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!

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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: 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.

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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

Looking Ahead ( #AtoZChallenge )

         No matter how much we look toward some future goal, sometimes the best part is not getting there, but the journey itself.  Enjoy the ride and you'll feel better about your experience...

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.

                                                        ************
        Are you still with us?   You're nearly half-way you know.  Looking ahead, you're about to reach the tippy top height of the Challenge roller coaster.   After that it's all downhill.  Sounds easy, doesn't it.  But I can empathize.

         That last mile of the journey can sometimes seem like the longest and then before you know it--it's over and done with.  Hang in there with your postings and keep trying to visit as many other blogs as you can.  And as you look even farther ahead, past those last tricky letters and finally the big "Z" you will hopefully see new blogging friendships in your future as well as an inspired sense of self-confidence. 

           Stick with it bloggers!  You've got this and we're rooting for your success.  If you can finish successfully, then looking ahead I predict you will be pleased with your accomplishment.  You might even start looking ahead to next year's Challenge.

            But let's not go too far with this.  We've got this year to finish.  And finish we will...


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

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.

K is for Kindness (#AtoZChallenge)

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

We have an amazing community of bloggers, and lots of great relationships built between people over the course of the Challenge. For today's word I chose Kindness. Isn't it nice to do something kind for someone else? Here are five tiny kindnesses you can do any day, to bring joy to the blogging community:

1. Follow them - if you like what they write, stick around for May, June, and beyond!

2. Share their posts - spread the word about the posts you especially enjoyed!

3. Buy their stories - if an author captured your imagination, buy some of their works, and support their passion! If they have other things to sell, you can support them with that too.

4. Write reviews - if you read something an author wrote (especially if they are an indie author), make sure to leave reviews, even if they are short. They count a lot, and they don't take much time!

5. Showcase your favorites - on the Sundays of the challenge, and in May during Reflections, write a post to showcase some of your favorite blogs of the year! Tell us who captured your attention, and what you learned from them. 

Do you have more suggestions? Tell us in the comments!

******

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

J is for... #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.

Top J words:

1) J
2) Jayden (hey that's me!)
3) John
4) Jeremy

Oh wait, those are just the hosts of the A to Z Challenge. But we won’t forget Arlee and Zalka of course! What a crazy coincidence that so many of us have J names.

I chose to post for J because there are so many awesome J words out there. Names and adjectives, nouns, and verbs. Here are some of my top ten, in no particular order:

The Ten Best J Names:
1) Jayden
2) J
3) John
4) Jeremy
5) Jamie
6) Justin
7) Jesse
8) Jeffrey
9) Juliet
10) Jasmine

The Ten Best J Adjectives:
1) Jaded
2) Jagged
3) Jeering
4) Joking
5) Jumbo
6) Juxtaposed
7) Jolted
8) Jerking
9) Jingling
10) Jealous

The Ten Best J Nouns:
1) Jaywalker
2) Jellyfish
3) Jigsaw
4) Journal
5) Jungle
6) Junkyard
7) Justice
8) Jacket
9) Jetsetter
10) Jogger

The Ten Best J Verbs:
1) Jumping
2) Joking
3) Jabber
4) Jam
5) Jingling
6) Jousting
7) Jumbling
8) Justifying
9) Jarring
10) Joining

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

Coming Up With Theme Ideas #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.

"I'm not doing A to Z this year because I can't think of a theme."

I've heard that a couple of times over the last few years from blog buddies of mine when I ask them if they're doing the Challenge. Granted, the Challenge is a lot more fun (and is maybe a little harder) if you have a theme to tie all your posts together. But there's nothing in the rules that says you must have a theme. Back in 2014, I had the same problem: I couldn't think of a theme, so I decided that I'd just go themeless. And it went fine. I had a great time, made a lot of new blog buddies, and felt like I was part of something bigger. Granted, doing the A to Z Challenge without a theme is kind of like trick-or-treating in your street clothes, but hey, if that's what you got, you go with it.

I haven't had to do that for the last several years, because I found the secret to coming up with good themes: Don't try to do it a month before the challenge. Ideas for good themes are all around you all year, so it pays to keep track of them when they come. When you see something or think of something that looks like it might be a good theme, write it down. Write it in your journal, write it on a Post-It Note, put it on a note in Evernote (or Simplenote, or OneNote, or Google Keep, or wherever you keep your ideas), do something so you don't forget it.

The biggest lie I ever told myself was "I don't need to write it down, I'll remember." - Anonymous

And, whatever you do, don't shut your mind off to coming up with themes during the Challenge! This is a great time of year to think of future themes. Maybe you think someone has a great theme that might be good for you. Write it down. Maybe you get an idea for combining themes. Write it down.

That's a good one. Write it down. - Hal Roach

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:

https://www.neatoshop.com/artist/Jeremy-Hawkins

H is for saying Hello (#AtoZChallenge)

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

We are in the second week of the challenge! Have people been stopping by at your blog, saying hello? One of my favorite parts of the Challenge is the visiting. A to Z really brings people together. For our tenth year, here are ten things that make visiting even better:

1. Make sure to say hi! If you stop by on a blog, leave a comment, even if it is a short one. 

2. Make sure people can say hi on your blog! Check your comment settings to make it as easy as possible.

3. Make sure to leave a link to your own blog. It is sometimes hard to track you through your Google profile, so it makes visiting back a lot easier if you leave an address!

4. However, don't just leave an address. Say something nice first. No one wants a guest who just yells "come see my stuff!" through the window without saying anything about yours.

5. Venture outside your own category! It is fun to visit like-minded people, but it is also fun to discover topics you have never really read about before. 

6. Visit back those who visit you. 

7. Try to visit a few new blogs every day! Even if just one or two, keep returning to the master list, and see what you can find. You can make new friends in unexpected places!

8. Save your favorites for beyond A to Z. Bookmark them, Follow them, or sign up for their updates. A to Z comes around once a year, but good blogging relatinships are fun all year round :)

9. Sometimes I see people sharing my posts on Twitter or Facebook, and it warms my heart. You can make someone happy by sharing something they wrote that you loved!

10. Put your creativity into your comments. We are all dedicated writers (of posts), we can brighten each other's day by leaving lovely messages!

Everybody say hi! :)

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

G is for Guest Post by Jemima Pett #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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Hello! This is a guest post, and I’m Jemima Pett. I won this post in the A to Z Book Review Tour Giveaway in February. Like you, I blog—at Jemima Pett, author. I also write and publish books, and occasionally do guest posts on other people’s blogs.

What are guest posts? 

Someone who is not a part of the blog, like a co-author or regular contributor with access rights, writes a post for it. If that's you, you tailor your post to what suits the blog.

Who hosts them? 

Anyone can host them, but blogs generally need a good number of followers to attract guests. Although some well-known guests have many followers, most guests are hoping to raise awareness. A blog with fewer followers would be unlikely to do that. It’s probably better to look for author interviews and join blog tours than canvas people for guest posts if you need blog content.

How do you decide on a topic? 

Some bloggers want specific topics—or list some to avoid. Others leave the choice up to you. The A to Z asked me to select a letter to post for this month, and I offered a choice of letter plus topic.

I have a regular guest slot at The Story Reading Ape—TSRA—every second Sunday of the month. The Ape leaves it entirely up to me, although is happy to discuss ideas. TSRA is an eclectic place, and most things relating to stories, writing, blogging, books, travel, adventure, and humour are welcome.

If you like Scifi or Horror, the Scifi&Scary website offers guests a chance to post on particular subjects. They list on their blog what they’d like, and have guidelines for any speculative approaches.

Sue Vincent welcomes artists, writers and photographers who want to talk about their work, include a news or promotion item, and maybe tips for others. She has guidelines on her website.

At Smorgasbord Magazine, Sally Cronin welcomes author interviews, and often invites people to do guest posts. Which leads to…

What’s the difference between a guest post and an author interview? 

Author interviews

• for authors (and other creatives) with products they wish to promote 
• some blogs extend this to artists, craftmakers etc, others focus on books with or without illustration 
• blog usually sets questions, like ‘why did you write this book’ and ‘how did you get started?’. The author may be asked for tips for their readers. 
• biography, headshot, and buying links are expected 

Guest post - with wide variations… 

• the guest may not have a product other than his/her own blog 
• topic may be free or defined 
• topic should be tailored to the interests of the blog’s readers 
• generally should not talk much about their products 
• headshot and very brief biography often included, with contact/follow links, rather than buying ones 

Is there any etiquette you should follow?

Yes!

• read the person’s blog and see if they ask for guest posts 
• follow their instructions 
• get your post in on time 
• submit it in the agreed file format 
• make sure it is free of typos and poor grammar 
• use the right spelling for the blog 
• provide pictures of appropriate size for the post, and make sure you have the right to use them. Include copyright links if possible. 
• Visit the post on the day, and for a week afterwards (or get emails of comments), to interact with the blog’s readers 
• If you get a reblog to someone else’s site, it’s polite to visit that too, in case there are more comments there 

How do I discover more? 

Any blog you visit, look to see whether guests are writing posts. Is there a menu item showing they accept guest posts? Don’t be afraid to contact people to ask, but look first!

Check the guidelines they have for posting. Since you’ll be going to the Story Reading Ape now, start with this post highlighting good practice!

Follow instructions, and meet deadlines.

Take the plunge!

Jemima Pett and where to find her… 

Jemima has been writing publishable stories since 2008, and blogging since 2010. Her Princelings of the East series now runs to eight books, with the last two in progress, and her science fiction Viridian System series is awaiting its third and final volume. She also runs websites for all her titles, and manages a blog for her guinea pigs, George’s Guinea Pig World, who are tackling the A to Z Challenge for the fourth time this year.

This is Jemima’s eight April A to Z Challenge. Follow her on Twitter @jemima_pett, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords

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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: NeatoShop.com/artist/Jeremy-Hawkins

Are You Flying or Falling? ( #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.


                                                               ************
         Here we are just a few days into the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge!  How are you doing?   Are you flying through or are you falling behind?  Hopefully you are having fun and not giving in to failure.

         No need to stress.  You're likely doing just fine and if not then it will get better for you I hope.  If you still have a lot of posts to be written then try to do a few each day until you have them done. Keep them short and you can whip together several at a time.  Remember:  Your success in this Challenge is more about content quality than quantity of words in each post. 

          Put on your writing wings and fly--even soar when you can.  Don't fall out before you reach the end of this Challenge.  You can do this!  Yes, you can.

          Fantastic!

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

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.

Embed an Image #AtoZChallenge #BlogTip

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.

Embed an Image

I was chatting with Karis, my Operation Awesome teammate, about images in blog posts.



Blog posts with images in them have higher share rates.

But what will the caption be once someone shares just the image? What will show up for users with a web-browser that disables images? What good are the images if someone is blind or visually impaired?

The solution is a simple one. Add the "alt text" code. Either by clicking the image or by editing the HTML code.



Do you share interesting images you find on blog posts?

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

Decisions, decisions... #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.

Decisions, decisions…

There are so many decisions to make when deciding to write a blog. Here are my Top 10 Decisions to make before starting a blog.

10) How often are you going to post? Daily? Weekly? Monthly?
9) Will you write your blog as you, or under a pen name?
8) Do you have the time to read and reply to all the comments people make?
7) What website will you use for your blog? Wordpress? Blogger? Others? There are lots.
6) Are you willing to pay for your blog? Your domain name?
5) How will you get followers? Do you already have people who will follow you, or do you have to go find them?
4) Are you ready to invest time in looking at other blogs? Reading other blogs and commenting is one of the best ways to meet other bloggers.
3) Is your blog unique or is there another one just like it?
2) Have you looked at Blog Hops? Blogs that promote other bloggers?
1) Are you ready to join this fantastic community of bloggers? (Yes! Say yes!)

We hope that all of you out there are loving the blogs you’ve created, and we hope that you’ll keep inspiring others to create blogs. The A to Z Challenge is what inspired me to create my blog, and it has introduced me to the best community of bloggers in the world! Thanks for going on this crazy ride with us!

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

You Must Be Crazy! #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.

Crazy! That's what you have to be to participate in the A to Z Challenge!

How many of you heard that from your blog buddies when you announced on your blog that you were even thinking about attempting to write every day in April (except Sunday, of course), starting with the letter A on April 1 and ending with the letter Z on the 30th? How many of you heard this from your real-life friends, even your significant other?

How do you respond to such aspersions being cast upon you?

I'm willing to bet that, for most of you, this isn't your first go-around with the Challenge. You've had to deal with these questions about your sanity before. You've dealt with them, and you come back year after year to participate with us again.

Whether you're doing this for the first time or the tenth, Arlee, J, Jayden, Csenge and I are happy you're here. More importantly, everyone else participating is happy you're here. We're going to do a lot of writing over the remainder of the month, and we're going to read a lot, too. That's the best way to encourage other bloggers, to read what they've written, even if it's something you generally don't read, and to leave them a comment, even if it's just, "Hi, I see you're doing the A to Z Challenge too!" or "Just stopping by from the A to Z Challenge. Happy blogging!"

And as for those people who think you're nuts for doing this, ignore them. Do your own thing and show them why you did it. By the end of this month, you'll have written 26 posts and read at least five times that many more, and by doing it you'll be a better blogger. It was the A to Z Challenge that was my "baptism by fire" into the blogging world eight years ago, and what I learned is that yes, I can blog every day. Yes, I can make friends doing this. And yes, it is a lot of 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:

https://www.neatoshop.com/artist/Jeremy-Hawkins

Book Blog Tours #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.

Book Blog Tours 

There are plenty of authors and book bloggers in the A to Z challenge. Simon says raise your hand if you know what a book blog tour is!

*cough* This blog held one earlier this year. If you're not a newb, your hand should be up. *cough*

Okay. Simon says you can put your hand back down. Book Blog Tours are an easy way for writers to reach a larger audience. It also gains your blog extra exposure from people who are looking for information on a certain book. Plus, it's an easy post to create, so that's freebie content.

Sometimes bloggers who aren't authors or book-bloggers aren't sure how a novel could tour on their blog. Here's a list of ten categories of blogs and ways they could invite certain books to tour:

1. Culinary blogs could host novels that have unusual food. (The Hunger Games eventually got a cookbook.) Or non-fiction recipe books, because those can tour too. 
2. Entertainment blogs could compare a book to a movie, television show, or play. Or perhaps use books that reference certain bands or music. (Rock-fiction is a thing.)
3. Genealogy blogs could host books that feature characters who look up their genealogy.
4. Health blogs could discuss books with characters who have certain health issues. (The diverse book movement is encouraging more of these!)
5. Lifestyle and Social blogs could interview authors or characters who live the certain lifestyles featured on the blog. (I've interviewed an author who lives on a boat and another who traveled around the world.)
6. Mythology and Folklore blogs are perfect for novels with that subject.
7. Parenting/Family blogs are a great place for children's' books to tour.
8. Spirituality and Religion blogs might be a good place for books with characters of faith.
9. Travel blogs could compare their journey with those of a character who travels.
10. Women's Interest blogs could feature books with strong female characters.

I hope this list has inspired you to invite an author to tour on your blog. Do you know of a book that fits one of the types of blogs listed?

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