It's #atozchallenge Road Trip Time!

So, you've finished the A to Z Challenge for the year. Quite an accomplishment! Congratulations!
"But wait," you say. "I don't feel like I've done the Challenge, because even though I did all the entries and responded to all the comments on my blog, I didn't visit anyone else! I can't say I've finished if I didn't visit anyone!"

You know, I think everyone feels that way. This has been a strange year, what with our little friend Covid-19, self-isolation, social distancing and whatever. And, Real Life™ doesn't stop just because the A to Z Challenge is going on, much as I and the rest of the hosts of this Challenge try and stop it. So, what does a good, conscientious April Abecedarian do?

The A to Z Challenge Road Trip, that's what!

That's right! Now is your chance to visit the blogs that you wanted to visit but didn't, the blogs that you might have stopped at and told yourself, "I'd really like to spend more time reading this person's story" but somehow never got the chance to, the blogs that, when looking at the Master List, you said "Hey, that might be a fun blog to visit" and ended up not doing it, et cetera, et cetera. Sound like something you'd like to do?

I knew it would! So, here's what you do: Grab yourself a copy of the Master List*, if you don't already have one. You don't have to sign up for the Road Trip this year, just get in the car (or the space shuttle) using the Master List as your road map, and Happy Motoring! Be sure and comment at any stop you make, and let them know that you're there from the A to Z Challenge Road Trip. Maybe they'll be encouraged and follow you around. There's no time limit on this, you can make as many rest stops as you'd like. Have a great time!

A note from co-host J:

I clicked every link on the Master List in April. If you'd like a cleaned copy of my Master List, here's the link:

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WYqVUL-nv0FEaSYFqLcXexiiAX1eqCJ6hqNTyuqY3RM

Some notes about mine:

1. There aren't as many columns. (I don't care to look at how others comment. I was visiting everyone, period.)
2. I separated my Adult content onto another tab. (With the exception of co-host JR.)
3. You'll see notes of what errors I encountered and such.
• If you feel like your site is mislabeled, hit me up. @JLenniDorner on Twitter is fastest.

There are tabs along the bottom of the spreadsheet, separating my copy of the Master List into three parts.

Remember to use FILE, MAKE A COPY so you can note which blogs you've commented on during the road trip! Change the comment column from "no" to YES! 😎

Hindsight 2020: A to Z Challenge Reflections

We have done it! Another year of the A to Z Challenge flew by. Whew! It was an unusual year, for sure, but we are all extremely happy that you all made it happen!

Here are some numbers:

510 blogs were signed up for the Master List this year. Not our highest number ever, but still a pretty good number for a blogging challenge! We also had a lot of returning bloggers, which was great to see!

92 blogs signed up but didn't post. This always happens, but it is especially understandable this year, when everyone is a little out of sorts, and readjusting to a different routine.

Author/Writing was, once again, our most popular category. We had (at least) 120 authors with us this year!

702 is the number of comments you lovely people left on the main blog this year! That's about 23 comments a day. Thank you for visiting!

If you would like to help us learn more about the experience you had this year, don't forget to fill out the After Survey here!

If you would like to add your blog to the list of Reflections, fill out the Google Form here and view the list of participating blogs here.

On a more personal note: I think this year was the Year of Good Commenters. Maybe because of the lower number of blogs participating, or maybe because everyone is trying to be kinder in these trying times, but the comments I have received and seen were all friendly, and contained substance and encouragement, rather than things like "hi." 

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Had a different experience? Can't wait to read all of your Reflections posts! Sign up here!

Thank you all for participating, for visiting, for posting, for commenting, and for making this year's 2020 Mission a success! Happy Blogging! See you on the Road Trip!

An eXploration of John #AtoZChallenge

The team decided our theme for this month's posts here would be a take "2020 visions of blogging." This set of weekday posts focuses on:

A 2020 Look at the A to Z Team

12 Writing Questions for 12 years of A to Z:

1.      Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Sometimes it energizes me, sometimes it exhausts me. A lot will depend on my mood when I'm writing. If I'm in a bad mood when I'm writing, it exhausts me. If I'm in a good mood, I can go all day.

2.      If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

You don't have to get it right the first time. Leave yourself enough time to edit it.

3.      What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

I'm not sure I've ever spent money as a writer.

4.      What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

"Flowers For Algernon" by Daniel Keyes. I don't remember how many times I read it when I was in high school, and I can't remember why I did, either.

5.      How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

None. I'm not an author per se. All my writing is done for the blog.

6.      What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a blog?

The posts that I do the most research for are the music ones. I may look up some interesting facts about a particular artist or song from Wikipedia (The Blogger's Best Friend), Allmusic, Discogs and artists' web pages. I'd say probably no more than an hour.

7.      What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

Getting it right. It's why I don't do it anymore...

8.      How many hours a day do you write?

Typically about two hours. If it's going well, three to four.

9.      Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?

I don't especially care for fiction, in all honesty. I think the last novel I attempted to read was Janet Evanovich's most recent Stephanie Plum novel. I read a few chapters, put it down and haven't picked it up again. That was when I realized I was burned out on fiction.

10.   How do you select the names of your characters?

I don't have characters per se. when I'm writing a memory I'll use real names. If I need to give someone an alias, I might just use their first initial. When I'm telling stories on my brothers, I just refer to them as "my brother." They know when I'm talking about them, because they'll know the story. There have been one or two situations when I've used a full name as an alias, in which case I just pull it out of thin air.

11.   Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

One of the beauties of not having written a book is not having to cope with reviews. I'll get comments on my blog, of course, and respond to as many as I can.

12.   What is your favorite childhood book?

There were several, but the one that immediately comes to mind is a collection of the works of Wilhelm Busch, author of "Max und Moritz" and other stories that were about evil children and how they get their comeuppance from adults. Busch wrote poetry in German, and the translation was beside the original text.

8 More Questions to round out to 20 (for 2020):

13.   Do you Google yourself?

I don't Google anything: I use DuckDuckGo as my search engine. ;) Having said that, I very occasionally will look myself up, just for a laugh.

14.   Are you usually early or late?

Since I'm handicapped, Mary does all the driving, and she is an inveterate early bird, so I'm almost always early.

15.   How often do you people watch?

Not as often as I used to. I spent so much time people watching in airports that I kind of burned out on it.

16.   What do you hope never changes?

My relationship with Mary. We've been married 42 years.

17.   What job would you be terrible at?

Given the troubles I have with my arm, paper hanger.

18.   What skill would you like to master?

Playing the chromatic harmonica.

19.   What takes up too much of your time?

Reading blogs. I think I follow too many.

20.   What’s the best way to start the day?

Waking up.

Do any of these answers resonate with you? Feel free to share in the comments!

Find John's blog here! 

  ~Jayden R. Vincente (adult fiction writer)

Grab a copy of the Master List! Click this link.

Grab your A to Z gear, and other cool goodies from our graphics guy, here: NeatoShop.com/artist/Jeremy-Hawkins

Ready for Resilience #AtoZChallenge

The team decided our theme for this month's posts here would be a take "2020 visions of blogging." This set of weekday posts focuses on:

Blogging Hopes and Dreams for the Future

I daresay that blogging is going to change in the future. Change is inevitable, much to my chagrin. Changes in blogging are already occurring and will continue to occur. Some of you have been blogging here with A to Z for more than a decade. Some of you have had your own blogs much longer than that. But this blogging Thing (with a capital T) that brings us together is a wonderful combination of anonymity and closeness that often reveals our true selves. We hope that you will all continue your blogs for many years to come, through the good times and bad. We are here to support you for our yearly event, but we need you to be resilient! Even when you think no one cares, even when you think it’s pointless, do it anyway. The world needs your words!

Are you READY to be RESILIENT with your blog in the future?

~Jayden R. Vincente (adult fiction writer)

Grab a copy of the Master List! Click this link.
Grab your A to Z gear, and other cool goodies from our graphics guy, here: NeatoShop.com/artist/Jeremy-Hawkins