#atozchallenge: Sunday Summary March 18, 2012

Voting for the A to Z Video Challenge ends tonight at 11:59 Eastern Time.  Don't forget to go to the voting tab at the top of this page and register your vote!


Still A to Z posts popping up everywhere!  Here are some that we found recently:

Rena J Traxel is looking for some help for her April Challenge project and she's got a contest underway as well.

Fang at Fang Talks is ready to bite into the Challenge.  Talk your friends into joining, Fang.

Susan Oloier, Author has gone and done it--signed up for the Challenge.  I'm going to have to check into those raspberry Hershey kisses that she mentions.

Minnie, the ever popular denizen of Siv Maria's blog Been there, done that, made an appearance this week to preview the upcoming April offerings for that blog.  Sounds like some naughty, but witty fun from A to Z.  Siv also had a post encouraging everyone to disable the dreaded Captcha.

Jaycee DeLorenzo needs someone to hold her--or a least provide some moral support to get through the Challenge.  You can do it Jaycee!

TMW Hickman is Not Just Another Mother Blogger.  She offers her Reasons to Blog from A to Z.

Li at Flash Fiction suggests "Topics You Could Use {But May Not Want To}".   Actually some of them sound pretty good.  I hope someone takes her up on these.

There was lots of buzz about Word Verification this past week.  Jeremy at Geeky Tendencies was one of those offering a reminder to turn it off for April.

Claire at Claire's Writing Log is dedicating her April Challenge to her infant daughter--stories that she can read to her little girl when she's old enough to understand.  What a cool legacy to create during the A to Z!

Nikki at Inspire Nordic was practicing her A to Z chops with a little encouragement for more bloggers to sign up for the Challenge.

Yadin Bromberg is still plugging away at the A to Z Challenge.  This time he's wondering what he should blog about during April.   Whatever it is have fun with it!

Mary Aalgaard at Play off the Page is thinking about words and the April Challenge.  She also has some questions for her readers.

A to Z inspiration from The Twilight Zone?  Sure, why not!  It worked for Anna Smith at Universal Gibberish and her post tells the story.

Jessica Bell and Dawn Ius have another great A to Z plan in mind this year.  Read about it at The Alliterative Allomorph


We're glad to hear that Delores from The Feathered Nest has decided to join us in the April Challenge after all.   She's come up with a theme we can all relate to.

Dare to Know All There Is to Learn has made its April intentions known.

Shannon at Shannon's Book Bag will be back to try the Challenge again this year with hopes that she won't run into similar obstacles as last year.  Good luck Shannon.

Another blogger signed up may be a Daydreamer but she's also One Mum, Two Girls, and a Chauffeur--well that's her blog.    Stop by and maybe you can help her decide how she should approach the A to Z Challenge.

A call was put out for poets to join the Challenge at My Heart's Love Songs.   Thanks!

A to Z co-host Tina Downey  paid a visit to House Revivals to tell more folks about the April Challenge.

In a seemingly slightly eccentric move, Rob at The Slightly Eccentric Diary of Rob Z Tobor looks like he's already started the A to Z Challenge on his blog, but his March posts are only a warm-up for things to come in April.

Another blogger convinced by others to join in the A to Z fun is Violet from Revolution Evolution.

Sometimes I feel like I'm losing track of the blogs I include on the Sunday Summary.  I try to leave a comment on the blogs I've included.  I didn't see my comment on Sabrina's Writing Reflections post announcing that she had joined in so here is the mention in this summary.

Gossip Girl offers up some helpful reminders at Whatever.

That's it for this week's Sunday Summary.  Please try and stop by some of these highly supportive blogs and make a new friend...or in some cases say hello to an old friend.


And Don't Forget to Vote, Vote, Vote for your favorite A to Z Video.  If you haven't seen the videos yet, they're short and fun to watch.   And voting is easy.   Show our video entrants your appreciation for what they've done.




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A-Z Challenge 101: Etiquette Lessons For the Truly Novice Blogger

Welcome to Blogging 101: Blogging Etiquette For the Truly Novice Blogger.


Hello class!  Today's lesson is a review.  The big event is just 15 days away, and I just want to go over three very important topics regarding manners.

Question 1: What does it mean to follow a blog?  Well class, that's one of those topics that is WIDE open for interpretation. It's the sort of question that each blogger gets to answer as he or she sees fit. I'll be answering with my interpretation, since I'm the teacher. There are many different opinions, and I'm hoping that the comments on this lesson will be others sharing there views on the topic. Ahem, ya'll hear that? When I follow a blog, I feel like I'm putting a book-mark on that page so I can find it again. There are millions of blogs out there. Stumbling across the really cool one with the sunflower and flamingos logo again is kinda like winning a carnival game. Fat chance. (The sunflowers and flamingos, that would be my newly remodeled blog, by the way.  Our very own Retro-Zombie Jeremy genius digital artist did that)

Some bloggers do what we call a return follow – if you follow my blog, I'll go follow yours. See the inherent problem here? What if no one starts that chain reaction? Then what do you do? YOU GO EVERYWHERE. The absolute best way to gain followers is to go visit as many blogs as you can. Follow the ones you'd like to come back to. Polite bloggers, and most are polite, will in some way respond to your comment, either by visiting you, or by email, or by following you.

Question 2: What's the difference between someone following my blog and me being in the sidebar in somebody's blog-roll? Again, everyone gets to decide this one. I have a list of over 100 blogs I follow, but my blog roll is reserved for those I visit regularly, and has about 20 blogs in it. I change it frequently to reflect what I'm currently reading. I think of it as my “must read” and it does help bring visitors to those blogs. If you go check your stats, you can see what blogs are sending visitors your way. I always consider it a big honor when I find myself in someone's blog-roll. For example, our own Alex J. Cavanaugh has 1414 followers. I'm in his blog-roll. Half of the new people who come to see me, come from his blog. That's a lot of very nice advertising for me. Not everyone displays a blog-roll, but I highly recommend you do. It's a nice community-building effort on your part, and will bring good return on your time invested.

Question 3: What are the rules about commenting? Say it with me this time: each blogger handles this in their own way. I hope that in the comments on this post, you'll hear more ideas so that you have a wide range of opinions on which to base your decisions. If I visit a blog, I leave a comment. It's a “you scratch my back – I'll scratch yours” deal, just like the following. To show that you've actually read the post, say something specific, and then you can leave a standard part like, "I'm visiting from the A-Z Challenge, nice to meet you."  Sometimes it's hard to find something positive to say, but try to find something in common. My Best and I call these comments, the “Oh! I have a dog too!” comments. I think you catch the drift.

Before I dismiss for the day, here's your homework:

1. Turn off word verification. See this post for directions.
2. Put a link to your blog in your signature so that we can easily visit you back.  
3. Play nice with each other. No post. Just do it.
   
   
   Please vote for your favorite A to Z Video.  Voting closes tomorrow, Sunday night, March 18.  For ballot, go to the top of this page and click on the tab that indicates "Vote for A to Z Video" and then follow the instructions.
   
   
   Thanks!
   P.S I'm also at House Revivals today, telling Amanda's 800+ followers about the challenge.  I'd consider it a personal favor if you hopped over there to say "hi" and leave a comment for her.  
   
   Tina @ Life is Good 
   Co-Host of the April A to Z Challenge 
    Twitter: @AprilA2Z #atozchallenge

Encouraging Comments – Make it Easy

Preparing for the Challenge is a lot of work. We have twenty-six posts to compose for April. We’ll put great effort into making each one count. Be a shame if we didn’t receive many comments though. That’s why we need to make it easy for visitors to leave comments!

Here are some of the stumbling blocks:

Word Verification

Most people don’t even realize they have it on. The new word verification is difficult, though. There are those who won’t even bother with blogs that have this feature. During the Challenge, be sure your blog is word verification free. Both blogger and Wordpress have excellent spam filters. If you’re still concerned, you can set up no anonymous comments or blog owner approval. For details on how to remove word verification, see J A Bennett’s very easy directions.

Embedded Comment Boxes

Blogger has improved this feature, but often the page has to load twice. If your blog contains many gadgets or images, this slows the process. Check your comment box to be sure it reloads quickly after a comment is made. Some bloggers report challenges with embedded comment boxes. If your page is slow reloading after a comment is made, consider switching to a pop up comment box instead.

Miscellaneous Hurdles

Some blogs require the answering of a math equation, the re-typing of a long code, or a comment of a certain length. Considering removing these things before the Challenge begins.

Eliminating these challenges is in your best interest. You’re participating in the A to Z Challenge not only to discipline yourself but to make new friends as well. Make it easy for visitors to leave a comment. Not only will you receive more comments, but those people will return to comment again!


Ninja Captain Alex is one of the A to Z Challenge co hosts and can be found HERE

Don't forget to vote for your favorite A to Z video.  Click tab above that says "Vote for your favorite video".




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A to Z Ideas: Monday Movie Meme from guest Nicole of Madlab Post

Nicole from Madlab Post

        Stuck for ideas of what to write about during the Challenge in April?   The ideas are everywhere and a number of bloggers have been offering their suggestions based on how they are going to approach this year's Challenge or what they did in years past.   Here's what Nicole from Madlab Post is going to be doing.












The Monday Movie Meme Invasion of April’s A to Z Challenge

      Finding inspiration to blog every day is a challenge alone. This struggle can easily be elevated when you are faced with the task of blogging along the lines of the alphabet. I have found that keeping to a schedule helps minimize the risk of writer's block and blogger burnout all year long. My general blogging schedule includes writing a post every Monday, for the Monday Movie Meme that I co-host with Dale aka Smurfdok at Smurfin' the Web.

Monday Movie Meme History & How it Works

       Dale and I host the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly blogging activity where Participants list and discuss movies that fit the current topic or theme chosen by him or me. If the topic is "What are Your Favorite Best Picture Oscar Winners?" or "The Big Payback: Revenge Flicks", then you would either leave a comment on the host (The Madlab Post or Smurfin' the Web) blog with movies that you can think of that fit that topic or you can write a blog post with your answer, making sure to link to the host and also leave a comment on the host blog with a link to your blog post, in order to participate in that week's Meme.

While a simple list of movie titles will do just fine.... especially for those who do not participate by writing a blog post and only leave a comment with their answers, it's also more fun to write a brief explanation of why you chose a particular film or basically, which characteristics of the film coincides with the Monday Movie Meme topic....if you choose to participate by writing a blog post with your answers. These explanations help other participants who are unfamiliar with any of the films on your list to learn more about the movie and determine whether it is something that they would want to rent or buy on DVD or at the very least, keep a lookout for it on their local TV listings.

Our Monday Movie Meme Plan for the A to Z Challenge

In April, Dale and I are both participating in the 2012 Blogging from A to Z challenge and thus, we are incorporating our Monday Movie Meme topics within the challenge. Each Monday in April, he and I will choose topics based on the current letter of the alphabet that is being covered during the A to Z challenge.

A to Z Challenge Participants are Invited

Bloggers who signed up for the 2012 A to Z challenge are welcome to also participate in the Monday Movie Meme, which offers some structure and motivation to write...a benefit that many of you who are still wondering what to write about may find quite useful...on Mondays, at least. After that, you're on your own. Just kidding. I'm still trying to figure out what to write on other days of the week, myself, so you're not alone. We're all in this together...another reminder of why it's so fun to be a part of the A to Z Challenge. In the meantime, A to Z Challenge bloggers are also welcome to participate in the regular weekly Monday Movie Memes from now until April. If anything, it will allow you to try the memes on for size and get into a routine of blogging on Monday.

Related articles

• A to Z Video Challenge: Some Ideas from Nicole (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• Twas The Night Before Christmas When Nicole Dropped In (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• 29 Meme-Inspired Movie Posters [PICS] (mashable.com)
• Internet Memes: The Online Trends That Won't Go Away (stylecaster.com)

Getting to Know the Co-Hosts - Matthew MacNish

Name: Matthew MacNish
Blog[s]: The QQQE, Project Mayhem, Afterglow Book Reviews, and, of course, this one.
Other Online Info: Twitter: "@MatthewMacNish," Facebook: "Matthew MacNish"
Publications: My short fiction has been published in the anthology Literary Foray, from Static Movement Press, and the online magazine: Vine Leaves Literary Journal.


10 GETTING TO KNOW YOU QUESTIONS

01. What is the most daring thing you've ever done?
Not something I plan admitting to on the internet ... although, one thing I can mention is: back in high school, in Minnesota, I went to winter camp, and one night, we sat in the sauna for hours, and then jumped through a hole cut in the ice down at the lake - naked.

02. What is your favorite article of clothing?
My shell-toed Adidas, any pair.

03. What is your favorite monster?
Gary Gygax's Gelatinous Cube, from Dungeons and Dragons. I even wrote a piece of flash fiction about it, for Underneath the Juniper Tree, which you can read: Cubic.

04. If you had to dress up as your favorite literary character, who would it be?
Hmm. Normally I would say Gandalf, from The Lord of the Rings, but Jeremy went with that the other day, so I'll say Aang, from Avatar: the Last Airbender (the most excellent animated series, not the terrible live-action film), because I want to ride that glider.

05. What is your favorite fairy tale, urban legend or nursery rhyme?
Beren and Luthien.

06. What is a cause near and dear to your heart?
The environment.

07. What's the strangest item you've used as a bookmark?
Another book.

08. Do you have any nicknames? What are they and how did you earn them?
Big Bird. I suppose that's because I'm tall? Or was it because my friend who made that one up is so short?

09. Name one habit you want to change in yourself:
When I drink too much, I sometimes end up hungover. I'm okay with the drinking part, it's the hangovers I'd like to get rid of.

10. Tell us something interesting or shocking about yourself:
Not sure about shocking, but it's probably interesting that I used to own a small, independent record label in Minneapolis. It was called Butterbeat Records, and we produced 12" vinyl singles, mostly hip-hop, trip-hop, and electro. It was so small, and so before the internet got big, that you can't even find much about it on Google.

SOME A-to-Z QUESTIONS

01. What was your favorite A-to-Z post from 2011?
I'm afraid I have to admit I've never taken part in the A to Z challenge before. The enormity of the commitment always intimidated me. Then Arlee and Alex talked me into it, and now I realize it's not nearly as difficult as it seems. So don't be afraid! Sign up, pick a theme, schedule some posts, and you'll be good to go.

02. What brought you to the A-to-Z originally? Tell us about your first A-to-Z:
See above. I have been following and reading many A to Z bloggers for, what is it now, three years? I've always enjoyed the posts, but this will be my first A to Z!

03. Are you doing a theme?
I am, and it will be revealed in April.

04. Are you writing & scheduling posts in advance?
Absolutely. I can't imagine doing it any other way.

05. What is your favorite letter of the alphabet, and why? What letter do you like least?
I'm not sure. K for Katana? S for Samurai, Sword, Sorcery? M for Magic (and Matt)? I'm not really sure. I love language, and I love letters, but I seem to have an affinity for the crooked ones. My least favorite is probably C. C wishes he could be S or K, and sometimes he tries to be, but he never quite manages it.



Voting for A to Z Video Challenge is now open.  Please click on Voting tab at the top of this page and fill out the ballot.   Links to videos can be found there as well.






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