#atozchallenge -- Theme Reveal Sign-up is Open!

Sign-ups for the 2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge are already under way. If you have done it before, you know how much fun it is (good for you!) and if you have not, this is your chance to give it a try. You can sign up to participate HERE.

One of the most burning questions participants ask themselves every year is: "Should I have a theme?" Themes are not mandatory, but definitely fun. They let your visitors know what to expect, and help you create posts that line neatly up from A to Z. They also have an added bonus – they let you participate in a whole separate blogfest!

Three years ago, A to Z participant Mina Lobo started the Theme Reveal, and we thought it was such a great idea that we made it tradition.

Here is how the Theme Reveal Blogfest works:

Sign up on the Linky List below. On Monday, March 21, reveal your theme on your blog and give us a hint of what to expect from it. Then, once your post is up, use the Linky List to visit all the other blogs announcing their themes.

This is a great opportunity for all of you to get a jump start on your A to Z experience. You can link up with fellow bloggers, scout out and bookmark themes that you look forward to, and lure in wandering participants with your awesome theme. This way, by the time the frenzied posting begins on April 1, you will already have an audience eagerly awaiting your posts.

Sign up below, ready your theme, and put March 21 on your calendar!

#atozchallenge -- Who the heck is Heather?

Hi. I'm Heather.

This will be my 6th year doing the A to Z Challenge and each year it gets more interesting.

My 3rd year I was recruited by Alex J. Cavanaugh to be a Ninja Minion and in my 4th year Alex conned me convinced me to be a co-host!

As for my posts, my 1st year (2011) I went completely random, but for the next three years my blog was taken over by the Gnome.

You may know him as Stormy the Weather Gnome.

He took a slight break last year when I hosted The Re-opening of The X-Files theme where I shared 26 days of my love for the show, old and new information, and all my memorabilia.

Is it possible that Stormy will be back this year? Only time (and glue) will tell.

You can find all my A to Z posts HERE. 

We hope you join us for this year's Blogging from A to Z April Challenge!


Heather M. Gardner
Blog: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
Twitter: @hmgardner

Facebook: HeatherWritesRomance

#atozchallenge -- Introducing co-host AJ Lauer

Montserrat Monastery, Spain
September 2014

Hello friends! Nice to meet you!

My name is AJ Lauer. I am an author and educator living in the Front Range of Colorado, USA. This is my fifth year participating in the A-Z Challenge and my third year as a co-host. Can't believe it's been so many years already!

In general blog about whatever I want - hiking/travel, gluten-free baking, education, writing. The same goes for my A-Z themes. I've done writing prompts, 'Things That Make Me Happy', random interesting things, and last year's super-fun interactive A-Z Pick Your Plot story.

On the Challenge Team I am a scheduling master - so I help our team keep track of all the things we have going on, including posts, our own A-Z Challenge participation, and timing of other A-Z related events (Theme Reveal Day, etc). I'm also a bit of a data hound, so the participant survey you'll get at the end of the event is a care package from me - please fill it out! :)

Here are all the places you can find me. Stop by and say hello:
The blog
Goodreads
FacebookTwitter @ayjaylauerBuy my book! Armageddon: Pick Your Plot
Join my email list! New subscribers get a free ebook novella. Hooray!

Have a wonderful Challenge, everyone :)


And! Don't forget, our first A-Z Twitter chat is tomorrow, February 18! Join us at 9pm Eastern time (USA) at #azchat. Co-hosts will be around to answer questions and share in general excitement. See you there!

#atozchallenge -- Meet your co-host: Csenge

Sziasztok!

My name is Csenge, I am your friendly neighborhood Hungarian co-host. This is my second year co-hosting, and my 5th year in the Challenge! It has been constant fun, and I am looking forward to yet another great year.

About me: 

I am a professional storyteller and author, currently working on my PhD in Culture Studies (my area of research is storytelling in role-playing games). Most of what I do revolves around epics, mythology, folktales, fairy tales, books, and RPGs. Usually in some combination of those. I am also a game- and comic book nerd, and I watch more TV shows than I care to admit. 

To my defense: I am minoring in Pop Culture Studies.

#PhDlife

Blogs and things:

The Multicolored Diary

Here I write about storytelling-related things. Past Challenge themes include Epics A to Z, Weird Princesses, and Tales about Colors. 

MopDog: The crazy thing about Hungarians...

Exactly what it sounds like: My musings on weird and unique Hungarian things. Last year's theme was "26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary."

Twitter: @TarkabarkaHolgy

Book: Tales of Superhuman Powers (55 myths, legends and folktales that featured superpowers way before comic books came along - stories with notes, sources, and pop culture references) 

Oh, and I have an Old English Sheepdog. I thought that was important.

Sometimes I crochet mythical animals. 

I am looking forward to visiting with all of you in April! :)

Why do I love the #atozchallenge so much?

 Today's post is from Vidya Sury, who is part of my team for this A to Z 2016.

Some of us co-hosts are still finalizing our teams, so if have participated in the challenge before, and want a turbo-charged AZ this time, email us at the contact address:  contactatozteam@gmail.com

---------Take it away, Vidya!

The A to Z Challenge is one of my favorite blogging activities.

Okay, okay, my favorite!

That I love to write, is a given. I do occasionally take part in other blogging/writing challenges. But why am I absolutely hooked to the A to Z Challenge?

I first learned about the A to Z Challenge in 2013 when Damyanti of Daily (W)rite tagged me on Twitter. I fell in love with the concept. Blogging daily with thousands of people in a specific pattern appealed to me tremendously. So many perspectives and so many genius themes and ideas to meet! The whole idea filled me with joy and I energetically jumped in. I could think of nothing but ideas for April - my kitchen shelf was full of my scribbling. My writing pad was filled with doodles and mind mapping for ideas. My friends and family got a bit tired of me trying to fit everything into the A to Z sequence. I suspect they loved it, though! So, in my first A to Z Challenge in 2013, I participated with one blog. In 2014, 2 blogs, in 2015, 3 blogs.

This year, 2016, I am participating with 4 blogs - I enjoy the challenge so much.

Why A to Z Challenge is my favorite :

• It keeps my adrenaline pumping and my writing muscles flexed and ready
• It cultivates a writing discipline I enjoy
• I get back into the groove with posting regularly on two of my 5 blogs.
• It encourages planning ahead - this is a major life lesson I follow in other areas of life, but not always with blogging. To truly enjoy blogging challenges, planning is critical.
• It boosts my creativity, making me think of freaky ways to entertain my readers, rather than just give them info. Yes, I like to think they love me!
• I get to meet new and wonderful bloggers via the challenge. I've met several who are fast friends now, location no bar!
• I've been part of a co-host's team for two years and enjoy the team work behind the scenes, team spirit and fun. Sort of like a girl gang, only wiser! (You can join in the teams too-- write to the email on top!)
• The A to Z is a great way to actually plan your book if you aspire to write one. I mean, write around a theme for 30 days and you have a pretty good premise for a book or an anthology!
• If you believe that travel broadens the mind, youíve got to believe that blog-hopping also broadens the mind, and heart.
• Talking of travel, I almost always travel in April, but that doesn't stop me from sailing through the challenge, thanks to the kicks encouragement of my supporters!
• The learning. This is tremendous. Can you believe I actually converted from being a pantser to a scheming theming planner Yes I did! Go check out last year's letters to my son! I have to confess a theme feels good and keeps you focused.
• I love getting in a couple of guest posts from my blogging friends and highlighting them as there are usually more visitors in April and that makes me feel good.
• I enjoy doing the Reflections post - what activity is complete without a review and some learning points - and how to do it better next time, eh?
• The A to Z encourages me to explore my own writing abilities and I am surprised to discover how much more I am capable of.
• Consistent writing and online conversations are good for ranking- which means more paid opportunities for your blog.

So it is hardly surprising I am doing it this year - and will continue to do it for as long as I blog! To sum up, the April A to Z Challenge is, hands down, the best motivation for bloggers to write, connect and grow.

Let's just say, if you like blogging, if you need the motivation to get back in the groove, the A to Z Challenge is for you! So what are you waiting for? Grab a few of your blogging buddies and Go sign up NOW!
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 Vidya Sury is living her dream as a Writer | Editor | Blogger | Social media explorer, after a couple of decades in the corporate world in marketing and training (sales and soft skills).  She blogs at Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, tweets as @vidyasury and flits around Facebook.