#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!
 -----------
 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.

If you like #blogging the #atozchallenge is for you! Right?

The A to Z Blogging Challenge already has nearly 700 signups, but we want more, more! This post is for those of you who haven't added your name to the list yet.

The A to Z Challenge is 26 posts on 26 days of April, on a theme of your choice, or without a theme.

The Challenge is not for you if:

1. You don't want to grow your blog audience
2. If you don't want more followers.
3. If you don't like networking.
4. If you don't like posting more than once a week or month.
5. If you don't like the alphabet (Like our very own Gary Pennick! Love you, Gary!)

With the above reasons, you're right, the A to Z Challenge is not for you. You might be fence-sitting for other reasons:

1. You're very busy in April (That's all right, really--you can schedule your posts now!)
2. You're scared by the idea of writing everyday. (It's ok, you don't have to. As above, you can pre-schedule some/ most/ all your posts)
3. You're worried you may not be able to handle all the comments that come in. (Ditto as above-- pre-write all your posts so you can comment away and respond to comments in April!)
4. You did not get many comments last time you tried. (We might have a solution for you Here)


So there you go: 8 shiny reasons for you (not) to join the challenge. For a gazillion reasons to join the challenge, check this post, and this one, and this one.

Oh, just go and sign up already!

And if you want to give us reasons (not) to join: let's have them in the comments!

--Damyanti Biswas

Navigating the Challenge with Clones and Ninjas! #atozchallenge

Just how does one visit over a hundred blogs a day? Either through the use of a time machine or a band of stealthy Ninja Clones!

Teleportation is also an option.

As much as I enjoyed writing about teleportation on my books, I decided that the Ninja Captain needed clones instead. And of course, a clone machine. Which does have its drawbacks. Everyone wants to borrow it. Plus there was the time I cloned way too many versions of Kate Beckinsale…

All kidding aside, I really don’t have any of those things. I’ve just made it a point to visit all of my blogger buddies, whether it’s during the Challenge or IWSG post Wednesday or just another day.

Yes, I do have a lot of blogger buddies! Where did they all come from?

I’ll give you a hint – it has to do with the alphabet.

In 2010, Arlee Bird challenged others to join him as he posted almost every day throughout April in alphabet order. At the last minute, I made the commitment and joined a hundred others in the very first A to Z Challenge.

My blog has never been the same!

I’ve been a co-host since 2011, managing the Linky List and helping in other areas. Of course, that’s not all I do.

I started this whole blogging nonsense as an up-and-coming author. Since that time, I’ve had four books published (CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars), one boxed set published, and been in numerous anthologies and magazines.

I also started this little group for writers. You may have heard of it – the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We started as a monthly blog hop, and then grew into a website, two Facebook groups, and a newsletter. We even put out a free book for writers and last year partnered with a publisher for an annual IWSG Anthology Contest. (First anthology due out this spring.)

Offline, I maintain a full time job in web design and technical editing. I’m also a guitarist in a Christian rock band, as God and music both play very important roles in my life. I’m happily married, live in the Carolinas, and like to drive my sports car really fast.

Because darn it, teleportation machines don’t really exist!

Find me here: Blog, Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Twitter, What Are The Kargrandes, Goodreads, and Google+

Roll Out The Welcome Mat

This is for the rookies out there, who have never participated in the A to Z Challenge until this year. Many of you, I suspect, created a blog on Wordpress or Blogger just so you could do the challenge. I know that's how I got my start doing this. This is also for those of you that are getting complaints that people can't leave you comments, or for those of you that aren't getting comments and can't figure out why.

Both Wordpress and Blogger have settings that allow you to screen comments. Some of them are set as defaults and others are options you can set if you think they're necessary. They ensure that the commenter is a real person and not just a bot from which you'll be receiving junk comments for the rest of your existence. Setting the options will cut down on spam, but some of the options also make it practically impossible for legitimate bloggers (e.g. the participants in the A to Z Challenge) to leave you comments.

Kind of defeats the purpose of having a blog and participating in the challenge, doesn't it ?

There's also an impression out there that, while blogs on Wordpress are friendly to Wordpress commenters, they're mean to commenters that don't have a Wordpress account. You hear the same thing about Blogger: nice to people with Google accounts, nasty to everyone else.

Bottom line: You want to make commenting on your blog as easy as possible for anyone who drops by. Let's see how to do that.

WORDPRESS

You can find the settings for comments at https://[your blog URL]/wp-admin/options-discussion.php

Allow people to post comments on new articles - Should be checked. This allows people to comment.

Comment author must fill out name and email - Should be checked. Having a name and email address generally indicates the commenter is a real person. Of course, spammers can fill that in, too, but it prevents posting by bots.

Users must be registered and log in to comment - Should be unchecked. This means that you have to have a Wordpress account to comment.

Automatically close comments on articles older than _____ days - This prevents people from posting comments on old articles, a favorite trick of spammers. I turned this on and set the number of days to 60 for a while, then realized there were new readers who might want to comment on older articles, so I turned it off. If you start getting a lot of spam on older articles, you might want to set it.

Comment must be manually approved - Leave this unchecked unless you start getting a lot of spam, or if you've attracted a troll.

Comment author must have a previously approved comment - I have this unchecked. I don't think it's necessary.

Hold a comment in the queue if it contains ____ or more links - I have this set to 5. Some people like to put links to their blog here rather than in the box for URL's on the comment form, and if this is set too low, their comment disappears with no word as to why.

There are also areas to put in words or URL's in comments that will either get the comment put in the moderation queue or in the spam queue. Use these with caution, or you might be blocking comments you didn't intend to block.

BLOGGER

Sign on to Blogger and select your blog. Then click on Settings > Posts and comments.



Who can comment? - Typically you'll want to choose Registered User. This allows people who don't have a Google account to comment using their Open ID, Wordpress, LiveJournal, TypePad, or AIM account. Anyone allows anonymous commenting, probably not a good idea.

Comment Moderation - Setting this to Never means anyone can comment. If spam becomes a problem, you can set it to Always. Sometimes allows you to specify a number of days after publication when commenting is open, after which comments must be approved.

Show word verification - This forces a commenter to enter a CAPTCHA code before the comment is accepted. Most people think that's an enormous pain in the backside and might just leave without commenting and never come back. Turn it off.

Whether this is your first challenge or you're an old pro, welcome! We hope you have a good time, make lots of new friends, and find lots of new blogs to follow.

John Holton
The Sound of One Hand Typing on Wordpress
Simulcasting at The Sound of One Hand Typing FM on Blogger

Blogging for #atozchallenge : does your #writing move your readers?

Now that the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge Signup list is in the hundreds, and likely to hit a 1000 soon, it is time to take stock of your blogging.

Do you run a popular blog? If yes, please go off and schedule a few A to Z Challenge posts. This post is for those of us who are struggling to build an audience.

Kidding.

It is a topic that all bloggers need to revisit from time to time, namely: RESONANCE.

Go read your blog posts from two months ago. Go on, I'll wait.

If you were a visitor, do you think you'd stop and read through, without skimming? If the answer is a firm YES, pat yourself on the back. All you have to do is visit more bloggers and get on social media to start interacting with other bloggers. Your blog will flourish.

If your answer is veering towards UNSURE or NO, examine your current posts. What do they offer a visitor: emotion, positivity, support, information, analysis, interesting tidbits, laughter? If the answer is a No, then you might need to re-examine why you blog, and your expectations of its popularity.

An audience will be loyal not just if you post regularly or comment on others' posts. You'll need to resonate with them, offer them intellectual stimulus or emotional support. Or good old entertainment.

Many of you are now deciding on themes for the A to Z Challenge. Before you finalise one, take the Resonance Test. Go back to a 2-month old post. You would now have become objective towards it. Check what you're offering your audience.

If you Resonate with your audience, they'll have more of a reason to keep coming back.

And if you haven't yet signed up for the A to Z Challenge, consider signing up now.

Do your posts Resonate? Tell us in the comments!

--Damyanti Biswas
-----

Follow us on our Facebook Page!
Email address is contactatozteam at gmail dot com
Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge and Twitter id is @AprilA2Z.

We’ll hold Twitter chats on Thursdays at the tag #azchat starting Feb 18, 2016, 9.00 PM EST. Please follow the Twitter and Facebook handles, and the hashtags in order to keep up with the conversation.

Howdy Neighbour!

I know what I'm about to say has been said a time or two before, but it bears repeating. One of the things that makes the A-Z Blogging Challenge most enjoyable is the interaction with other persons doing April.

We're creatures of habit and tend to visit those we're friendly with first. Mixing that up a little means engaging other people, visiting their blogs before stopping in with our friends. While not everybody is going to reciprocate your stopover, there will be at least a few persons who will return the favour.

Nothing disturbs me more on the Challenge trail than finding blogs without comments and a few persons may give up, not only because they run out of steam, but because blogging is no fun without the comments from visitors. It's okay to leave enough feedback to let the blogger know you've been and that you've read their post.

Let's try and do as much as we can before the actual Challenge so that we'll have more time to make the rounds and meet new friends.

So are you game?

I know I am.

J.L. Campbell blogs at The Character Depot

#atozchallenge - Boost the signal!

One of the best ways for The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge to take over the world grow is for our amazing participants to tell other people about the Challenge!

We do try to spread the word ourselves, through our many social media outlets, but there is nothing quite like 'Word of Mouth' advertising.

Have you considered telling someone about The Challenge? A friend, a Browncoat, a neighbor, or a family member?

Have you ever shared a Tweet or a Facebook post to help get the word out?

If you have, Shiny! Thank you so much.

If you haven't...well, there's no time like the present!

There are lots of individuals, community organizations, and businesses that might be interested in using The Challenge to promote themselves, but they just don't know about it yet! 

So, let's get the word out there in the 'verse and make this an extra-awesome Challenge year!




Heather M. Gardner
The Waiting is the Hardest Part 

Happy Dance!

The list has been open for TWO whole days! Can you believe it? This has basically been me for the last two days:

Elevator dancing is really awkward when you work in a scientific organization.
Overt exuberance is rather rare :) Thankfully I get in pretty early..

Dancing bananas: hilarious and awkward, because.. well.. because.

This isn't awkward - she's just one of my favorite characters :)

Anyway, if you haven't yet, you should sign up on our list! The link is in Alex's Monday post, or in the tab at the top of the page. Happy Wednesday, y'all :)

AJ Lauer is in her fifth year participating in the A-Z Challenge, her third year as a co-host. She is the author of Armageddon: Pick Your Plot and has some pretty great stuff in store for this year! 

Sign-Up List Now Open for the Seventh Annual A to Z Challenge!

Welcome to the seventh annual A to Z Blogging Challenge!

Please read and follow the sign-up instructions outlined below so you sign onto the list correctly!

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behavior.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 4 is “C,” and so on. You can use a theme for the month or go random – just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day.

The A to Z Challenge is a great way to get into the blogging habit and make new friends. For more details and its history, go HERE

We recommend short posts, turn off Word Verification, and visit five blogs (or more) a day beginning with the one after yours on the list.

Blogs must be on an open platform – no Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. – and comments enabled. Please make it easy for visitors to comment on your blog.

To streamline legitimate blogs from advertisement blogs, the Co-Hosts will be visiting each blog on this list throughout the Challenge. Once the Challenge begins, blogs showing no activity or those that miss five days in a row will be removed.

Please note your blog name and number in all correspondences. Remember that as blogs are removed, your number WILL change.

There are categories for those looking for like-minded blogs. Select ONE category code and enter it after your blog’s title/name. The code applies to your blog, not your theme for the Challenge and is purely optional. See the first few blogs on the list for examples. However, if your blog has adult content, you MUST mark it (AC) or it will be removed from the list. Codes are as follows:

ANIMALS: (AN)
BOOKS/REVIEWS: (BO)
CRAFTS/ART: (CT)
CULINARY: (CU)
EDUCATION/SCIENCE: (ES)
ENTERTAINMENT: (ET)
GAMING: (GA)
HISTORY/MYTHOLOGY: (HM)
HUMOR: (HU)
LIFESTYLE/SOCIAL: (LS )
PERSONAL: (PR)
PHOTOGRAPHY: (PH)
POETRY: (PO)
TRAVEL: (TR)
WRITING/STORYTELLING/MEMOIR: (WR)
ADULT CONTENT: (AC)

Be sure to grab the badge and display it in your sidebar so we know you are participating and link to the A to Z Challenge Blog.

For more information we recommend you follow the A to Z Challenge Blog and the hosts:

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Heather M. Gardner
Jeremy @ Hollywood Nuts
AJ Lauer
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian
Damyanti Biswas @ Daily Write
Zalka Csenge Virág @ The Multicolored Diary
Joy Campbell @ The Character Depot
John Holton @The Sound of One Hand Typing

We also have a Facebook Page and Pinterest Site
Email address is contactatozteam@gmail.com
Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge and Twitter id is @AprilA2Z

Sign up below and join us for a month of alphabet fun!
(When you sign up, you agree to receive A to Z related emails.)

Six Benefits of the A to Z Challenge

The Linky List opens for the 2016 A to Z Challenge on Monday, January 24!

If you’re still contemplating whether you will join us or not, let me give you some really good reasons why you should. There are benefits for those who make the effort.

1 – It will stir your creativity. You have twenty-six posts to write for the month – what are you going to say? Will there be images? Will you have a theme? You’ll need to put on your thinking cap (not the one with the foil – that’s so aliens don’t read your mind) and come up with some entertaining or interesting posts.

2 – It spurs research. You might have to search for some facts and figures. Your theme might involve history, a person, or a place. You’ll learn as you research for you posts. (Double bonus!) And if you are a writer or have something you need to research, what better way to kill two birds with one stone. (Triple bonus!)

3 – It teaches discipline. You’ll have to post or schedule one for twenty-six days. That’s six times a week. If you’ve struggled to maintain a regular post schedule, this will get you in the habit. It will also discipline you to visit those who comment and seek out new blogs.

4 – It forces you out of your comfort zone. Is posting almost daily for a month a challenge? You bet! You’ll have to stretch to reach the end. Your blog might be languishing in obscurity, but you’ll be prompted to visit new bloggers almost every day. Coming up with posts and/or a theme will also be tough. But you’ll reach the end and realize – you did it!

5 – You’ll grow your blog. If you take advantage of the Linky List and all of the other participants, you’ll visit many new bloggers, and many will visit you. You’ll gain exposure. Your following will grow. Your reach will extend much farther in just one month’s time than you could in six months. (Time saver!)

6 – You’ll make friends! This is the greatest benefit. You will connect with other bloggers who share your interest. The Challenge fosters a camaraderie that lasts well beyond the end of April. Years from now, you’ll look back and realize some of your very best blogger buddies came from the Challenge.

I know what you’re thinking – really? That will happen? Yes, it will! How do I know? Because in 2010, I participated in the very first A to Z Challenge. There were only a hundred of us, but I am still very good friends with several participants. (And I’ve gained many new friends in subsequent years.) My blog following doubled that month. I learned I could do more than I ever thought possible with my blog.

So, what are you waiting for? Come back Monday and join us!



Co-host Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh is the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars, and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. His blog can be found HERE

#atozchallenge -- Stormy the Weather Gnome talks about A to Z Themes!

 This post is originally from 1-15-2014 and re-posted with permission.

Actually, I didn't get permission from Stormy at all, but since he lives with me, rent free I might add, I took the liberty of assuming he would be okay with headlining yet another A to Z post.

Thank you. Heather

Hi. My name is Stormy the Weather Gnome and I'm being used.

For the last two years the host of The Waiting is the Hardest Part has been using me as her theme for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

She never asked me.

She never consulted me.

She never even mentioned it.

I just thought I was at a photo shoot.

Anyway, jokes on her, because I'm much more popular than she will ever be.

Since I starred in the Challenge...

I've been a guest poster on other blogs.
I've been quoted on the bathroom wall.
I've been requested to start my own Facebook page.
I've been told to stay away from the gate at the White House.

I am popular!

So, I'm guessing you want to know what my point is.

My point, besides the one on top of my hat, is that sometimes having a clearly defined theme can be the best option for your A to Z April Challenge.

Readers will know what to expect of you and come back ... willingly!

Are you thinking about a theme for this April?

 

Heather M. Gardner

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Top Ten reasons you should join the 2016 Challenge! #atozchallenge

Every year we ask ourselves why we want to take on such a tough challenge.

So, here are the Top Ten reasons...

10. It's a tough challenge. And when the going gets tough, the tough get blogging.

9.  We might actually learn something. (Learning is fundamental.)

8.  We had nothing better to do for the month of April. Nothing.

7.  Some of us need to make new friends. We won't name names, but you know who you are.

6.  We might just get some new traffic to our blogs. That can't hurt.

5.  Who knows what exciting blogs have been out there that we've been missing all this time?

4.  What else are we going to do with all those vacation photos?

3.  It's possible we could actually inspire someone with our vast knowledge and skill.

2.  PR/Marketing/Promotion opportunities all wrapped up into one challenge!

And, the number one reason to take on the Challenge?

1. It's FUN! No, really. It is a whole lot of fun and very rewarding.

Sign-ups start on 1-25-2016!


Heather M. Gardner
The Waiting is the Hardest Part
 

Are you doing a Reading Challenge this year?

A to Z is a couple of months away, and your hosts are already working behind the scenes. But blogging is not the only challenge you can face this year! Since so many of our participants each year write book blogs, or plan on having reading-related themes (*raises hand*), I wanted to write about reading challenges today.

Are you doing any?
Are you planning to?
Why / why not?

I have stumbled upon this question recently through the Hungarian version of Goodreads. On that site, people can create challenges of their own, and invite others to participate. The result is literally thousands of challenges, of all shapes, sizes, and difficulty levels. Some invite you to read one specific books; some require dozens; some ask you to read something with a season in the title, etc. For completing a challenge, you earn a badge on your profile.

I am a sucker for badges.

I learned one very important thing as I got sucked into the rabbithole of reading challenges:

Pick the challenge for the book, not the other way around.
No one should read piles of books they are not interested in, just for bragging rights.
(... all right, so there are probably many people who do that.)

There have been articles floating around on social media about challenging yourself in your book diet. Some people suggested reading internationally; there is even a TED talk making the rounds, about reading one book from each country in the world. There are reading challenges focused on diversity (very important!), and my personal home turf: fairy tales and their adaptations. Emma Watson, everyone's favorite Hermione, just started a feminist book club open to everyone! Some Reading Challenges even have levels of difficulty you can pick.

Challenges are supposed to push you, and coax you outside your comfort zone. My advice, though: Be careful - you don't want reading to become a task. Those of you who are in graduate school probably do way too much of that anyway (my reading challenge is called Dissertation Lit Review...).

Go grab some books. (Yes, I'm enabling you)
Have fun.
Tell us about it!

Why is a #Blogging challenge good for you? #atozchalllenge

I started blogging nearly 8 years ago at Daily (w)rite.

It's been a long and rewarding journey, but one of the best things I've ever done on it is the A TO Z Blogging Challenge one April five years ago.

With encouragement from Lee and Alex, I signed up as a co-host the year after, and over the next three years, the challenge of co-hosting kept me insane nimble during the first few months of the year.

In 2015, I took a break, but am back on the team again in 2016!

For those of you doing the A to Z Challenge this year, you already know what I'm going to talk about. You guys on the fence, and if you're new to the idea of a blogging challenge, here's why A to Z Challenge rocks out and why you need to sign up on 25th Jan 2015!

1. Discipline: Before the challenge, I was a pantser-blogger, riffing off posts as and when they came to me, with no idea of a schedule. But blogging 26 days in April taught me the value of pre-planning, scheduling and giving themes to my posts. If you're a blogger, you need discipline to survive long-term.

2. Commenting: Most new bloggers think if they write a blog, people would visit. Not true. The successive A to Z challenges have taught me the value of commenting. As we comment on other bloggers, we get to know them, and they, us. This creates community. The frenzy of all the April challenges have taught me that the more I comment, the more people I'm going to get to know, the more friends I'll have, and as a corollary, the more buzz on my blog. Once you take part in the challenge, you are forced to return comments and lose your inhibitions.

3. Self-knowledge: The A to Z challenge taught me that I'm actually not that bad at flash fiction: I wrote 26 stories in 26 days that year and got a book out of it: the A to Z Stories of Life and Death. More importantly, I gained confidence in my ability to write stories on the spur of the moment, I got closer to my voice as a writer. Other bloggers have gone on to compile their blog posts into books, too.

4. Audience: My followers and hits saw a spike during that first challenge and each challenge afterwards. That behemoth A to Z linky list is amazing also because it stays up year-round, and you can go on a post-challenge road trip! If you possess a craft or skill that you sell online, doing a good A to Z Challenge can be a fantastic marketing strategy.

5. Friends: One of the best rewards of the blogging challenge has been the number of friends I've gained. I know that I became good friends with several dozen bloggers over the years simply because of the A to Z Challenge.

6. Adrenalin: It sounds easy, write a post a day for 26 days in April, and visit at least 5 blogs a day. You'll be surprised at the number of people who fall behind or drop out. Completing the challenge and meeting all those people can be a huge adrenalin rush, and it gives a shot in the arm not just to the blog but also to you! I know I'll run around in April like a chicken on an overdose of caffeine.

So, there you go. Get ready for the Adrenalin rush, the madness, the followers and friends, the exposure and the mayhem for this April. And of course, let's not forget the survivor badges and gear!

 Get your name on the list the minute it opens!

For those who have made AZ plans already, what can we expect this year from your blogs? What plans do you have to grab a high seat on that list? What advice would you give to someone joining the A to Z April Blogging Challenge this year?

 

A to Z Advice from Jolie Du Pre

“Jeez! I don’t understand it.  Another A to Z, and, once again, her posts are perfect.”

* * *

It’s 2016, and soon we will enter a new Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  I’m proud to report that this will be my fifth consecutive A to Z. 

Back in 2012, I remember how nervous and apprehensive I was about my first challenge.  How in the heck would I blog for 26 days?  But even though I had reservations, I knew that the challenge would be the perfect way for me to bring attention to my blog, Precious Monsters, which was new at the time.

I was right.  I couldn’t believe how many visitors were coming to my blog, and I had a great time reading and responding to the many comments.  If you work A to Z, it works for you.  Visit the blogs; leave comments; have fun, and you will be rewarded with bloggers stopping by your blog to see what you have to say.

One thing you will notice during the A to Z Challenge is that every blogger has their style.  Some bloggers are extremely organized, put informative content in their posts that are the result of lots of research, and schedule their posts way ahead of time.  As a Type-A personality who wants everything perfect, even though it never is, I’m jealous of these bloggers.  

I want to be organized.  I want to include posts that are researched and filled with information. I want to schedule my posts way ahead of time.  But every time I try, I’m good for the first couple of weeks.  Then, I'm right back to my frantically attempting to keep up.

It’s always the best-laid plans for me when it comes to the challenge.  I always complete the challenge, don’t get me wrong, but never the way I want.

So what do you do if you keep trying but don't make it?  Beat yourself up for it?

I'm proposing that you don't.  In other words, try to stick to your plans for Blogging from A to Z, but don’t feel bad if you fail.  The event is a "challenge", but it's not meant to be stress-inducing.

That said, you would ease most stress if you do schedule your posts.  So do give it a try.

My goal is to write one blog post on Saturdays and one blog post on Sundays on up until the event begins.  If I stick to my plan, I’ll be done by the beginning of April.   

I’ll start on January 9:

1/9 – A

1/10 – B

1/16 – C

1/17 – D

1/23 – E

1/24 – F

1/30 – G

1/31 – H

2/6 – I

2/7 – J

2/13 – K

2/14 – L

2/20 – M

2/21 – N

2/27 – O

2/28 – P

3/5 – Q

3/6 – R

3/12 – S

3/13 -  T

3/19 – U

3/20 – V

3/26 – W

3/27 – X

4/2 – Y

4/3 – Z

I’ll have to work hard to stick to my schedule.  I’m a busy article writer, and I’m the author of the Pierce vampire books.  (They're a mixture of horror and paranormal romance. You can try my series for free because book one is permanently FREE.) Of course, because I write about vampires now, my A to Z theme is vampires!

It’s a new year, and it’s time for me to start again.  However, if I don’t follow my plan for scheduling my posts – there will be no negative self-talk about it for this Type-A.   If I don’t make it, if I’m scrambling once again to get all my posts up, in 2017, I’ll try again to be more organized.

Sign-ups for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge begins on January 25.  So stay tuned!

Our thanks to Jolie Du Pre for this excellent advice.  What are some methods you've used to prepare for the Challenge?   Do you plan ahead of time?

New Year, New A to Z, New Goals!

Welcome to 2016! How has the year been treating you so far? Are you ready for your normal schedule to resume?

Do you still need time to recover from the holidays?

Here at the A to Z Challenge, we are working like busy little bees in the background to continue the A to Z excellence. We are in full on planning mode right now to making goals, making lists and filling in the details.

What are your goals for the A to Z Challenge for 2016?  Make sure you set deadlines for your goals, otherwise you won't get them finished in time. Plus, once you reach a goal, you can cross it off of your list and celebrate that victory!

Ok, so maybe you can't kill everyone in the room like James Bond but crossing off items on your to do list is very satisfying.

Another great thing about setting goals early is that as you are working through them you'll see where you need more work or you'll see what won't work. Starting early means you have plenty of time to change directions, change plans, or even start over.

Don't let procrastination be your guide for the 2016 Challenge. I've seen alot of well intentioned bloggers quite the challenge because they couldn't keep up. Which makes me sad.

The line I like the most in this quote is "expect to win." It's great, isn't it? If you set out to win and expect to win, you're bound to win, it's all in your head.  When I was a girl my piano teacher used to encourage me by giving me a pretend confidence pill.  If I had only swallowed that confidence pill I might have become a better piano player. Instead, I listened to all the bad notes and focused on my  incorrect finger positions rather than on the good bits that I played.  What I've learned from my piano teacher is that whether I win or not is all in my head.  I use this self talk every time I start a project.

To be sure, Teddy might not have participated in the A to Z Challenge but I bet he knew a thing or two about goals and deadlines! Don't let April catch up on you unawares. Start planning your part of the challenge now: choose your theme, collect your photos or your images, set up your computer folders and schedule your writing time now so when March and April come around you're ready. 

Don't end up like Scar. Be ready for the Challenge. I want you to complete it. I plan on having such an awesome 2016 Blogging Challenge that Morgan Freeman should narrate it.

Let's Do This People!