RECAPPING - Some valuable information revisited...

Hi, I’m Jenny Pearson, a co-host of the upcoming A to Z Challenge and I’m here today to talk about the stuff that goes on behind the scenes with your blog; a little recapping, if you will!

WORD VERIFICATION:

Recently, I posted about Disabling Word Verification (WV). 

While setting up a Test Blog, for the occasion of making a short video on WV, I noticed Blogger’s New interface (the behind the scenes area where you tweak your blog) DID NOT have an option for disabling word verification. This has now been corrected.

You can now change WV setting in the New Blogger interface. I guess Blogger heard the hue and cry!! Good thing - better late than never.

Here is what the area now looks like:

NEW BLOGGER INTERFACE VS OLD BLOGGER INTERFACE:

This is another area many bloggers (old and new alike) are having frustrations with. 

How do you change back and forth between the two interfaces?

If you are a relatively new blogger you are automatically using the New interface, and may find it frustrating - have you checked out the usability of the Old interface? 

Here’s how to got back and forth between the two:

This picture shows going from the New to Old interface...

And this one shows going from the Old to New interface...

I encourage you to play with both - but you should note Blogger is “forcing” the New interface style upon us little by little and I suspect in short order we will all be required to use the New interface whether we like it or not.

With that in mind, take a look at them both and decide for yourself which you prefer. Your say has more clout than you realize, so don’t hesitate to press the feedback button and let the folks a Blogger know which you prefer, and why. I’m forever pressing the feedback button! 

And here’s where the feedback button is...seems it's just available in New interface mode.

I’m aware that things evolve and change constantly, but I think Blogger has missed the boat with their “new” look and its apparent lack of functionality.

In their attempt to modernize it appears they have created unstructured, poorly laid out pages which are not as easy to navigate as the Old interface. (even though Blogger thinks otherwise)
What is your take on the Old vs New interface? Which do you prefer?

HERE you will find Blogger’s Using our upgraded interface page - which does a decent job of explaining the new interface. Their short videos are useful too. (it doesn’t mean I like it any better)

COMMENT AREA ON YOUR BLOG

Have you set up the comment area of your blog to be efficient and easy for bloggers to use?

You have three options: 

Full Page

Pop-up Window

Embedded Below Post

Hide (only in New interface)

You can find these options, under Settings (in both Old and New interface):

Old interface users: Click on Comments, these options will be next to the sub-heading: Comment Form Placement.

New interface users: Click Posts and Comments, under Comments they will appear under the sub-heading: Comment Location? 

Make it easy for visitors to your blog to leave a comment. Think about what you have experienced when leaving comments at sites you visit...do you find it easy? This is what others will be asking when they come to your site too. 

I can’t stress enough the importance of disabling word verification.

Remember...you cannot see word verification on your own site. You must check your Settings to confirm this option is set on NO.

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NOW, A FEW A TO Z THINGS WORTH HIGHLIGHTING…

• The Challenge starts Sunday, April 1st. 

On this day you will post the Letter A...here is a calendar which you can drag onto your desktop to keep you on track.

• During the Challenge make time to visit blogs on the sign-up list. 

We encourage you to start by visiting the blog right after yours on the sign-up list. Aim for five (5) a day, on posting days. This ensures that every blog on the list has someone dropping by to check out their Challenge posts.

• Take the time to check out these related posts and the FAQ in the Tab area:

How to save a post for a later date and time (old interface)

How to Pre-Schedule a Post (new interface)

Bloggers New and Improved COMMENTING feature is very COOL! 

How to Make a Hyperlink Signature
Encouraging Comment - Making it Easy
Etiquette Lessons for Truly Novice Bloggers

• Tomorrow, March 20th we will be announcing the winner of the A to Z Video Challenge.

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Thanks for stopping by!

 Jenny

Pearson Report

Now, I would like to invite you over to PEARSON REPORT to enjoy an incredibly entertaining guest post by Stephen Tremp, author of BREAKTHROUGH, and the newly released OPENING.

#atozchallenge: Sunday Summary March 18, 2012

Voting for the A to Z Video Challenge ends tonight at 11:59 Eastern Time.  Don't forget to go to the voting tab at the top of this page and register your vote!


Still A to Z posts popping up everywhere!  Here are some that we found recently:

Rena J Traxel is looking for some help for her April Challenge project and she's got a contest underway as well.

Fang at Fang Talks is ready to bite into the Challenge.  Talk your friends into joining, Fang.

Susan Oloier, Author has gone and done it--signed up for the Challenge.  I'm going to have to check into those raspberry Hershey kisses that she mentions.

Minnie, the ever popular denizen of Siv Maria's blog Been there, done that, made an appearance this week to preview the upcoming April offerings for that blog.  Sounds like some naughty, but witty fun from A to Z.  Siv also had a post encouraging everyone to disable the dreaded Captcha.

Jaycee DeLorenzo needs someone to hold her--or a least provide some moral support to get through the Challenge.  You can do it Jaycee!

TMW Hickman is Not Just Another Mother Blogger.  She offers her Reasons to Blog from A to Z.

Li at Flash Fiction suggests "Topics You Could Use {But May Not Want To}".   Actually some of them sound pretty good.  I hope someone takes her up on these.

There was lots of buzz about Word Verification this past week.  Jeremy at Geeky Tendencies was one of those offering a reminder to turn it off for April.

Claire at Claire's Writing Log is dedicating her April Challenge to her infant daughter--stories that she can read to her little girl when she's old enough to understand.  What a cool legacy to create during the A to Z!

Nikki at Inspire Nordic was practicing her A to Z chops with a little encouragement for more bloggers to sign up for the Challenge.

Yadin Bromberg is still plugging away at the A to Z Challenge.  This time he's wondering what he should blog about during April.   Whatever it is have fun with it!

Mary Aalgaard at Play off the Page is thinking about words and the April Challenge.  She also has some questions for her readers.

A to Z inspiration from The Twilight Zone?  Sure, why not!  It worked for Anna Smith at Universal Gibberish and her post tells the story.

Jessica Bell and Dawn Ius have another great A to Z plan in mind this year.  Read about it at The Alliterative Allomorph


We're glad to hear that Delores from The Feathered Nest has decided to join us in the April Challenge after all.   She's come up with a theme we can all relate to.

Dare to Know All There Is to Learn has made its April intentions known.

Shannon at Shannon's Book Bag will be back to try the Challenge again this year with hopes that she won't run into similar obstacles as last year.  Good luck Shannon.

Another blogger signed up may be a Daydreamer but she's also One Mum, Two Girls, and a Chauffeur--well that's her blog.    Stop by and maybe you can help her decide how she should approach the A to Z Challenge.

A call was put out for poets to join the Challenge at My Heart's Love Songs.   Thanks!

A to Z co-host Tina Downey  paid a visit to House Revivals to tell more folks about the April Challenge.

In a seemingly slightly eccentric move, Rob at The Slightly Eccentric Diary of Rob Z Tobor looks like he's already started the A to Z Challenge on his blog, but his March posts are only a warm-up for things to come in April.

Another blogger convinced by others to join in the A to Z fun is Violet from Revolution Evolution.

Sometimes I feel like I'm losing track of the blogs I include on the Sunday Summary.  I try to leave a comment on the blogs I've included.  I didn't see my comment on Sabrina's Writing Reflections post announcing that she had joined in so here is the mention in this summary.

Gossip Girl offers up some helpful reminders at Whatever.

That's it for this week's Sunday Summary.  Please try and stop by some of these highly supportive blogs and make a new friend...or in some cases say hello to an old friend.


And Don't Forget to Vote, Vote, Vote for your favorite A to Z Video.  If you haven't seen the videos yet, they're short and fun to watch.   And voting is easy.   Show our video entrants your appreciation for what they've done.




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A-Z Challenge 101: Etiquette Lessons For the Truly Novice Blogger

Welcome to Blogging 101: Blogging Etiquette For the Truly Novice Blogger.


Hello class!  Today's lesson is a review.  The big event is just 15 days away, and I just want to go over three very important topics regarding manners.

Question 1: What does it mean to follow a blog?  Well class, that's one of those topics that is WIDE open for interpretation. It's the sort of question that each blogger gets to answer as he or she sees fit. I'll be answering with my interpretation, since I'm the teacher. There are many different opinions, and I'm hoping that the comments on this lesson will be others sharing there views on the topic. Ahem, ya'll hear that? When I follow a blog, I feel like I'm putting a book-mark on that page so I can find it again. There are millions of blogs out there. Stumbling across the really cool one with the sunflower and flamingos logo again is kinda like winning a carnival game. Fat chance. (The sunflowers and flamingos, that would be my newly remodeled blog, by the way.  Our very own Retro-Zombie Jeremy genius digital artist did that)

Some bloggers do what we call a return follow – if you follow my blog, I'll go follow yours. See the inherent problem here? What if no one starts that chain reaction? Then what do you do? YOU GO EVERYWHERE. The absolute best way to gain followers is to go visit as many blogs as you can. Follow the ones you'd like to come back to. Polite bloggers, and most are polite, will in some way respond to your comment, either by visiting you, or by email, or by following you.

Question 2: What's the difference between someone following my blog and me being in the sidebar in somebody's blog-roll? Again, everyone gets to decide this one. I have a list of over 100 blogs I follow, but my blog roll is reserved for those I visit regularly, and has about 20 blogs in it. I change it frequently to reflect what I'm currently reading. I think of it as my “must read” and it does help bring visitors to those blogs. If you go check your stats, you can see what blogs are sending visitors your way. I always consider it a big honor when I find myself in someone's blog-roll. For example, our own Alex J. Cavanaugh has 1414 followers. I'm in his blog-roll. Half of the new people who come to see me, come from his blog. That's a lot of very nice advertising for me. Not everyone displays a blog-roll, but I highly recommend you do. It's a nice community-building effort on your part, and will bring good return on your time invested.

Question 3: What are the rules about commenting? Say it with me this time: each blogger handles this in their own way. I hope that in the comments on this post, you'll hear more ideas so that you have a wide range of opinions on which to base your decisions. If I visit a blog, I leave a comment. It's a “you scratch my back – I'll scratch yours” deal, just like the following. To show that you've actually read the post, say something specific, and then you can leave a standard part like, "I'm visiting from the A-Z Challenge, nice to meet you."  Sometimes it's hard to find something positive to say, but try to find something in common. My Best and I call these comments, the “Oh! I have a dog too!” comments. I think you catch the drift.

Before I dismiss for the day, here's your homework:

1. Turn off word verification. See this post for directions.
2. Put a link to your blog in your signature so that we can easily visit you back.  
3. Play nice with each other. No post. Just do it.
   
   
   Please vote for your favorite A to Z Video.  Voting closes tomorrow, Sunday night, March 18.  For ballot, go to the top of this page and click on the tab that indicates "Vote for A to Z Video" and then follow the instructions.
   
   
   Thanks!
   P.S I'm also at House Revivals today, telling Amanda's 800+ followers about the challenge.  I'd consider it a personal favor if you hopped over there to say "hi" and leave a comment for her.  
   
   Tina @ Life is Good 
   Co-Host of the April A to Z Challenge 
    Twitter: @AprilA2Z #atozchallenge