Encouraging Comments – Make it Easy

Preparing for the Challenge is a lot of work. We have twenty-six posts to compose for April. We’ll put great effort into making each one count. Be a shame if we didn’t receive many comments though. That’s why we need to make it easy for visitors to leave comments!

Here are some of the stumbling blocks:

Word Verification

Most people don’t even realize they have it on. The new word verification is difficult, though. There are those who won’t even bother with blogs that have this feature. During the Challenge, be sure your blog is word verification free. Both blogger and Wordpress have excellent spam filters. If you’re still concerned, you can set up no anonymous comments or blog owner approval. For details on how to remove word verification, see J A Bennett’s very easy directions.

Embedded Comment Boxes

Blogger has improved this feature, but often the page has to load twice. If your blog contains many gadgets or images, this slows the process. Check your comment box to be sure it reloads quickly after a comment is made. Some bloggers report challenges with embedded comment boxes. If your page is slow reloading after a comment is made, consider switching to a pop up comment box instead.

Miscellaneous Hurdles

Some blogs require the answering of a math equation, the re-typing of a long code, or a comment of a certain length. Considering removing these things before the Challenge begins.

Eliminating these challenges is in your best interest. You’re participating in the A to Z Challenge not only to discipline yourself but to make new friends as well. Make it easy for visitors to leave a comment. Not only will you receive more comments, but those people will return to comment again!


Ninja Captain Alex is one of the A to Z Challenge co hosts and can be found HERE

Don't forget to vote for your favorite A to Z video.  Click tab above that says "Vote for your favorite video".




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A to Z Ideas: Monday Movie Meme from guest Nicole of Madlab Post

Nicole from Madlab Post

        Stuck for ideas of what to write about during the Challenge in April?   The ideas are everywhere and a number of bloggers have been offering their suggestions based on how they are going to approach this year's Challenge or what they did in years past.   Here's what Nicole from Madlab Post is going to be doing.












The Monday Movie Meme Invasion of April’s A to Z Challenge

      Finding inspiration to blog every day is a challenge alone. This struggle can easily be elevated when you are faced with the task of blogging along the lines of the alphabet. I have found that keeping to a schedule helps minimize the risk of writer's block and blogger burnout all year long. My general blogging schedule includes writing a post every Monday, for the Monday Movie Meme that I co-host with Dale aka Smurfdok at Smurfin' the Web.

Monday Movie Meme History & How it Works

       Dale and I host the Monday Movie Meme, a weekly blogging activity where Participants list and discuss movies that fit the current topic or theme chosen by him or me. If the topic is "What are Your Favorite Best Picture Oscar Winners?" or "The Big Payback: Revenge Flicks", then you would either leave a comment on the host (The Madlab Post or Smurfin' the Web) blog with movies that you can think of that fit that topic or you can write a blog post with your answer, making sure to link to the host and also leave a comment on the host blog with a link to your blog post, in order to participate in that week's Meme.

While a simple list of movie titles will do just fine.... especially for those who do not participate by writing a blog post and only leave a comment with their answers, it's also more fun to write a brief explanation of why you chose a particular film or basically, which characteristics of the film coincides with the Monday Movie Meme topic....if you choose to participate by writing a blog post with your answers. These explanations help other participants who are unfamiliar with any of the films on your list to learn more about the movie and determine whether it is something that they would want to rent or buy on DVD or at the very least, keep a lookout for it on their local TV listings.

Our Monday Movie Meme Plan for the A to Z Challenge

In April, Dale and I are both participating in the 2012 Blogging from A to Z challenge and thus, we are incorporating our Monday Movie Meme topics within the challenge. Each Monday in April, he and I will choose topics based on the current letter of the alphabet that is being covered during the A to Z challenge.

A to Z Challenge Participants are Invited

Bloggers who signed up for the 2012 A to Z challenge are welcome to also participate in the Monday Movie Meme, which offers some structure and motivation to write...a benefit that many of you who are still wondering what to write about may find quite useful...on Mondays, at least. After that, you're on your own. Just kidding. I'm still trying to figure out what to write on other days of the week, myself, so you're not alone. We're all in this together...another reminder of why it's so fun to be a part of the A to Z Challenge. In the meantime, A to Z Challenge bloggers are also welcome to participate in the regular weekly Monday Movie Memes from now until April. If anything, it will allow you to try the memes on for size and get into a routine of blogging on Monday.

Related articles

• A to Z Video Challenge: Some Ideas from Nicole (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• Twas The Night Before Christmas When Nicole Dropped In (a-to-zchallenge.com)
• 29 Meme-Inspired Movie Posters [PICS] (mashable.com)
• Internet Memes: The Online Trends That Won't Go Away (stylecaster.com)

Getting to Know the Co-Hosts - Matthew MacNish

Name: Matthew MacNish
Blog[s]: The QQQE, Project Mayhem, Afterglow Book Reviews, and, of course, this one.
Other Online Info: Twitter: "@MatthewMacNish," Facebook: "Matthew MacNish"
Publications: My short fiction has been published in the anthology Literary Foray, from Static Movement Press, and the online magazine: Vine Leaves Literary Journal.


10 GETTING TO KNOW YOU QUESTIONS

01. What is the most daring thing you've ever done?
Not something I plan admitting to on the internet ... although, one thing I can mention is: back in high school, in Minnesota, I went to winter camp, and one night, we sat in the sauna for hours, and then jumped through a hole cut in the ice down at the lake - naked.

02. What is your favorite article of clothing?
My shell-toed Adidas, any pair.

03. What is your favorite monster?
Gary Gygax's Gelatinous Cube, from Dungeons and Dragons. I even wrote a piece of flash fiction about it, for Underneath the Juniper Tree, which you can read: Cubic.

04. If you had to dress up as your favorite literary character, who would it be?
Hmm. Normally I would say Gandalf, from The Lord of the Rings, but Jeremy went with that the other day, so I'll say Aang, from Avatar: the Last Airbender (the most excellent animated series, not the terrible live-action film), because I want to ride that glider.

05. What is your favorite fairy tale, urban legend or nursery rhyme?
Beren and Luthien.

06. What is a cause near and dear to your heart?
The environment.

07. What's the strangest item you've used as a bookmark?
Another book.

08. Do you have any nicknames? What are they and how did you earn them?
Big Bird. I suppose that's because I'm tall? Or was it because my friend who made that one up is so short?

09. Name one habit you want to change in yourself:
When I drink too much, I sometimes end up hungover. I'm okay with the drinking part, it's the hangovers I'd like to get rid of.

10. Tell us something interesting or shocking about yourself:
Not sure about shocking, but it's probably interesting that I used to own a small, independent record label in Minneapolis. It was called Butterbeat Records, and we produced 12" vinyl singles, mostly hip-hop, trip-hop, and electro. It was so small, and so before the internet got big, that you can't even find much about it on Google.

SOME A-to-Z QUESTIONS

01. What was your favorite A-to-Z post from 2011?
I'm afraid I have to admit I've never taken part in the A to Z challenge before. The enormity of the commitment always intimidated me. Then Arlee and Alex talked me into it, and now I realize it's not nearly as difficult as it seems. So don't be afraid! Sign up, pick a theme, schedule some posts, and you'll be good to go.

02. What brought you to the A-to-Z originally? Tell us about your first A-to-Z:
See above. I have been following and reading many A to Z bloggers for, what is it now, three years? I've always enjoyed the posts, but this will be my first A to Z!

03. Are you doing a theme?
I am, and it will be revealed in April.

04. Are you writing & scheduling posts in advance?
Absolutely. I can't imagine doing it any other way.

05. What is your favorite letter of the alphabet, and why? What letter do you like least?
I'm not sure. K for Katana? S for Samurai, Sword, Sorcery? M for Magic (and Matt)? I'm not really sure. I love language, and I love letters, but I seem to have an affinity for the crooked ones. My least favorite is probably C. C wishes he could be S or K, and sometimes he tries to be, but he never quite manages it.



Voting for A to Z Video Challenge is now open.  Please click on Voting tab at the top of this page and fill out the ballot.   Links to videos can be found there as well.






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