E is for efficiency in the A - Z

Working the A - Z requires a certain amount of effort and efficiency for all bloggers involved. Here are some tips for making your A - Z journey a little bit more efficient.

1. Keep up by posting the letter of the day. Getting behind in your posting can be frustrating, and it’s very time consuming to catch up again. Luckily, we have Sunday off to catch up, or take a breather and simply catch our breath.

2. Blog hop by visiting those who visit you. In the interest of efficiency, click on links from their comments too, rather than navigating back to the main list all the time.

3. Choose a section of the list and visit those blogs. Make it a manageable number, so you don’t get overwhelmed.

4. Visit your new followers to build your own community and network efficiently.

5. Pre-schedule your posts for a couple of days or the week, leaving you more time to blog hop and get to know more bloggers.

These are only a few ideas about how to be more efficient in the A - Z Challenge. We want to know your tips and tricks for being efficient in this electrifying annual blogorific event. Please share them in the comments. Thank you.

Here’s to all you wonderful A - Zers out there! We hope you’re having a wonderful time, getting lots of exciting comments and meeting a ton of energetic bloggers out there!

M. J.

©2014 All Rights Reserved

D for Drive and Determination: #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge is on full swing. We love the variety of blogs we're discovering on our journey through the linky list, and hope you do too.

It is initially a little overwhelming to be hit with so much newness, so we hope you're sticking with it. Drive and Determination will see you through.

Start with the blog below yours on the sign-up list.

Try to visit at least 5 new blogs each day.

Make sure the commenting process on your blog is simple.

Comment on those who comment on you, and more. Leave a link in your comment, so the blogger you commented on can return the favor.

Stick to the AZ calendar for your blog this month.

Most importantly, have fun!

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Have you been on the A to Z Challenge rounds? Got new followers? Have You followed any new blogs?

Catching Fire! #atozchallenge

We are day three of the Challenge now – have you caught the fire of excitement?

Catching fire is a good thing. It was the slogan for the release of my second book.

But we don’t want you to burn to a crisp!

You probably had a lot of visitors already. You’ve visited a lot of blogs. After two days of a firestorm, you’re probably wondering how you will survive.

First, pace yourself. In one month, it’s unlikely you’ll visit everyone on the list. Don’t kill yourself trying. And don’t let guilt goad you into overload.

Focus on visiting at least five new blogs a day, starting with the one after your own. After that, focus on returning comments. If you have time, explore more of the list.

If you’re still working on your Challenge posts, keep them short and simple.

Remember, you’re doing this to make new friends and have fun. Burn with excitement, but don’t burn out!

The #atozchallenge #Blogging Song

by M. J. Joachim

Blogging in the morning

Blogging through the day

Blogging in the evening

A – Z is here to stay

Betcha never thought it

Bewildered by the crowd

Billowing with comments

At times it’s rather loud

Bring on the excitement

Build your network grand

Believe in your abilities

Don’t sink into the sand

Bladder’s overflowing

Black coffee’s on the stove

Big Brother isn’t watching

Inside your treasure trove

Brainstorm all the letters

Blog like no one can

Bleaching out the background

Cuz you’re the blogging man!

Or woman, as the case may be!

Wishing everyone a jolly good time this year!

And loads of comments and followers too!

M. J.

©2014 All Rights Reserved

Photo credit:  Jeremy Hawkins, A - Z Co-Host

The Alphabet Express has Arrived #atozchallenge

As the blog turns….

Adrenaline is pumping everywhere,

Among authors, travelers, artists, culinary experts, mothers, fathers and more…with tips, games and stories to share.

All in the name of the A-to-Z Challenge, we’re banded together, our fists held high in the air.

An Athletic Approach is needed to stay the course because flexing your blogging muscles to build stamina is a marathon, not a sprint.

An Abundance of Amusements have us in for a ride, anxious to find out what's around the next bend, twist or turn on the signup list.

An Adventure like no other is now brewing with new discoveries and the formation of online alliances of likeminded folks.

April is here. Time to party -- visiting many online destinations to see what people have going on, while other guests read what you wrote.

Now that we know our ABC's, the time has come to start blogging from A-to-Z. We'll see you on the court; or, in the park. Let's go and Ace this thing!

Are you in this Challenge for the Athletics, the Adventure, the Amusement or All of the Above?