#AtoZChallenge AFTER SURVEY

The team needs your feedback!

https://forms.gle/k4UpJgaTpca5venR7

That's the link to the after survey.


It's much shorter than last year's survery. Please take a minute to fill it out. There's a chance to win a guest post. Thank you!

SURVIVOR BADGE IS ON PAGE 2 OF THE SURVEY!

(Or you can wait until next week to pick up the badge. Your choice.)
Grab your A to Z gear, and other cool goodies from our graphics guy, here: NeatoShop.com/artist/Jeremy-Hawkins

#AtoZchallenge Zero Days to Go

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge. The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

Zero days to go! That's right my zippy friends, you've zeroed in on the final post. The zoo is closing!

Zowie! Zorch through this list.

1. Zip up this year with your reflection post and survivor badge next week.
2. Zesty insight needed! Take the after survey, please. (There's a chance to WIN a guest post!) (Opens on May 3.)
3. Zoom over to some blogs you haven't commented on yet.
4. Zoinks! WRiTECLUB needs your votes. Support writers for the next few weeks here: dlhammons.com
5. Zealously visit your new blogging friends all year.
6. Zone out. April was exhausting.
7. Zany remarks on the A to Z blog posts, Facebook page posts, and Twitter posts are welcome ALL YEAR! Don't forget us, please.
8. Zombie sleep! Wear an A to Z shirt while you sleep like the undead. Perhaps as stylish as a zoot suit.
9. Zodiac sign? Comment with your below!
10. Zeppelin! There's a virtual one coming for you. Just sign up for the Road Trip next month!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

Y is for the rest of the Year (#AtoZChallenge)

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

The Challenge is ending tomorrow! Whew! You all have been amazing! As we slowly leave April behind (and we are most definitely not already planning our themes for next year, nope), blogging routine returns to business as usual.

What are your plans for the rest of the year, until the April hype starts up again?
Maybe you will

1. Have a new post series on your blog?
2. Will publish a book based on A to Z?
3. Work on a new blog design?
4. Join another challenge in the meantime?
5. Plan a blog hop?
6. Host a blog tour?
7. Dip your toes in a new social media platform?
8. Start a podcast?
9. Read new books from your TBR list?
10. Practice something you learned from A to Z?

Whatever it is, tell us in the comments if you feel like it! :)

******

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

Bloglovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Click the above link to follow us on Bloglovin.

We've been asked, by several participants, to sign up for this service.

It allows users to receive an email alerting them to new posts here.

X-Cellent Finish! #atozchallenge

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge: The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

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X-Cellent!

This is my last contribution to the A to Z Challenge blog for the 2019 season, so I wanted to take a moment to congratulate all of you for making this year the best one ever. Okay, that might be hyperbole, but if the increase in activity on my blog is any indication, you've all done a terrific job, not just with your posts on your own blogs, but with visiting other blogs and leaving comments, or at least leaving some indication that hey, you were there supporting them.

This has really taken off among a dedicated group of bloggers (that's youse guys, as we say in Chicago) since the first time I participated in 2012. Every year it's gotten better, with more bloggers connecting with other bloggers, making a bigger and better community. A community you've helped create.

There's a link to the Master List for the Challenge below. Be sure and take a minute and make a copy of it for yourself. Most of the bloggers on the list are active all year, some posting daily. Between the end of this year's challenge and the start of the next one, visit some of those bloggers, both the ones you made contact with and the ones you didn't get to visit.

Thank you for making the A to Z Challenge the highlight of my blogging year!

---

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

Grab your A to Z gear, and other cool goodies from our graphics guy, here:

WOW! ( #AtoZChallenge )

Get your party hats and noisemakers ready--it's almost time to celebrate A to Z victory.  Wait, though, the time is not yet here, but it's coming soon...

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge. The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

                                                     *******************

WOW!

           We're almost to the end of another Challenge!  What a great job you've done!

           What else is there to say?  It's been work, yes, but it's also been wild, wonderful, and maybe even a bit wacky at times.

           Just a few days to go, but if you've gotten this far then you've got this Challenge in the bag.  Giving up at this point would be just plain weird.  But you're not going to give up now. 

            Whoopie!  Time to be a winner!

             Soon...

                                                    *********************

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

#atozchallenge Valuable Valiant V

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge. The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

V trivia:

1. V is never silent in any word. (Excludes proper nouns, which aren't dictionary words anyway.)
2. The letter V was created when the Romans changed the look of the Etruscan upsilon, which was stolen from the Greeks, who took it from the Phoenicians (Canaanites), who adapted it from the Proto-Sinaitic Egyptian scribe shorthand.
3. Letter v and u were once interchangeable.
4. Ever wonder why "W" isn't pronounced "double-V"? It's because Germanic languages influenced heavier than Classical Latin.
5. In Roman numerals, five is written as V.
6. V is the sixth least frequently used letter in the English language.
7. Seven words that end with V:
   • improv
   • isogriv
   • maglev
   • shiv
   • schav
   • vav
   • lev
8. Vizcacha: a burrowing rodent. Has a base score of 27 in the game of Scrabble.
9. The word venison derives from the Latin word venor, which means hunted. It could refer to the edible meat of any hunted animal, but deer were the most popular game when the word was coming into use, thus it most often means deer meat.
10. Haricots Verts (French-style green beans) are pronounced “arr-ee-co-vair.” Vichyssoise (a cold potato leek soup) is pronounced “vishy-swozz.”

Villians! Who is your favorite fictional one and why?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

Ultimate Uplifting thoughts for (yo)U #AtoZChallenge

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge. The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

As we near the end of the month, I thought I would share with you ten Ultimate Uplifting Thoughts. Let these carry you forward.

I’m especially looking at those of you who don’t think you can make it through the last few days. Don’t give up! So what if you post twice in one day to catch up, or if you don’t finish the month but get it done later. You can do it! Use these quotes to help you:

“A big part of being a well-adjusted person is accepting that you can’t be good at everything.” – Kelly Williams Brown

“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.” – David Brinkley

“Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it.” – Jacques Prevert

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life. It goes on.” – Robert Frost

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.” – Robert Collier

“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” – Margaret Thatcher

“Just because you fail once doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything.” – Marilyn Monroe’

“One thing at a time. Most important thing first. Start now.” – Caroline Webb

What is your favorite Uplifting quote?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

Thanks Team! ( #AtoZChallenge )

         The A to Z Team wants to thank all participants and supporters of the Challenge.  Without you A to Z would not be what it is.  On a personal level I want to give a hearty thank you to our great A to Z Team who keep the Challenge running smoothly.
                                                                       ---Arlee Bird

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge. The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

                                         ***********************

        If you're looking for someone to thank for this year's Challenge then don't be heaping any praise on me.   Maybe I seem to have been a bit withdrawn from the A to Z this time around and to a great extent I have.  If it weren't for the A to Z team this year this Challenge might not have gotten off the ground with the success we have seen thus far.

        Over the past couple of years we have downsized the A to Z Team from what it had been in the past and it's worked pretty well in my opinion.  We've had some outstanding A to Z Team members in the past and this year we've had one of the tightest most efficient teams yet. They're all Challenge veterans who've gotten the routine down to a science.

         So my most expansive thank you to our team captain J Lenni Dorner who with great competency took the reins of this 10th annual Challenge as I've dealt with some distracting personal matters.  J, you're the best and hope you'll stick with us in the coming years.  Also, my thanks to Jayden R Vincente who has done a fantastic job setting up the sign-up lists and maintaining them.   Another big thank you goes to John Holton who has provided technical assistance to make things run better as well as his continual efforts to promote A to Z.  And finally there is Zalka Csenge Virág who has been a key A to Z Team member since 2015 and provided valuable promotional support for the Challenge.

          I hope everyone who reads this post will take the time to visit the blogs of each of these members to say thank you.  I'm sure they'd appreciate that.

        Thank you Team 2019!

                                           **********************

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

Your Schedule Going Forward #atozchallenge

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge: The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

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It'll all be over soon...

Do you get a little depressed knowing that the end of the A to Z Challenge is just over a week away? I mean, you've been through a month of pretty intensive blogging. If you're not accustomed to posting every day, this can seem like a lot. Even if you are accustomed to posting every day, this can seem like a lot. On the other hand, some of you who aren't accustomed to posting every day might be considering it, or at least posting more frequently than you have.

Whatever the case, the one thing you don't want to do is stop. You've spent a month building up traffic on your blog. This is no time to just say "See you next year!" You want your readers to keep coming back, don't you?

The key to keeping your readers coming back is consistency. You might only post on Wednesday (or every other Wednesday), but that's enough if you let your readers know that you'll have something new for them every (other) Wednesday.

So, decide what your posting schedule will be from May 1, 2019 until March 31, 2020. And remember, schedules can be changed if you discover that another day(s) works better, or if you feel you can add more days or have to cut back.

You've got good momentum going into the stretch. I hope we keep seeing you the rest of the year!

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https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

Grab your A to Z gear, and other cool goodies from our graphics guy, here:

Ready, Set, Go... into the home stretch! #AtoZChallenge

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge. The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

Ready, Set, Go.... into the home stretch of A to Z!

We are getting into the home stretch! We have one more weekend in April. So get ready to jump into the last 8 days! And hopefully, life will be slowing down for me after April. I thought I would share with you some things I am ready to do once the last days of A to Z wind down!

1) Reflect on my adventure of A to Z while I write my Reflections post on May 6th.
2) Read the blogs I missed.
3) Read comments on the blogs I fell in love with.
4) Respond to comments.
5) Rave about awesome blogs I read.
6) Road Trip with A to Z Blogs starting May 20th.
7) Respond to the A to Z Survey between May 3rd and May 18th.
8) Rejuvenate myself to get ready for more writing!
9) Review the novels I’ve read but didn’t review yet.
10) Record your new favorite blogs in an electronic way so you can easily find them again! (aka bookmark them!)

What are you most looking forward to next?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

Q is for Questions (#AtoZChallenge)

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

Sometimes, even if you enjoyed a post, it is hard to say something fun and original in the comments. So here is a neat thing a lot of you are already doing, and some of you might also want to try: Ask a question at the end of your post! It inspires conversation, sparks ideas, and engages visitors beyond "nice post!"

Here are ten kinds of questions you might ask:

1. "Have you ever visited this place too?" (Travel)
2. "Are there books you would recommend to someone who liked this one?" (Books)
3. "Have you tried this food before? Do you have a similar recipe?" (Culinary)
4. "Does this story/belief exist where you live?" (Mythology & Folklore)
5. "Where do you think this story is going next?" (Writing)
6. "Do you have a similar memory?" (Personal)
7. "Would you play this as it is, or would you make changes to this game?" (Gaming)
8. "Are there songs from other genres that this one reminds you of?" (Music)
9. "Do you have suggestions for resources on this topic?" (Genealogy)
10. "How do you think these events could be best told as a story?" (History)

Even if questions seem self-explanatory, they can spark responses if they are written down, rather than implied. Be creative, and have fun!

******

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

P is for Passion #AtoZChallenge

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge. The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

Passion (and other things) that make better blogs

I wanted to share with you ten things that make for better blogs, in my opinion. I love to be given an opportunity to see a glimpse of someone else’s life.

In no particular order:
1) Passion - love what you’re doing
2) Predictable - keep to a schedule
3) Proofread - make sure your meaning is clear
4) Polite - especially if someone is negative!
5) Pretty - attractive to look at and easy to read
6) Pure - as in real, actual you
7) Proud - be proud of who you are and don’t change under pressure!
8) Patient - be patient when getting followers; it doesn’t always happen overnight
9) Persistent - don’t give up, even when it’s tough
10) Prudent - choose your posts with care

Please notice that Perfect isn’t on the list. None of us are perfect. Be real. Be you. Write your pretty, passionate, polite, poignant, pure, proud, prudent blog on a predictable schedule, and be persistent while you patiently wait for more followers!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

O is for your Oscar Speech (#AtoZChallene)

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

The A to Z Challenge is called a challenge for a reason! It takes time, dedication, and a whole lot of writing (not to mention research). We are in the third week now, and if you have gotten this far, you deserve to pat yourself on the shoulder. Doesn't matter if you scheduled all your posts ahead of time, or if you are pantsing it - it is still a great accomplishment!

I don't know about you, but I know I couldn't do the Challenge alone, without the help and support of many other people. So, here is my question to you today:

If the Challenge was the Academy Awards, what would you use your acceptance speech for? Who are the people you'd like to thank for their help and support? And what is the message you would like to share with all of us?

And, just to fit with the theme: Who are the ten people that have been the most influential to your blogging career?

*****

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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

No Visitors? No Comments? Let's Fix That #atozchallenge

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge: The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

---

By now, I'll bet some of you are a little frustrated. Here the A to Z Challenge promises that you'll have more visitors than you'll know what to do with, and yet you haven't been getting people to show up and comment. Some of you might have considered just chucking the whole thing.

Hey, I've been there. It can get really frustrating when you've worked your fingers to the bone writing these posts and ending up with just bony fingers. But it's no reason to chuck the whole thing. Hey, you've gotten this far, right? Let's see what we can do.

1. Your readers might be stuck for an answer. Some people don't have a problem leaving a comment that says "I like this" and leaving it at that, but others feel they need to say more. If they can't think of more, they might be leaving without saying anything. Help them out and ask a question or two at the end of the post to prompt them.
2. They can't find you. You've been a good A to Z'er and visited blogs and left comments, and I'm sure the other bloggers would like to return the favor. They can't do that if they can't find you. Make it easy and leave your URL at the end of your comment.
3. It doesn't look like you're participating. A visitor comes to your blog and can't find your A to Z posts, and maybe can't find any indication that you're doing the challenge. Don't let that happen! Display the A to Z Challenge badge prominently on your page and use the letter badges on each A to Z post. You can find them all here. At the very least, use the #atozchallenge hash tag in the title of your post or title it "N is for..." or something to make it obvious. Some go so far as to set up a separate blog for the A to Z Challenge. (At this point, that would be something you might consider for next year.)
4. Advertise! Our neighborhood newspaper in Chicago had a slogan: "The man who advertises his business...has one." If you're on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn and/or any other social media, add a link to your A to Z entry to your timeline. It never hurts to expand your reach. Make sure you include the #atozchallenge hash tag so that when people search for it, they'll find your posts.
5. Timing is everything. If you post multiple times a day, make sure your A to Z post shows up first. You might also consider posting it a little later in the day. Many of us use feed readers which display the more recent posts first.

So, there are five suggestions. Can you think of any more? And, if you haven't been getting comments on your blog, feel free to leave the URL to your blog in the comments below.

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https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

Grab your A to Z gear, and other cool goodies from our graphics guy, here:

Midway #AtoZchallenge

We're celebrating our Tenth Anniversary here at the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

#AtoZchallenge. The blog hop that made an online community by asking bloggers to spend the month of April using the English alphabet as inspiration for their posts. We're glad you stopped by today.

You've reached the midway point! In my neck of the woods, there's a place called the Midway Diner (it's between Harrisburg and Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA).

What to do now:

1. Celebrate making it this far. 🎉
2. Keep doing what you're doing.
3. Comment on Ten posts because it's our anniversary. ✋✋
4. Thank the co-hosts.
5. Reward yourself. 💍💍💍💍💍 Five golden rings perhaps?
6. Reply to any comments people left you.
7. Comment on this post with your favorite mid-day food. 🍔🍎🍪
8. Comment on Thirteen more posts because of M.
9. Think about your reflection post next month.
10. Don't give up! 😎

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZ7UupzB78MvJnraN9khkLJT3jM6uOP1LTDc8gaQluY

That's the link to the Master List. You can find, and hop to, all the blogs officially participating on that sheet.

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