If you're anything like me, you have found that being given a letter prompt and an almost daily deadline has really stirred your creativity. Johann Gottfried Von Herder said, "Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks." The A-to-Z is a wonderful inspiration. Take these last days and run with them, but continue on after the letter "Z." Take that inspiration, that spark, anything you might have learned from this experience, and make it a part of yourself.
How are you feeling as we near the end? Exhilarated? Tired? Sad? Pumped?
May you find your Muse.
Shannon
The Warrior Muse
I'm exhausted but kind of sad it'll all be over soon. I've really had a lot of fun with this and have met a lot of great people!
ReplyDeleteI'm exhausted and dragging at this point. Although I feel Victory close at hand (kind of like the last week of NaNoWriMo) I don't feel I've done well with my last few posts. The first week was all pre-written. The second week I wrote the night before. But going O - S I blarghed out and wrote almost at the end of the day. I've gone back to pre-writing the post for the last 6 letters. Maybe they'll be better! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a love/hate relationship, LOL.
ReplyDeleteAt first I didn't think my family history focus would work, but it's been great. I've enjoyed visiting bloggers who have a different focus from mine -- gets me out of my own rut. I'm going to miss it when it's over.
ReplyDeleteI'm still feeling strong and pumped for this last week! I did write today's post as soon as I got up, but I'm doing OK. I have discovered that some of my best writing time is late at night and that's worked for me!
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
Co-Host of the April A to Z Challenge
Twitter: @AprilA2Z #atozchallenge
I'm feeling kind of sad actually! And I am still deciding if I want to redo my X post or post the one that's scheduled.
ReplyDeleteI"m having a blast! I don't know if I would do it again (I really don't like writing blog posts for the sake of writing blog posts... i.e. some days I made things up just to have a post... Impasse for I, Late for L, and Undecided for U, which don't fit the overall theme of my blog), but it has been great for forcing me to put a lot of content quickly on a brand new blog. (My blog was started March 30).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, V is for A Tap Dancing Vagina on Main Street Arts.
http://mainstreetarts.blogspot.com/2012/04/tap-dancing-vagina.html
I made the mistake of not preparing enough posts ahead of time, so I'm worn out! It's been so fun, though. I've really enjoyed visiting such a variety of blogs.
ReplyDeletethis has been a wonderful experience--but i have to say--i am a little afraid to go unread after z
ReplyDeleteTired, mostly. Looking forward to only obsessing over my blog twice a week again...
ReplyDeleteThough I did find a few interesting new blogs. That part was fun.
Winding down and looking forward to catching up on some other things. What a great Challenge this has been in 2012. It's tiring, but inspiring.
ReplyDeleteLee
Please help me reach 100 followers at:
A Few Words
An A to Z Co-host blog
My Main blog is Tossing It Out
I think next year I will come up with a theme. But all and all this year was all about getting though the challenge. I have met a lot of really cool people. Thanks for having the challenge.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful for the new connections I've made, the new blogs I've discovered... but I'll be glad when it's over and I can go back to normal blogging.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I have mixed emotions about it coming to an end. I'm glad on one hand because I have other projects sitting here waiting for me. On the other hand, having that daily prompt really has spurred my creativity. I'm just hoping to hold onto it!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a really fantastic experience and has definitely inspired me to think a little outside the box with my posts (which are sooo random!). It's also shown me that publishing more frequently helps builds better relationships with other bloggers. Hard work doing it every day though.
ReplyDeleteTired should be the right word.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a great experience for me. It pushed me to blog, my blog was new so I think I would of faltered, and I have connected with some great people around the world. I'm already looking forward to next year!
ReplyDeleteGlad I had most of my letters written before the month started.
ReplyDeleteI am inspired to do what I have been putting off - writing an art history book - about the life of one artist who happens to be my very talented mother.
Thanks Shannon for co-hosting this time consuming month
Vicissitudes of Life is my V
As we near the end, I'm feeling exhilarated and surprisingly....not tired at all. I did pick up some new vocabulary words as well as a further understanding of a few terms that I was familiar with but never used or knew much about.
ReplyDeleteWhen the A to Z Challenge started earlier this month, I said I was in it to win it and now that we're coming to the end of the vocabulary, I am feeling victorious, as should everyone else who made it this far. We're on the way to the last lap in this alphabet race, champs!
~Nicole
Blog: The Madlab Post
@MadlabPost on Twitter
It has been a wild ride thats for sure, especially to keeping up. I had to work a couple days and got a little behind, now am trying to hurry and catch up to those I have missed.
ReplyDeleteMy friend,
ReplyDeleteV is for victory!! We are all winners since we were born. Interesting post.
I'm a lil overwhelmed with all the blog reading I need to do, but will catch up. I've really enjoyed blogging everyday though :)
ReplyDeleteI guess I'd have to say all of the above. I'm looking forward to a break, but I'm thinking that I'll miss the daily comments or visits to other blogs.
ReplyDeleteI feel a little tired but sad it's nearly over, I'm glad I prepared months ago.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Its nearly over. Horray! But this has been a tremendous experience for me. My little blog has seen some solid growth. Multiplied my followers by 7 times, and have had over a thousand visitors now. Thank you at AtoZ for the opportunity! I hope to gain a few more followers before this is over.
ReplyDeletecheck my blog out:
torggilsworld.blogspot.com.au
and help me reach 50 followers!
Thought the challenge was a great way to ramp up my game. Found it challenges mid month and now on the home stretch.
ReplyDeleteI have met a number of great writers, and some very funny ones too.
Made it very enjoyable.
Tired and exhilarated. Doing this and the Poem-a-Day Challenge has come close to making me a resident in the dirtiest home in Lake Charles. Not to mention having two of the most neglected dogs. Understand that I'm not complaining, just sharing. Really. I have enjoyed all of it but am ready for the bell to ring.
ReplyDeleteTired but sad it will end soon.
ReplyDeleteApprehensive.
ReplyDeleteI've been running my blog for 8 years in July and have been through a few lean periods when I wondered why I bothered. The A to Z Challenge has really helped to reignite my enjoyment of blogging, given me some good ideas for the future and has been a great way to meet some other bloggers. So all I can say is: Cheers Guys! Can't wait to do it all again in 2013.
ReplyDeleteI think I can relate to each one of the bloggers! My last few have not been very creative. What a learning experience. The positive has been meeting so many interesting, wonderful, people. But I have some ideas for next year, if I am invited back :).
ReplyDeleteI have for the most part enjoyed doing this but I think it will be a one off.
ReplyDeleteI have not made it easy for myself either by doing it as I have, it is hardly mainstream blogging for the masses. And I still have a lot of blogs to visit yet, I hope the list will be around for a while.
I have found that to be true!!
ReplyDeleteSonia Lal @ Story Treasury
I am still excited. I haven't made it to as many of the other participants sites as I want to, but I am making my way around, becoming a follower, leaving comments, and reading some of the greatest writing. I am writing and it's great. I am going to miss it when it's over.
ReplyDeleteI'm still excited and although my visits are going up, comments - not so much. I think many are tired. I know I'm not commenting as much although I'm reading a LOT of blogs.
ReplyDeleteI had hoped to make 100 followers but seem to be stuck in the 80's. But that's a HUGE leap from th3 25 I started with.
Biggest challenge will be finding a direction for my blog, it was fairly new when A-Z started.
Thanks to everyone involved!!
I've done it all wrong. I had no theme or direction or forethought. I wrote nothing in advance (and posted more than one right before midnight), and found myself often relying on imagination for inspiration, As a result, I produced a lot of crap posts. BUT, I did do several that I really, really liked, and I'm glad of that. Most of all, I've enjoyed finding so many new blogs to read.
ReplyDeleteI found it all of the above too. I'm pooped, but I learned a lot. And found there are many bloggers who share my interests. This was a nice surprise. I look forward to next year...but I too will write some things ahead of time! That's probably the most important thing I learned.
ReplyDeleteDespite complete lack of preparation bar a list which I've mostly ignored, I would do it again. Possibly with a theme.
ReplyDeleteMany mixed emotions now that the end is near, but it has been an amazing April! Shannon I'll have to pop over soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks to all of the co- hosts, and especially to Lee for making this all possible! Julie
I'm already on to W at Main Street Arts... and it is a good one about arts education
ReplyDeleteWinning America's Future through Creative Schools
http://mainstreetarts.blogspot.com/2012/04/winning-americas-future-through.html
I'm ready to move on to more blog hops, including my own in August.
ReplyDeleteJolie du Pre
Precious Monsters
I am motivated to continue my posts after the Challenge...the only problem is knowing what to say! So, I think I will ask my followers in the next post...I have learned a tremendous amount about the mechanics and art of blogging, thanks to you all! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteMakingTheWriteConnections