Here is the updated sunflower photo taken on Saturday April 11th. It's looking a bit raggedly perhaps, but still standing strong. Hopefully I'll have a good harvest of seeds from this flower. For those who might be wondering what the heck this sunflower photo is all about you can find the story at A Special A to Z Tribute.
Making Progress
We are approaching the halfway point of the 2015 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge and it appears that the majority of those who originally signed on to the list are still going strong. To date we've lost maybe 150 of those who originally added their links to the list. Most of those either backed out and asked to be removed or were Link List opportunists who had no intention of participating.
The A to Z Team of co-hosts and their assistance teams have been busy scouring the list for bloggers who have fallen by the wayside and stopped posting or never started. We are trying to keep a clean list so you don't have to waste your time on the non-participants. I think overall we are doing a better job than any previous year of keeping the list cleaned up. Still a few get missed. Some of you have been reporting problem sites to us and that has been a great help to us. Feel free to let us know if you run across a site that you don't think should be on the Linky List and we'll check it out.
Just a notice to those of you who have fallen behind but don't wish to be removed from the list quite yet. At least update your blog with an A to Z post and if there is a problem note that in your most recent posts so we'll know what's going on with you. We don't like to have to remove links, but in fairness to everyone else if you aren't keeping up with the Challenge then you shouldn't expect the rest of us to be reading old posts.
Also, there are some blogs that can be a bit confusing to the new visitor. Make sure it is clear on the landing page that you are participating in the A to Z Challenge and be sure that each A to Z post is clearly identified with tags, a badge image, or a mention that your post is A to Z related. This is especially true if you do multiple daily postings and your A to Z posts get covered up by other posts.
I applaud this year's team and helpers and all of you bloggers for helping us maintain the list. And a big acknowledgement goes to Alex J. Cavanaugh for maintaining the list so well along with all of the other things he's got going with his blogging and book release.
Interested in an Official A to Z 2015 T-Shirt?
This week be watching co-host blogs and this site for a special announcement about an A to Z souvenir that will be offered to show your support and participation in the 2015 A to Z Challenge. We've been asked about T-shirts in the past and this year we're going to run a marketing test to see what kind of interest there would be in this. Be watching this week for the official announcements. I believe we'll start seeing something on Wednesday April 15th.
Have you been keeping up okay with A to Z this year? Have you found many sites that need to be removed from the list? Is an A to Z Tee-Shirt something that might interest you?
38 comments:
It's great to see that the team is staying on top of everything. I've fallen a little behind on reading the blogs on the list but I've only had a couple that aren't taking part in the challenge.
As someone who posts multiple posts each day, I've taken to popping a little note at the start of each non-A to Z Challenge post with a link to that day's post to save visitors scrolling through to find it. Hopefully that's helped people who aren't interested in my books reviews and other randomness. ;-)
Cait @ Click's Clan
Hi Lee - it's looking good in your sunshine - remembering Tina all the time. I've come across some who aren't posting .. but such is life - I'm attempting to do my 5 a day down the list ...
I completely agree re all the work you, Alex, co-hosts and minions put in ..
Re T-shirts .. they should be amusing ... cheers Hilary
I'm thrilled with the feedback I've received this year, and having a blast! Yes to a tee shirt
Thanks Arlee. Having fun. And all thanks to you and your team.
I'm keeping up but only because I pre- prepared many posts. I've found a few 'non-participants but the have found it difficult to read the yellow/orange script on the participants list.
*lol* I haven't been late ... yet ... with an A to Z post, but on Friday (?) I think I finished and hit 'publish' while the clock was chiming midnight. :p So far, I've only come across one that hadn't posted in a couple of days, but had done the days up until that point and has participated in prior years.
I haven't found any problems.....I'm actually enjoying taking a blogging break through the challenge. I pre posted all my A to Z posts so they are just popping up like good little soldiers every day and I can concentrate on reading my regular bloggers and dipping into the list. Not sure if that's cheating or not but it works for me and takes the stress off. Congratulations to all of you for doing such a great job on keeping the list clean. No to the tee shirt.
Good morning, Lee. That sunflower is a good example of how many of us feel by now. Looking a bit raggedy, but still going strong...(maybe).
Thanks to you and your staff for keeping it all running smoothly! Unfortunately, my pre-written posts end at "L" and due to being sick last week, plus dealing with offline stuff, I haven't had a chance to write the rest yet. ACK!
Thank you for taking the care to link to the A to Z posts. I'm sure that provides clarification for visitors.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Wrote By Rote
I'm keeping up. I've found a couple of non-participants, but mainly people who are not caught up.
This may be my last A to Z. (Then again, I said that last year.)
Precious Monsters
Next year you'll have dozens of sunflowers.
Thanks! I am trying to keep up with the list. We want it clean so everyone can have fun visiting.
Jolie, don't even think it! We love having you participate and you add a great deal.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Wrote By Rote
I pre posted all my blogs so that gives me time for responses and visiting.
My sunflower would probably be doing a bit better with more sunshine. It only gets a few hours in the afternoon. Most of the day it's in the shade, but that's the nature of my back yard.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Wrote By Rote
I ran into maybe one or two blogs that hadn't started the challenge but that was early on and might have already been removed by the team. I think my biggest problem is still dealing with how tough it is to leave comments on some people's blogs (Google Plus ones seem to be the most consistent with this). I try for a few minutes but if it won't work or take, then I move on sadly.
I think the tee shirt idea is a good one.
betty
It is nice to see the A to Z working really well this year. . . . .
See, I think the sunflower looks fantastic! I had frost on the cars this morning, but its supposed to reach the high fifties today. I'm so sick of looking at brown that this sunflower is the most beautiful flower ever! Thank you, Tina.
I think Alex has done a phenomenal job on the list.
I know I'm going to get a T-shirt!
I've managed to keep up with my posts and comments, and my assigned A to Z duties, and my A to Z list visits. By the third day I knew I was trying to follow too many wonderful themes I wanted to read. So, I had to par down the "read each one" list and am just reading the one's that grab me the most on the others. - I think I've personally found and and reported about 8 blogs not participating. I know of a couple of others, who, like you said, really are, but fell a little behind because life got in the way. - I would love to have a keepsake T-shirt if we can keep the price down, say under $20 to purchase and receive. - Is it just me, or does the Challenge seem better than ever this year?
Visit me at: Life & Faith in Caneyhead
I am Ensign B of Tremps' Troops
with the A to Z Challenge
Thanks for sharing your sunflower. I wonder if it is too late to plant some seeds for this year.
I'd love an A-Z T shirt - preferably one with sunflowers!
Me, me, me! I'd love a shirt!
I'm keeping up and like Hilary, trying to visit 5 new blogs each day. I do have my faves that I visit every day - the themes I'm interested in. I also try to return to the blogs who visit me. I've come across a lot that are just advertising something and not posting a alphabet related post. I haven't reported them, didn't know if that was something we should do. As for the tshirt, depends on the cost. I'd consider it.
I think you are all doing a great job. I appreciate the letter badges and use them on each of my posts. I like it when others do too, then it's clear that they're participating and what letter they're on. If you fall behind, that's okay, just post the next one on your list!
I'll take a Large t-shirt!
Play off the Page
A Tee shirt sounds like a great idea!
I have found some sites that haven't written since Feb. or so. Some sites that are hawking their books. Some lengthy tomes of post.
But mostly I have discovered some wonderful writers.
A t-shirt sounds fun, I'd consider it. I only came across one person who stopped after letter D, but the others I've seen have been keeping up. I'm sad that I have fallen behind on reading the last few days of posts because the list of bloggers I'm trying to follow is ever growing, kind of like the growth of a sunflower :)
I'm thinking everything is going better and the blog postings are better. Maybe I'm just more prepared, but I'd say better than ever.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Wrote By Rote
Can you hear me now???? I am bumfuzzled about what is happening to my mail and comments.
I see many of them are ahead of time, but I found some really great bloggers through A to Z,
though I am trying to keep up both with posting and visiting, trying to balance is fun!
Even if I miss a day or two with the busy schedule, I make sure I post it later when I have time.
I hope that is ok. :)
And coming half the way round, I feel I should schedule the posts and still there's much learning...
I hear what you're saying, but I'm not sure what you are saying.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Wrote By Rote
Try your best to keep current. If a blog falls behind a day or two then catches up then that's fine. If they just stop posting at a past letter and give no indication why they've stopped then they are likely to be removed from the list. We try to leave a warning/inquiry comment and then wait a few days before taking a link off of the master list.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Wrote By Rote
I'm always amazed at how many people sign up but then never start posting, and haven't posted in months, or who regularly post but never started doing A to Z posts. One of the links near the end of the list, which hopefully has been removed by now, isn't for a blog at all, but some catering service. That's such a shameless ploy for free publicity.
A T-shirt? YES!
This doesn't surprise me as I see it on many Linky Lists. Some people with websites and advertising blogs look for any opportunity they can to get people to their sites. It leaves me with a negative impression of those folks, but I guess they don't see it that way. We're trying to remove those links that are not participating as quickly as we find them.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Wrote By Rote
I'd wear a t-shirt.
I missed doing anything Saturday for the challenge, but I was at my grandma's bday party. She's 85. =)
The tee shirt sounds like a great idea and I've found some interesting blogs so far.
I'm interested in a t-shirt. and a coffee cup and mouse pad too!
I'm interested in a t-shirt. and a coffee cup and mouse pad too!
Maybe a bumper sticker for my spaceship!
Maybe a bumper sticker for my spaceship!
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