation	eXemplification	eXpressionless
eXcommunication	eXperimentalism	eXtraodinaire
eXtracurricular	eXtralinguistic	eXhibitionists
eXhaustiveness	eXcitabilities	eXasperatingly

Hopefully you have all found good X words for 2018!  

What are your favorite X words we should keep in mind for next year?

~Jayden R. Vincente 

jrvincente.wordpress.com (adult content)

If you wish to include a direct link to your blog post of this day's letter, please click:
https://goo.gl/forms/AlXbVsKzfo18H5po2

If you wish to visit other blogs in this bloghop challenge who have incorporated today's letter into their current post, please click:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Z_0uDboo4zj2FsA0GemaFF8fTSuNKVeFpJpj17cL9V8/edit?usp=sharing


Click here for the MASTER LIST of all participants who signed up for the #AtoZchallenge 2018!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nd9634nZWf1FmHFZ6ofKxBiIwGPWqkct9T9H5ugDQBA/edit?usp=sharing

Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. - Vince Lombardi

2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge T shirts now available!   For info visit A to Z T shirts.

Just Testing, Again...

Just testing the Blogger-to-Wordpress pass-thru again. Please ignore.

W is for "What's Next?" #atozchallenge

As we approach the end of the 2018 A to Z Challenge, I'm sure many of you, particularly newer bloggers, are asking, "well, what do I do now?" 

When I did my first challenge in 2012, I got to the end of April, was proud of what I did, then went back to what was then my normal blog schedule, i.e. posting whenever I felt like it. The readers I had accumulated over that month would still drop by, but not all the time, and even when I had written what I considered to be a fantastic post, maybe they'd show up, maybe not. Of course, I wasn't a terribly regular visitor, either, so I guess it was to be expected.

The point is, you've built up some momentum here. You've made some new blogging buddies, you've found some interesting blogs, and you've gotten into the habit of writing on your blog regularly, if you haven't been already. Between now and the start of next year's challenge, you have eleven months to do more of the same. 

The daily link spreadsheets will still be on Google Docs, and so will the initial list and the theme reveal list. Take some time on a regular basis, maybe once a week, maybe once a month, to comb through those lists, look for blogs you didn't visit during the challenge and visit them. Keep making new friends and learning new things.

If you haven't been in the habit of blogging regularly, pick one day a week (or even every other week) and write and publish a post. If your readers know you're posting every Friday, they'll swing by your blog on Friday just to see what you have to say. When you have that going well, you might consider adding a second day, or a third. You don't have to blog everyday like I do, but the trick is to be consistent. 

And, by all means, plan on doing the After-Challenge Survey on May 3 and your Reflections post the week of May 7. The survey is your opportunity to tell us what you thought about this year's Challenge, and the Reflections post gives you the chance to tell your readers how you think it went for you. We'll have more on both soon, so stay tuned!

   
If you wish to include a direct link to your blog post of this day's letter, please click:

https://goo.gl/forms/CDOa2v3K4Oq2uJ5o2

If you wish to visit other blogs in this bloghop challenge who have incorporated today's letter into their current post, please click:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eg4AdBb2DiK4_rqjUyFoLSaEx5rCRhnVS4ZI1zFe7MM/edit?usp=sharing

Click here for the MASTER LIST of all participants who signed up for the #AtoZchallenge 2018!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nd9634nZWf1FmHFZ6ofKxBiIwGPWqkct9T9H5ugDQBA/edit?usp=sharing Almost done now! Hang in there!