#AtoZChallenge Better Book Discovery

The team's theme of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge this year is:
ACCOMPLISHING YOUR DREAMS, AND THE DUALITY OF 22

It's letter "B "day on the A to Z Challenge blog. It is said that the second day of any challenge is the hardest. Motivation is pelted with realizations of the commitment needed to succeed. Scheduling and prioritizing become tangible instead of theoretical (inked-in instead of penciled-in 🖋🖉). 

Banish the voices that say you can't do this. Hundreds of bloggers JUST LIKE YOU have completed the challenge successfully for over a decade. Don't bow out!

What benefit can come from completing the challenge? Building a better blogging community, for one. 

And if you're using your blog to write a book, you might publish it one day!

https://shepherd.com/best-books/created-from-the-april-blogging-a-to-z-challenge

That's a list of books that exist right now because of this blogging challenge. How many of them have you read?

Shepherd.com has many book lists with various topics and themes. Over 40,000 people visit the site every month. And now our A to Z Challenge is there with a list of books that were written by bloggers like you who completed the A to Z Challenge in the past. A big thanks to Ben Fox for making this possible. 

When you're looking for a website with better book discovery tools, check out Shepherd.com. 

Authors recommend books and market their own for free on this site. Reach out with a theme idea for a list of five books that go along with a book of your own. 📚

Email: forauthors@shepherd.com
https://twitter.com/bwb
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bweeb

Have you ever published a book you wrote during and because of the A to Z Challenge?

The first of three #AtoZChallenge 2022 #AZchat sessions on social media is today.
📅 April 2 ⏰ 11pm GMT
See the time in your area:
https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html


bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
@a.to.z.challenge @atozchallenge
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge
Please follow us on social media.

Sign up for the 2022 challenge? Click this:
https://forms.gle/pN8xCbvnxGLScj4V8

File, Make a Copy of the Master List for yourself! Click this:
https://tinyurl.com/AtoZ22
Be sure your copy is updated with everyone who signed up for the challenge. Hopping to other blogs to leave comments is half of the challenge!

Get your 2022 merchandise here: 
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/103818836

Attention!! Attention!! The Blogging from A to Z 2022 Challenge has begun!! ( #AtoZChallenge )

 

The team's theme of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge this year is:
ACCOMPLISHING YOUR DREAMS, AND THE DUALITY OF 22

     Are you ready?   Are you ready?  !!!

 

     Yeah, I said it twice.  Duality you know.  And I just want to make sure you're there for the Challenge.  I've got my posts all finished other than a few inserts I'll make along the way to keep things topical.  This is my first year for finishing every letter post ahead of time.  Whew!  What a relief!  Now maybe you'll see more of me in your comment sections.

       How about you?  Did you prepare ahead?  Or are you just winging it.  Either way it's all okay.  This is your personal Challenge.  You're not competing against anyone else.  You're only up against yourself.  Can you do it?  Will you finish?

        We think you can.  In fact we know you can.  We've done it and so have many of you.  If it's your first time then I assure you that you'll be fine if you just don't stress out about it.  This is supposed to be fun.  Are we having fun yet?   Hey, it's only the first day.

        You can do it!    

      

        How much preparation did you do ahead of time?   What advice would you give to other bloggers who might be concerned about whether they can finish this Challenge?    What is the biggest obstacle that you are facing in regard to finishing the Challenge this year?

       

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
@a.to.z.challenge @atozchallenge
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge
Please follow us on social media.

 
Sign up for the 2022 challenge? Click this:
https://forms.gle/pN8xCbvnxGLScj4V8
***

 
File, Make a Copy of the Master List for yourself! Click this:
https://tinyurl.com/AtoZ22

Be sure your copy is updated with everyone who signed up for the challenge. Hopping to other blogs to leave comments is half of the challenge!

Get your 2022 merchandise here: 
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/103818836

#AtoZChallenge 2022 Master List SIGN UP for the April #Blogging Challenge

Get your graphics: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2022-badge-graphics.html

The team's theme of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge this year is:
ACCOMPLISHING YOUR DREAMS, AND THE DUALITY OF 22

What will your theme be, if you'll have one at all?

Sign up for the 2022 challenge! Click this:

https://forms.gle/pN8xCbvnxGLScj4V8

Get on the Master List! You aren't officially part of the challenge without completing this sign-up form.

(The Theme Reveal is a *separate* A to Z Challenge activity. Signing up for the Theme Reveal did NOT automatically sign you up for the Challenge. Thank you.)

What information will you need to sign up this year?

• Blog name - This is what you call your blog. It doesn't include the word "wordpress." It isn't a link. There's no "www" or ".com" -- It's just what you call your blog. This blog's name, for example, is "Blogging from A to Z April Challenge."
• Author's Name -- How you would like people to refer to you. ("Great post, *name*!")
• Blog Link - This is a link to your blog. It isn't the hidden place where you create posts. It's what people type or click to get to see your posts. (For example, you're currently viewing "http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com" which is our LINK -- but this post was written on "blogger.com")
• It must go to a PUBLIC blog where anyone doing the challenge may COMMENT WITHOUT LOGGING IN, SIGNING UP, or SUBSCRIBING. 
• Category -- There are 48 choices, including the option to "prefer not to say." Pick whatever best aligns with your theme. Don't have a theme? Pick whatever best matches the type of blog you have.

• There's then an option to name your own category if you couldn't find something suitable.
• Adult content? -- As this is an all-ages event, there is an obligation to note if a site is unsuitable for young people. Adult content blogs generally have any of the following:
• Excessive Violence — If your blog reads like a how-to guide for Hannibal Lecter, you have excessive violence. If you've written the A to Z guide of how to pummel someone, make 💣, create 🔪 weapons from ordinary objects, or kill without detection, you have excessive violence.
• Nudity for sexual purposes — If you write erotica, you have adult content. 👙 If body parts normally covered by swimwear or underwear are visible on your blog, you've got adult content. This gets tricky with art blogs, so if you fall into that gray area, ask the team for a ruling (before April 8, please). 
• Strong and frequent harsh language — If the F word is being used as a verb, or it is used more than three times in 500 words, that is considered adult content. If most of your blog posts have three curse words, that is adult content. 🤬
• Continuous story? -- If someone visits your blog for the first time in mid-April, will they be able to figure out what's going on? Or will it be like reading a book from the middle, watching a movie without the first half, or trying to enjoy a show without character introductions?
• People may wish to visit daily to keep up. Or might want to read it all at the end of the month.
• Voting? -- Some bloggers will let the audience decide what their next post will be.
• Blogs that mark this as "yes" especially need to attract commenters daily!
• Will you hop to other blogs? -- The April Blogging Challenge has two parts. One is posting to your blog every day in April (except Sundays), and the other is commenting on the blogs of others in the challenge. Here are your choices:
• I will seek out new blogs from the list 😁
• I will visit those who comment on my blog 😊
• I will visit my friends' blogs 😏
• I'm new, so I don't know yet 🤔
• I won't be visiting other blogs 😐
• Other:
• Author's Pronouns -- he/him, she/her, they/them, abstain, other (Use "abstain" if you prefer not to select the pronouns by which others may correctly refer to you.)
• Year -- The challenge has run for TWELVE years! What year did you first try it?
• Twitter Link (optional) -- If you use it. Remember, this link starts with "https://twitter.com/" and then has your handle. There's no "@" symbol.
• Facebook Link (optional) -- If you'd like people to friend or follow you there.
• Instagram Link (optional) -- New this year! Check out the hard work Anjela Curtis has done to create ours, please.
• Physical location of blogger (optional) Country first please -- This is an International blog hop. A great way to find others beyond your homeland, or to discover those living nearby, is to share a general location.
• Theme (optional) -- Please keep it to 100 characters or less. A short summary of your planned posts for April. https://tinyurl.com/AZtheme22 The theme reveal hop had the option for longer descriptions.

That's it. Now you know what to expect when you sign-up. It looks like a lot, but it doesn't take long to fill out the Google form. 

Remember to make sure that your blog is open to public comments and that people do not need to "log in, sign up, or subscribe" to leave you a comment.
(If you use Wix -- https://support.wix.com/en/article/wix-blog-about-wix-comments#guest-commenting  -- please learn how to allow people who don't use Wix to leave you a comment.)
(You must create and sign into a Tumblr account before you can leave comments. This is why the A to Z Challenge does NOT recognize Tumblr blogs as official participants.)
(The A to Z Blogging Challenge is not a "blog by email sign-up" either. We do not support or recognize "private blogs" that request email addresses be sent first, and then blog links or posts are privately sent later.)
Any blogs found in violation will be removed. Please privately contact a team member if you feel you've found such a blog on the Master List. (Include the blog name, please.)


The #AtoZChallenge is planning three #AZchat sessions on social media.
April 2, April 15, and May 2.

The first one is 📅 April 2 ⏰ 11pm GMT
See the time in your area:
https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html

Master List Sign-up Form
https://forms.gle/pN8xCbvnxGLScj4V8

Are you ready to make posts and hop to other blogs this April?

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
@a.to.z.challenge @atozchallenge
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge
Please follow us on social media.


File, Make a Copy of the Master List for yourself! Click this:
https://tinyurl.com/AtoZ22
The Master List will be complete on April 10 (after H), when sign-ups close.
Be sure your copy is updated with everyone who signed up for the challenge. Hopping to other blogs to leave comments is half of the challenge!

Get your 2022 merchandise here: 
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/103818836

2022 Theme Reveal CLOSED #AtoZChallenge

The Theme Reveal sign-ups for 2022 are closed. You should grab a copy of the list and go visit and comment on as many of the blogs as possible this week. 

The team that makes this challenge possible is locked at the top and highlighted. These are the people who are most qualified to assist you, should the need arise. (You may also leave comments for us here on this blog, or reach out to us in other ways, as you like.) 

Once you click on FILE > Make a copy, you can edit and alter the list as you like. Column "F" is filled with the "no" response, which you could change to "yes" after visiting the blogs. 144 bloggers revealed their themes this year! 

Theme Reveal Results
https://tinyurl.com/AZtheme22

If you took a copy before, make sure your copy is now updated with everyone who signed up for the challenge. (Copy/paste any you missed.) Hopping to other blogs to leave comments is half of the challenge!
Sign up for the 2022 challenge officially on MARCH 30!


bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
@a.to.z.challenge @atozchallenge
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge
Please follow us on social media.

Get your 2022 merchandise here: 
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/103818836

A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal 2022! #AtoZChallenge

 

It's that time of the year again, bloggers! 

Welcome to the 2022 A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal!

If you are planning to do a theme on your blog in April, this is your chance to share it with all of us! Fill out this form (link) to sign up! Make sure you put in the direct link to your theme reveal post, not to your blog. And take a look at our list of Categories, because this year we have some new options for you!

Then, head over to the list of participants (link), and visit others to see what themes they are doing! If you take a copy now (File> Make a Copy), be sure to come back after sign-ups close to grab the information of the rest of the participants.

Please join the Theme Reveal by March 21st. After that, this form will be closed. The Master List for the challenge will open on March 30th!

DRUMROLL PLEASE

The theme of the A to Z Challenge main blog this year is:

ACCOMPLISHING YOUR DREAMS, AND THE DUALITY OF 22

J Lenni Dorner writes about this theme:

Eyes close and dreams come to those fortunate enough to get the escape of entertainment. Perhaps they allow the imagination to stretch. Or give the mind an alternative way to work out problems from the wakeful hours. Some say these images from sleep carry messages and meanings that require interpretation to better steer our lives. There is much debate on how much control we have over those dreams. 

Yet there is no light without dark, each day needs the duality of night, and entertaining dreams of the sleeping mind shouldn't be confused with the loftiest goals of a planner. 

 It is smart to set goals and to have dreams among them. To strive for what we know we can achieve, but also to note what might be possible if we push ourselves, if we prioritize one dream over the inevitable obstacles that will come. Achievement of a dream always requires a change, a sacrifice, and a dedicated choice to put its achievement first. 

Duality is about more than two opposites. It's also about how one cannot or does not exist without the other. We recognize the protagonist by the battle against, and change because of, the antagonist. 

Perhaps, to some of you, blogging is an outlet, a place for creative expression to be shared with the world. Yet, in our trying times, blogging for a month and the pressure to visit others might feel like an antagonist. It may require you to change your schedule to post that much, there is an inevitable sacrifice of spending time visiting other blogs- time which you otherwise spent watching television, reading one more chapter, or running one more block. Taking on the A to Z Challenge in April is a choice to be part of the blogging community, to make a difference in the world by connecting with others, exchanging ideas, and connecting with people in the medium where they feel comfortable sharing and expressing themselves.

We may not agree with every blogger. Duality shows that there are always two sides. Perhaps there will be a chance to learn something new, to expand your mind and experience ideas beyond your own. There's also always an option to close a window and click to the next. (Perhaps there's a duality between a hyperlink and the site "X" close icon?)

The number 22 represents duality and the power of dreams. Thus, the team has selected these concepts as our THEME for April 2022. We will also be honoring Jeremy, the great graphic artist of the challenge who passed away this year. We encourage you to make this April your best blogging and best blog-hopping year yet! Make it your dream come true. There will be times that it feels impossible, forces that make it difficult... this isn't the A to Z spa treatment, it's the A to Z Challenge. It's not supposed to be a stroll in the park.

We are all looking forward to being on this journey with you!

Get your 2022 merchandise here: 
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/103818836

New Wordpress Simulcast Blog!

This is specifically for those of you who use the "simulcast" A to Z Challenge Blog on Wordpress:

 In order to separate the simulcast blog from the rest of my blogs (for security and other reasons), I've rebuilt that blog and pointed the process that creates the blog entries from Blogger to the new one. You will definitely want to change the blog you're following to this one:  

atozchallenge2.wordpress.com

Please make a note of it. If you have any questions, let me know.

#AtoZChallenge 2022 Dates and New Graphics Team Member Chosen

 

Please give a warm welcome to:

Anjela Curtis

This is our new graphic artist and team member! 

You'll see the winning badge, plus an alternative (non-tribute) badge for 2022, both shown above.

Please welcome our newest volunteer and note the unique name spelling!

Important Dates for 2022

Mar 7- Theme Reveal OPEN

Mar 21- Theme Reveal CLOSES

Mar 30- Master List OPENS -- officially sign up for the challenge

April 10- Master List CLOSES

May 2- Reflections

May 7- Reflections CLOSES

May 16- Road Trip starts

Please Review the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/atozchallenge/reviews/

https://www.facebook.com/atozchallenge/reviews/

🤔 What to say? Here are suggestions:

• Mention how many times you've participated (and won!)
• Provide useful, constructive feedback.
• Did the challenge help you and your blog? In what ways?
• Be honest.
• Leave out links and personal information.
• Mention if you feel the challenge impacts the blogging community and how. Beneficial or detrimental to the blogging community?
• How is it the same as other blog hops? How is it different?
• Do you support the challenge? Would you suggest it to other bloggers? Will you do it again?
• Have you learned anything from the challenge?
• Does it help with blogging goals?
• Keep a civil tongue.

2-22-22 TUEsday Twosday

Twosday: 2-22-22

Hello A to Z Bloggers.  The A to Z Blog had been maintaining a bit of radio silence since last year's doings, so I asked the team if I could write a guest post.  To my surprise and delight, they said yes. Before I get into full A to Z mode, let me tell you about myself.

My name is Dave I'm a 57 year old midwesterner, who's been happily married to my best friend Amy for almost 24 years. a father of 3, an educator, an avid blogger someone who absolutely loves the A to Z Challenge

My first year in the challenge was 10 years ago.  It was the first and only year that I did not have a theme.  On Sunday April 1st I wrote this post about not fooling around.  Since then I have participated in several of my blogs.  At least one year, I did 3 at the same time.  

That's probably a good enough introduction about me for now.  

I love a good palindrome.  A palindrome is anything that is the same backwards as forwards.

I am writing this on January 31st 2022 or 1/31/2022 or 1-31-22.  Tomorrow is 2-1-22 and Wednesday is 2-2-22, a palindrome.  Could you imagine an alarm clock next to a calendar at 2:22 showing 2-22-22? If that's not enough awesomeness for you, it's also groundhog day!

But wait there's more ...

There is another spectacular palindrome filled day coming later in February.  February 22nd 2022 otherwise known as 2-22-22 it's a twosday that falls on a Tuesday.

🤯 (If this isn't a place for a mind blown emoji I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS!!!!!!!) 🤯

So what does this have to do exactly with the A to Z challenge?  Well, let's put it this way:If you guys are going to get back into the challenge  you probably need to do some forward thinking at the same time.  What will you write about?  Who will you invite to participate along with you? How will you make this the best A to Z year ever?

I may do more than one theme this year, but one of them is definitely going to be limericks.  8 years ago between my 49th and 50th birthday I wrote and posted a limerick a day on my facebook page.  For the challenge, I will be recycling about 10 of those limericks, writing about 10 new limericks prior to the challenge, and creating approximately 10 more during the challenge, generally on the day of the entry.

Here is a palindrome based limerick I wrote for this post::

I have a dear friend named Jerome

Who sure loves a good palindrome

on 2-22-22

in a racecar he "flew"

both backwards and forwards towards home.

I am really hyped up about this year's challenge. I hope that many of you are getting ready for it as well.  I'd like to thank the team for letting me do this guest post. 

Shameless Plug:  Please check out my blog Leap of Dave, it was called Home School Dad for many years but since our home schooling days have been over for a few years now, I decided to at long last change the name and consolidate my other blogs into the flagship.  This means that you can see all of my a to z blog entries over the last 11 years in one place.

VOTE Please - Graphics Team Member #atozchallenge

We have two wonderful contenders. Please cast your vote:

Contender 1

• Has done the challenge (2, 3, or 4 times)
• Creates graphics for a living
• Uses Facebook and Twitter, and might create an Instagram for us
• Wants to act as a full-fledged team member, creating posts and whatnot
• Is willing to create merchandise (shirts and such) 

1A 1B

Contender 2

• Has done the challenge more than 5 times
• Is a graphic designer who also designs other things
• Not into social media
• Would join us just for graphics
• Would allow the team to create merchandise (but not do it themself)

2A 2B 

Each has presented us with two possible graphics for the 2022 challenge. Please cast your vote for the contender of your choice, and the badge (A or B) you prefer. 

CLOSES FEB 18