More Easy Production Ideas for A to Z Video Challenge Entries : Guest Nicole from Madlab Post

Nicole from Madlab Post

         Nicole from Madlab Post is back with some more tips about making videos.  For those who are new to the A to Z Blog or just happened to miss the announcement along the way, we are having an A to Z Video Contest where you can submit a promo video for the April Challenge.  Details can be found by clicking a tab at the top of this page.  There is also a tab where you can go to visit some of the videos that have already been sent to us.  For those who may be intimidated by the prospect of making a video, Nicole is offering some assistance.

More Easy Production Ideas for A to Z Video Challenge Entries – Part 2

        Live shots, which are one of the easiest ways to make a promo for the A to Z Video challenge and get it up online was covered in Part 1 of my production tips for bloggers. Since all videos are not made equal, there are additional ways that you can promote the 2012 Blogging from A to Z Challenge using video editing programs that came with your computer and video footage that you recorded on a camcorder or modern day gadget such as an iPhone or digital camera. Here are some options that can be used to step things up a notch on the editing side when making an online video.

        Import the recorded footage that you want to use into a video editing program that came with your computer. This can be done using either a firewire cable or a USB cable, depending on the camera that you have. If you are using a PC, then you will be making your video with Windows Movie Maker. Mac users can use iMovie to edit their videos.

       To make this process easier, it may be better for you to start off with one or two Live Shot recordings based on the previous post (Part 1) on video tips. Once your video footage is imported into the video editing program, you can trim the footage so that the finished video only includes the portion of the footage that you want. You can also add titles to the video, which makes for a good time to add the address of the A to Z Challenge website in your video somewhere. The screen in Windows Movie Maker and iMovie will display the running time, so you can make sure that it is 2 minutes or less.

      You can also add a music track by importing an MP3 song or audio recording from your computer, into the video editing program and then adding it underneath your video on the timeline (assuming you are either using Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, but other editing programs such as Adobe Premiere Express allow you to add music as well…I just don’t remember what the interface of that particular program is like, so I won’t comment on it at this time) for an extra layer to your Blogging from A to Z promo. Once you have the video done the way you like it, export it or save it and then upload it online somewhere where it can be viewed by the public and submit it using the submission form on the A to Z website and then you're done.  

       Actually, you’re not done….don’t forget to promote it to your blogging friends and social networks or mention it or embed it on your own blog.

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Banners and Badges... What Would you like to See?

So we all have been coming up with ideas that would better serve all the participants, to make you feel you are all part of our "A to Z Challenge". I am and have been making several of the animated-styled "Banners and Badges" and I wondered what you all might want to see to put on your site/blog?

Some of the issues that come up are: will they fit to my site, do you want animated, how to get them to your site and that darn HTML codes. I hope to make some simple suggestions into making it a little easier and give you some copy and paste codes that will add flair to your site.

Some of the "How To" answers are on our "FAQ", so I will give you some things I have learned over on my time using "Blogger".

One: If you are looking for any of the banners/badges the codes are on main "A to Z" Challenge at top or bottom. Copy the text in box below and then follow these few steps [Blogger Only]:

01. Go to Dashboard

02. Click on Design/Layout

03. Add a Gadget

04. Scroll down until you find "HTML/JavaScript" click open

05. [New Window] Configure HTML/JavaScript comes up

06. Paste "Copied Code" into lower box

07. Give it a "Title"

08. Click Save [Almost Done]

09. Back to Design/Layout [your new banner/badge has to be placed] You need to put it somewhere on your Blogger site. This is completely up to you, we of course would like to see our "A to Z" Challenge up on the top.

Two: Adding A Photo/Picture to your "Blogger" site using our stuff... see the "Banner/Badge" above if you like them please take them, I will help you do that.

01. Right Click [PC] either of the images above and tab them into another window that image should be in a window all by itself. If there is a MAC person out there please share if this is something different, as I am working on PC.

02. Right Click that image and save that image to your hard drive, somewhere where you save your downloaded images.

03. Go to Dashboard

04. Click on Design/Layout

05. Add a Gadget

06. Scroll down until you find "Picture"

07. Add a Title: A to Z April Challenge

08. Add Link: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

09. Shrink to fit should be clicked on, to make sure it fits your site.

10. Add Image from Hard Drive and look for that image you saved in your downloaded images

11. Find image and click once so it is "Highlighted" from your computer [you can click twice, it will open much faster] then click open.

12. This image is now loading in the picture window, once complete "Click Save"

13. If the image is too small, then try reloading it... this time click off "Shrink to fit"

14. Back to Design/Layout [your new image/photo has to be placed] You need to put it somewhere on your Blogger site. This is completely up to you, we of course would like to see our "A to Z" Challenge up on the top.

Next Time: How to make your own Moving Pictures in your Post.

Any questions, please ask!

-Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]

Ps. Please let me know what kind of "A to Z Challenge" Banners/Buttons you would like to see, I will see what we can come up with.

Super Blog Sunday

        Despite a bit of a glitch with the Linky list on Friday night to Saturday, the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge of 2012 is off to a huge start.  Over 300 sign ups on opening day!  Captain Alex has been fixing the list whenever fixing has needed to be done so we have a purer list to work from once April comes.  Please let us know if your list information is incorrect and needs to be fixed.  Also, if you run across a link that is bad let us know so Alex can fix it.

        Today we'd like to pay tribute to some super bloggers.   A number of you have helped give the A to Z Challenge an extra boost with your guest posts on this blog as well as posts on your own blogs.

         Here are a few of the fantastic A to Z promoting blogs that have been brought to my attention:

Teresa at Journaling Woman gave a textbook presentation of how to do the A to Z Challenge.  This is an outstanding post that you should check out.

Inky the Hamster Mommy gave the Challenge a nice plug the weekend before sign-ups began.  If you want to see what a niche blog is all about, you need to take a look at Inky's place.  You might end up getting diverted for awhile playing with the cute little hamster.

A new entrant to the Challenge is Aimee Kay from How Can You Help?.   In keeping with her blog name she's helping out by promoting the Challenge.  Check out Aimee's blog for relevant ways to help in your community.

Now whenever I hear someone say "Whatever", I'll be thinking of the Gossip Girl since Whatever is the name of her blog.  She also gave A to Z a shout-out and that's all fact and not gossip.  Well, Whatever!   Hmm,  I like that.

Shay from  Seriously--WTH? joined in the list debut day celebrations with a rousing call to blog action.  Thank you, Shay!

More stirring words came on a debut day post from Jamie at Mithril Wisdom.   Jamie will be a guest on the A  to Z Blog this coming Thursday.

Also spreading the news about A to Z was Heather M. Gardner at The Waiting Is the Hardest Part.

We also appreciate the nod given to the Challenge by Beth Stilborn at On Writing, Reading, the Arts, and Life.

       I'm sure I've missed more of your promo blogs for the April Challenge.  I'm trying to keep my eyes open to catch as many as I can.  I want you to know that we appreciate everything each of you are doing to let more bloggers know what will be happening in April of 2012.  Keep on spreading the news!


Facebook fans!!!  Please "Like" the A to Z Facebook page by clicking the button on the sidebar or go to the page itself at:


  http://www.facebook.com/atozchallenge


We are nearly at 100 likes.   Let's push that number up!


Twitter users!!!   Team member Damyanti, our Twitter news editor, has requested that you get the word out on Twitter.  Follow the Challenge and tweet it everywhere.  Here's our Twitter info:

Twitter: @AprilA2Z

#atozchallenge

Can we get the Twitter followers to 1000?

Related articles

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• To blog or not to blog (wordingmythoughts.wordpress.com)

Adding Badges and Banners to Your Blog

Badge by Jeremy at Retro-Zombie

     The 2012 A to Z Challenge is off to an exciting start.  We are hovering around the 500 count right now and growing steadily.  I encourage each of you to continue promoting the Challenge on your blogs and in comments.  Let's aim for 1000 sign ups before the end of February.  We'll give some reasons why you might want more sign-ups in future posts.

       Alana Garrigues from Writercize did a nice job promoting the Challenge this past week. Check this out:

http://technorati.com/blogging/article/benefits-of-blogging-challenges/    

Please show Alana your appreciation by stopping by her blog to say hello and thank you.   We'll probably hear more from Alana on this site in the weeks to come.  

       Have you seen the A to Z Twitter newspaper that Damyanti has been managing for the Challenge?  It's in the sidebar to your right if you want to click on it and see the full thing.  Damyanti has been doing an outstanding job keeping the Twitter buzz going with tweets and the newspaper.   If you're on Twitter be sure to follow the Challenge at @AprilA2Z.   The hashtag is #atozchallenge.  Since I'm not on Twitter yet I don't know exactly what this means, but those who are should know what I am talking about.  Keep the Twitter buzz coming.  Damyanti will be here on the A to Z Blog in an upcoming segment to talk more about this Twitter topic.  

        Jeremy from Retro-Zombie will be also providing you with some helpful information in an upcoming post.  In case you don't know him yet, Jeremy is one of the A to Z co-hosts.  I encourage you to stop by his blog and say hello.  He is a very creative guy.  Jeremy is responsible for the animated badges and banners you can find here on the A to Z Blog page and have probably been seeing popping up on blogs everywhere.  Have you added one to your page yet?

         We've had a number of folks wondering how to add badges and banners to their sites.  Today I'm providing a brief how-to for those of you who have Blogger blogs:      

    How do I add a badge or banner to my own blog? (old Blogger format)   

 Here is how to put the badge or banner that includes code on your site if you are using the old Blogger .

1. Copy the code beneath whichever badge or banner you prefer. The badges and banners  appear on the A to Z Blog page. The code is in a small text box beneath the badges and banners.

2. Click "Design" at the top right hand corner and you should be taken to a page where page changes can be made.

3. You should see a sidebar with a little box that says "Add a Gadget" at the top. Click that link.

4. A pop-up box should appear. Scroll down to "HTML/ Java Script" and click the plus sign.

5. A configure box should appear. You can give a title. In this case something like "Blogging from A to Z Challenge" or "I'm Blogging from A to Z in April". Then in the content box you will paste the code that you have previously copied. Click save and that box should disappear.

6. to be safe also click "Save" on the top right of the Page Element page. Then click view blog and you will be taken to the blog page again where you should see the badge if you've done it right.

How do I add a badge or banner to my own blog?

These directions are for installing the “2012 Blogging from A to Z” badge or the other badges and banners that provide code on a Blogger-hosted blog, using the newest version of the editor.

1) Choose the badge or banner you wish to add.

2) Copy the code from the box under the badge.  Make sure you scroll through that whole window because there's more code than is displayed in that small box.

2) Click "design" at the top, right of your own blog.

3) Click "layout" from the menu down the left side of the page.

4) Click "add a gadget" in the place where you'd like the badge

5) Scroll down the list of available gadgets until you get to "html/javascript" "add 3rd party functionality or other code to your blog", then click the blue plus sign.

5) Paste the code you copied in step one into the big, blank box.

6) If you want to add a caption, put it in the strip where it says, "title".

7) Click "save."

8) Now view your blog to see if it worked!

         Remember that whenever you have questions, you can ask in the comment section or click on the FAQ tab above to see if the question has already been answered.  If there is no answer yet, ask!

          Hope you're having fun visiting your fellow A to Z-ers.  If you're not yet, I encourage you to drop by some of them between now and April.

          Don't forget the Video Contest.  You can read about it by clicking on the appropriate tab at the top of the page.  If you missed it earlier this week, I leave you with the most recent entry sent in by Kathleen at Living 2012:

Light My Fire: Reflections on the A to Z Challenge

Today we have the privilege of helping Jaime D. of Awakenings and Reflections celebrate her blog's 2^nd anniversary! She's guest posting to offer some motivations that will light the fire in YOU  to join us for the challenge!  Let's give her a warm, alphabet-fan welcome!

Light My Fire: Reflections on the A to Z Challenge

       I have been blogging for two years and really enjoy it. There are so many interesting people in the world and blogging connects us on multiple levels. As much as I love blogging, I just don’t feel like I have fully embraced it. I am intentional about creating my posts and I truly appreciate all of the amazing writers and photographers who share their work. I’ve been feeling stuck, though. I have felt like I need to move forward and I didn’t know how to. That is until I came across an A to Z Blogging Challenge badge at Teresa's blog, Journaling Woman.

     After reading about the Challenge, I feel motivated to join. More importantly, I feel motivated to write. Since this will be my first time, I’ve been reviewing the great tips and resources out there. It seems like most people are faced with the ultimate question: to write posts ahead or not? I have decided to choose my words prior to April. They will be words that mean something to me so that when I write I am being authentic. I have created a table with the different posting days in April and am jotting down one or two words (post themes) when they pop into my head. But who am I kidding? I am a procrastinator and I work best under pressure. I’ve always been like this and it is too late in life to pretend that I’m not. I’ll probably end up with a combination of pre-written and in-the-moment posts.

       I’m sure that this challenge holds different meanings for everyone involved and that bloggers are motivated to join for an array of unique reasons. For me, the A to Z Blogging Challenge is the spark that has been missing in my blog world. I already feel a rush of adrenaline from the anticipation, an increased sense of community and the energized feeling I get when I know I am about to embark on an adventure. My creative fire has been lit and I am thankful for the spark provided by the A to Z Challenge.

Wishing that everyone finds their spark,

Jaime, of Awakenings and Reflections

   

How to save a post for a later date and time

I remember how tickled I was when I found out how to save a post for a later date and time.

This is how it’s done, using the “old” Blogger interface. 

Write a post.

Decide on the date and time of posting.

Click on Post Option.

Select the Schedule at option.

Then go ahead and set the date and time.

Click on picture to enlarge.

When you are finished setting the date and time you MUST press the PUBLISH POST button to save it as “Scheduled” to your post listings.

If you go back and edit this post, you MUST press the PUBLISH POST otherwise it will be saved as a draft.

Click on picture to enlarge.

Finally, this is how it will look in your Posting List. Note the difference! 

Click on picture to enlarge.

I hope you find this helpful - if you need further assistance you can visit me HERE and leave me a note; you can also leave your questions here in the comment section...either way, I’ll be happy to help you out!

Cheers, Jenny @ Pearson Report

A to Z Video Challenge: Some Ideas from Nicole

         Now that you're signed up for April you've got 2 months to get ready for it.  This is a great time to make a video to enter into the A to Z Video Promo Contest.  Make a short video about the A to Z April Challenge and submit it to us.   Check the above tabs for more details.  And to provide some helpful tips on video ideas we have Nicole from The Madlab Post with us.

Easy Production Ideas for A to Z Video Challenge Entries – Part 1

Nicole from The Madlab Post

Contrary to what some bloggers who are Blogging from A to Z in April may believe, making a video for the A to Z Promo Contest that is open now, is pretty easy. It’s 2012! Meaning, you don’t need rolls of 8mm film and conversion equipment to submit something to the A to Z Video Challenge. All you need is a video recording device. Don’t have a camcorder? That’s ok too.

In this day and age, you probably own at least one gadget that has the capabilities to give you a two minute long video recording, such as an iPhone, iPod, Digital Camera (you know, the ones you use to take digital photos of your vacation or kid’s birthday party with? If you have a newer model, as in the last 5 years or so, it should have a video recording feature), Flipcam, Android phone with video capability, DSLR with video capability or a webcam…yes, I said a webcam, but before you either get your undies in a bunch or start losing them to get ready for your closeup because you’re such an exhibitionist, read on as I unpack a box of the simplest ways for Bloggers participating in the A to Z challenge to make a video promo for this event….webcam not included!

It’s all in the Live Shots

Make a video that features everything you want all in one shot, or rather, one recording. You just press the record button, record all you need to get in the video…in 2 minutes or less, of course, and be done with it. It does not matter what you choose to be the subject of your live shot nor does it matter what you record, so long as everything is included to convey the message that you want to get across to viewers.

You can record yourself talking to the camera, similar to the style in which one would record a live video podcast or TV contest entry. For those of you who are camera shy, like me, you also have the option to let the world or your surroundings speak for you. Record your pets or an area of beautiful scenery in your town and then signage to convey the message of your video. Want music? Play a song on your radio in the background while recording the video. Don’t have a radio? Fine. Put a CD into your DVD player and turn on the TV to let the sound play through the speakers in the background. Problem solved!

Have kids? Great! Let them be the star of the live shot and instruct them to talk about the A to Z challenge or the alphabet in general. You can also use props to spice up your live shot so that it doesn’t look like a talking head from the local news broadcast, boring viewers to death. That is of course, unless you want to have a talking head video as your live shot. There are ways to make this work without being boring.

You can either record a simple video testimonial, talking about your previous experience with the A to Z challenge, why you plan to blog from A to Z in April or what your exact blogging strategy is to complete the challenge and come out on the other side in one piece…OR…you can find one of those silly Bobble head toys (they make a lot of them for NFL players) and record the bobble head while you act as the voice in the background. The live shot approach works well for those using digital cameras or video camcorders that can be easily connected to a computer for sending to a hard drive and/or then uploading to YouTube or other online video website of your choosing.

Stay tuned for more ideas for the folks among you who want to take it a step further and get all fancy with recorded footage! In the meantime, if you need inspiration or need to see examples of how simple yet powerful one shot or live shot video recordings can be, just check out some of the “My Secrets” uploads on YouTube. This one made by Kaline Bran almost moved me to tears.


Visit Nicole at
The Madlab Post

video link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENZIaXjVAc4


Here's a quick sample that Nicole put together for this post that will further illustrate what she's talking about above:




And here is our latest entry sent in from Kathleen at Living 2012:



See--isn't that fun?

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Here's What Nancy Knows....

Today’s guest post comes from Nancy, who blogs as dogear6 at Living The Seasons.  Nancy also has another blog at A Daily Life, that serves as a resource for writers, diarists, and bloggers. 

Some Notes From Nancy:

I'm looking forward to trying this year's A to Z Challenge and I'd like to share with everyone why this excites me

Because I can do it.

That's right, because I can do it.  And so can you.

Last year, I coordinated and participated in a daily random word challenge.  Each day, myself and other participants wrote a post, using a word that had been randomly selected by the computer. 

My first posts were mostly a definition of the word and a picture, with maybe a paragraph as to why I picked that picture.  Slowly I began writing better content to where the posts meant something to me and were something I wanted to share to encourage others, amuse them, or point out beauty. 

I got really discouraged in early July because I had so much I wanted to share but the random words restricted my choices so badly.  I realized that I had to be more creative in using the words while posting the topics I wanted. 

By the end of 2011, my posts had quality and quantity.  There were very few topics left in my journal jar as I'd managed in someway to get them all out. 

Having finished (survived) a daily challenge, I highly recommend it.  It's a great way to get consistency, get into the habit of writing, and train the muse to show up when needed.  At the end of it, you have a body of work. 

Here were some of my tricks when I got stuck:

·        Look up the meaning of the word in Wiktionary.

·        Use Wikipedia to get some background information.

·        Look up quotes that use the word.  I might use the quote in my story, sometimes it was just a tool to get my ideas flowing.  My favorite quote place is Brainy Quote, but you can find all kinds of quotes by using Google.

·        Look up the word with Google and just see what happens.

·        Look through my journals for something I may have written with a theme similar to the word (i.e., in my backspace posting, I looked for things I’d expressed regrets about).

·        Brainstorm with my husband.  He has a good sense of humor and is usually up to making suggestions.  I may not like his ideas, but he’s a good resource to get my brain unstuck.

·        And sometimes I just sat at the table and looked out the window to see if the backyard had answers for me :)

Once I got my ideas flowing, I developed them into a story with a beginning and end, as well as an explanation of why it was important to me and what I’d like for my family and friends to remember.  I used the writer’s favorite five W’s – who, what, when, where, and why.  They’re a reliable tool and give good structure to any story.

I hung in there every day, even when I didn’t feel like doing the word of the day, even when I didn’t know HOW I was going to use the word of the day, even when I didn’t want to spend more time at the computer after being at work all day.  It was worth it to share my thoughts, get the feedback, hear from my friends (old and new), and bring joy to those around me.

Each time I thought of skipping a day, I’d think a) the other participants will be posting and I have to keep up; b) my Mom will miss it; c) my girlfriend’s daughter will be looking for more dog pictures; d) it greatly amuses everyone to see how I use today’s word and e) if I want to write, I need to write.  And so I wrote.

It’s hard to pick several favorite posts from 2011.  I did a lot of good work in the challenge.  Several particularly noteworthy posts include Culture Norms Are A Pile of Moose Muffins (about my cousin who had Down’s syndrome), Phase of the Summer (about fleeting days), and Moo Cards Explain Me (who I am, using the word of the day “moo”). 

So do the A to Z Challenge! Some days will be easy, others will not.  You’ll have good posts and mediocre ones.  That’s okay – the game is to show up each day and do it.  With practice, you’ll get better and so will your creativity. 

Please note that my materials are copyright by a Creative Commons Attribution license.  For more information, visit or contact me at www.livingtheseasons.com.   

Official A to Z Sign Ups open today

       The list is open.  You can now sign up.  Please enter your information carefully so that the link goes to your blog.  If you haven't read the A to Z posts that appeared on this blog over the last three days, I would suggest that you scroll down this page and read through them.  There is information that is very helpful to you if you will be participating in the Challenge.

       Also, please stop by the co-hosting blogs to let them know that you have signed up for the Challenge.  Show us your appreciation by becoming a follower of our blogs and introduce yourself to us.  You can find the list of A to Z co-hosts to the right of this page about halfway down the sidebar.  While you're on the sidebar please become a follower of this blog and click that you Like Us on FaceBook.

       We have added Contact Us and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) tabs to the A to Z page in case there are things you need to know or problems that you may have concerning the Challenge.   Let us know if you find a link that you think is faulty or directs you to a non-participating site.  We are going to try to keep the list filled only with active A to Z participants, but we will need everybody's help to do this.   After today, the A to Z Linky list will be found at one of the tabs at the top of the page.     

       There's lots more to come on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog so keep checking back on a regular basis so you don't miss any news.  Now get your link on the list:









         And now that you're signed up, feel free to meet and greet the others on the list.  April is sooner that it seems!




..

The Countdown Begins.....

     

           Kick off for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge starts in just a few hours.  Are you ready?

           Are your blogs dressed for the occasion?  Badges, buttons, and banners?   Are you ready to meet your fellow bloggers who will be taking part?

         Have you been planning posts and strategies?   It's time to put on your best blog face and show the blogosphere what you've got?  

        Wait a minute!  We still have two months don't we?  Sure we do, but it's not too soon to start getting ready.

         The list will be going up soon and hopefully you will be adding your name to this blog roll of honor.  But don't forget your fellow bloggers.  This year's list is bound to be big.  So big that few of us will make it through during April.  This week will be the time to start meeting your fellow A-to-Z-ers.

          Over the course of the next couple of months take the opportunity to get to know the others in the Challenge.    Go through the list and follow your favorites or follow them all if that's your preference.   And please don't forget to follow the hosts of this Challenge.  We've been working hard putting together the mightiest blog event of them all. There will be a lot happening on all of our blogs and you won't want to miss any of it.

           Keep your eyes right here on the A to Z Blog for all the latest happenings.

           Also, don't forget that there is still the A to Z Video Contest going on.  Let's have some videos.  On Wednesday we'll have a special post about the Video Contest that may be of big help to you.

            A to Z is everywhere.  Keep your senses alert!     

Related articles

• Show Your Support! (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• Blogging from A to Z April Challenge-- 2012 Edition (tossingitout.blogspot.com)
• The Official A to Z Badge Is Ready and the News on the A to Z Reflections Tour (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• Don't Forget the Audience You Already Have (a-to-zchallenge.com)

Tell Me About This A to Z Challenge

Artwork by Ada Z

         Many of you reading this know about the April Challenge, but there are still some of you who have heard about Blogging from A to Z and don't know what it is.  Or perhaps there are those who are still trying to decide or are even afraid to try it.  Don't worry--it's all in good fun!

        If you're new to the A to Z Blog, be sure to click on the tabs at the top of the page to see if that information answers your questions.   There are a couple of polls in the sidebar for you to answer if you'd like to express yourself.  And please click the "friend connect" button to become a "Friend of the Alphabet".  That's not the same as the sign-up list but it will keep you connected to the official Challenge blog.

        The sign-up list will appear this coming Monday January 30th.  You will be able to find it at the A to Z Team of hosts' blog sites and on this blog.  The A to Z Team blogs are listed about halfway down the sidebar to your right.   Be sure to visit all of the blogs of our Team members, drop in to say hello, and follow our blogs.   We will all have our own updates in addition to the ones on this Challenge Blog and each blog host may have their own special surprises along the way.  Don't miss out on that part of the fun.

         Alex Cavanaugh talked about the Linky List yesterday on this blog.  If you missed that post be sure to scroll down and read it.  Tomorrow we'll have some last minute business before the big day on Monday.

        After Monday the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge Blog will continue presenting daily posts with Challenge news and helpful tips about doing the Challenge and blogging in general.  Be sure to check into this site frequently.

          Here's a check list of what you can do before Monday if you will be participating in the A to Z April Challenge:

• Add the official A to Z Badge in a prominent place on your site.  The top of the sidebar is probably best.  Announce to other bloggers that you will be participating in April by displaying the official logo.  Use the code under one of the badges on this page to place it on your site.
• There are a couple of  animated A to Z graphics that I'm sure you've seen.  These were created by co-host Jeremy at Retro-Zombie.  If you copy the code beneath each of these you can transfer this code to your own blog design page and you will have your own animated banner or button minus the code.   It makes a snazzy addition to dress up your page and show your enthusiasm for the Challenge.   If you still don't know which animated pieces I'm talking about, it's the apple to zebra banner at the top of this page and the flashing letters of the alphabet about halfway down the sidebar.   They'd look very nice on your blog.
• Plan a post about the A to Z Challenge.   Let your regular readers know what you'll be doing in April and encourage your fellow bloggers to join you.  You can do one or as many posts as you like about the Challenge.  Talk about previous years, what you plan on doing this year, or ideas that you think might help others.   This provides your blog content and gets the word out to others.
• Spread the word about the April Challenge.  Shout it out on Facebook, Twitter, or whatever social media you like to use.  Let others know that the sign-ups will be starting and let them know when you've signed up.  Let's make the first day of sign-ups a big splash.
• Follow the A to Z Challenge Facebook page.  Also click the follow button for Networked Blogs.  Help the A to Z presence grow.

       You are a big part of the success of A to Z.   Last year was a hit because of wonderful bloggers like you.   We're going to make 2012 even bigger and better.    

          Some of you have been putting up some wonderful promotional posts to spread word about the A to Z Challenge and that is greatly appreciated.  There are posts like the one found Sommer Leigh's blog.  That's the kind of post that will stimulate more interest as it explains what the Challenge is all about.

          If you blog about the Challenge, let us know here in the comments or by sending one of us an email.  We'll try our best to get you and your post recognized.   Thanks for your help and participation.  Now let's do some prepping for Monday's big day.

Related articles

• Meet the A to Z Team for 2012 (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• A Favorite Blogger Speaks: Reflections from Alex J. Cavanaugh (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• The Fantastic A to Z Ride: Observations by Shannon the Warrior Muse (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• Show Your Support! (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• Survival Hints for the A-Z Challenge: How to Pre-Schedule a Post (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• Stephen Tremp Celebrates the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge (a-to-zchallenge.com)

Making the Sign-up List Work

With the sign-up for the A to Z Challenge starting on Monday, some of you may have questions and concerns. There were almost thirteen hundred participants last year and some people felt overwhelmed. Some signed up but never posted. A few sites were nothing but advertisement.

This year, we are prepared!

The sign-up list will be monitored by all thirteen hosts. We will check every link before the Challenge begins. This should eliminate advertisement and ghost sites.

Once the Challenge is underway, non-participating blogs will be removed. Now, we will give people a chance to get started and benefit of the doubt if they miss a post or two. No problem! But those who fail to post over a long stretch or at all will be removed as soon as they are discovered. Wasting time visiting sites that weren’t participating was a complaint we heard often in 2011, and we want to maximize everyone’s time this year.

Looking at a list of over a thousand blogs is daunting! Here’s the plan for avoiding feelings of hopelessness:

In order for everyone to benefit from the Challenge, we ask that you start with the blog immediately following yours and move towards the end of the list. (Looping back around to the beginning if you ARE the end of the list!)

Don’t overwhelm yourself trying to visit everyone. Can you visit just five a day? Start with the one after yours and visit five each day –  after twenty-six days, that’s a hundred and thirty blogs. Everyone on the list has time to visit five new blogs a day!

By implementing all of this, we hope that everyone will have a great time during the Challenge.

Because if you don’t have fun, we don’t have fun!

And for me, that is cause for Epic Ninja Fail….

A Whirlwind Romance: Guest Post from Mish, Writer-in-Transit

        Today, January 26th, marks a first year anniversary for Mish's blog Writer-in-Transit.  As part of her celebration of blogging she is here to tell about her love affair with the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

                                         A Whirlwind Romance

No matter what people say or how much you read about a whirlwind romance, nothing can prepare you for the experience!

Last year, I had a holiday romance. My very first! You know the one where you live in the moment; steal away to connect at every available spare moment; experience that heady anticipation; constantly think ahead to the next tryst; you know it cannot last forever but you can’t help yourself anyway… you are sucked in by this entire episode.

The daily rendezvous was exciting… magical… and just three days short of the end, life threw me a curve ball and – BOOM!! It was over! Just like that! I mean, I knew that it wouldn’t last forever, but to have the “rug pulled from under my feet” was a major anti-climax…

And that, dear bloggers, describes my 2011 A-Z experience. Despite the curve ball (of a technical nature), I DID complete the challenge but failed to do so within the specified time-frame (I posted X, Y & Z two days late…)

Sadly, there was no one to greet me at the end of my Zip-a-dee-doo-dah post. I even re-worked the lyrics of that rather infectious, happy-go-lucky-not-a-care-in-the-world styled song, to suit the mood of that moment.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah

Zip-a-dee-ay

My oh my what a sense of dismay

Total deflation at the end of the day

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah

Zip-a-dee-ay !!

I didn’t get to collect the wonderful “I survived” button or even write a Reflection post (well that’s a whole different story…)

Now to the good news!! This whirlwind romance will resume in about 2 months time. I can’t wait for it… the anticipation… the trysts… the frenzy… the feeling of being swept away on a sea of emotions… and I will be there, wearing my heart on my sleeve!

        Some steamy fun ahead for the participants of Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  Sign-ups begin on Monday January 30th.  Are you ready to be "swept away on a sea of emotions".   Now hop on over to Writer-in-Transit and say hello to Mish and a bon voyage for her journey into another year of blogging and a new A to Z Challenge.  Thank you, Mish,  for visiting us today.

Related articles

• A Real Challenge for the Moody Ones: guest jnana from Spill Beans (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• The Retired Knitter Is Not a Quitter: Elaine Shanks (a-to-zchallenge.com)

Don't Forget the Audience You Already Have

With all the frenetic buzzing around A-to-Z preparation, it struck me that I was forgetting one important factor: my current followers. Last year when I participated in the A-to-Z, I had two followers (no idea how they'd found me), so it wasn't an issue. I hadn't really established what I was even blogging about from day-to-day. I think I had three posts, total. This year, however, I'm approaching the A-to-Z with some actual followers and a fairly regular schedule.

While many of those followers were gained during last year's A-to-Z, not all of them were, which means putting my regular blogging schedule on hold isn't necessarily feasible (or the best thing to do). I'm in the A-to-Z to meet other bloggers and writers, as well as to challenge myself and have a good time; I'm not in it to lose the followers I currently have! As such, my plans have changed a bit on what I'll be posting during the A-to-Z. I can't forget the readers I already have, while reaching out to those who are new to me. My regular schedule will be worked into the theme of my A-to-Z posts to insure everyone is included.

So, as you plan (or not) what you'll be posting during the A-to-Z, consider taking a moment to figure out how to keep your current followers happy, as well, especially if there is a theme or meme that draws a lot of readers your way on any given day. You want to include them in the fun!

May you find your Muse.

Shannon Lawrence
The Warrior Muse