C is for Come on, A to Z-ers!

It's day three of the challenge, and things are just starting to heat up! How's everyone doing so far? Met some awesome new bloggers? 

The first few days can be a little overwhelming, with the plethora of new blogs to visit and comments on your own blog to keep up with. But don't worry! Just take it one day at a time. Once you get a routine down, it'll all come a little easier. 

Until then, here are a few tips that might help you along the way: 

- If you're not sure where to start, I find that it's always good to simply begin with the blog right after yours on the A to Z sign-up list. Give a quick comment to your A to Z List neighbor, and then proceed on from there. It's a great way to meet new bloggers you might have missed!

- We're all seen the list, and it is LONG. Don't worry about trying to visit every blog signed up for the challenge. Instead, come up with a manageable number of blogs per day and try to stick with that. If you only manage to make it to five, that's perfectly fine. 

- Don't forget to comment back on the bloggers who visited your blog. That's the best way to find blogs with similar interests and make lasting blog connections. 

And most importantly, don't forget to have fun. This is a blogfest people. Enjoy it! 

A to Z co-host S. L. Hennessy can be found blogging over at Pensuasion. 

B As In Babe Ruth

 

Who better to inspire a “B” post, than Babe Ruth himself? When deciding what to post, I thought of writing and its importance in my life, and sports, that I watch because those I love watch it, but isn’t my favorite pastime. Yet Babe seemed to have a lot to say to me today, and perhaps to you, no matter what you do. Here are a few Babe Ruth quotes that I felt spoke directly to us as folks who blog, no matter what about.

To begin, “Watch my dust” and “You just can't beat the person who never gives up” said exactly what I try to tell myself each time I hit a bump in the road.

As a writer, I have to make sure that the final product I release to the world must be the best I can make it. and I have to follow the steps, the guidelines that will help me reach that goal. So did Babe. “I had only one superstition. I made sure to touch all the bases when I hit a home run.”

“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” Told me never to give up. To keep on swinging and make every try count, not just the ones I “hit.”

“Yesterday's home runs don't win today's games.” I can’t rest on my laurels and hope success will take care of itself. I must be in constant motion. Each time I finish one, I must begin a new creation.

 

“All I can tell them is pick a good one and sock it. I get back to the dugout and they ask me what it was I hit and I tell them I don't know except it looked good.” How do I know the work I’ve done is worth the time and effort I’ve put into it? I don’t! My last novel (released January 2015) was a different writing experience for me, so because it looked good, felt right, I stuck with it.

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.” I might write the books, but I have so many people who help make it the best it can be, experts who share their insights, beta readers who tell me what works and what doesn’t, artists who create my covers, my family and friends who keep me going. This is a team job alright and I’d be nothing without my team.

 With writing, it’s all or nothing. I can’t write without commitment to the project because it won’t gel. My work is only as good as the energy I put into it… “How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball... The harder you grip the bat, the more you can swing it through the ball, and the farther the ball will go. I swing big, with everything I've got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.”

“Gee, its lonesome in the outfield. It's hard to keep awake with nothing to do.” Don’t slack off! Yes, take time to recharge batteries, of course, but never leave alone what you love too long. I hate to think readers might fall asleep while reading one of my books!

 

A as in Arlee & All

 Attention!

       The time has come.  Already the first posts of the 2015 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge have been flooding the internet as bloggers from India and other parts of that side of the globe have been publishing their posts for the letter "A".   As many of you are reading this now, more bloggers from other time zones have published their blog posts.   I've seen some quality work so far which gives me high hopes for this year.   As of today I'm giving the bloggers of A to Z at big A+ grade for the work that's being turned in.

Action!

        Even if you don't have your post up or prepared you can still gear into action and start writing.  Listen all you bloggers, you are also writers (even if you don't think of yourself as such) and you can write off the cuff, spur of the moment improvisational pieces.   A to Z is a test of your blogging abilities and I have no doubt that you've got what it takes to start and finish this Challenge.  Give it all you've got and let's see this thing through!

All of Us!

        We are the mighty A to Z Community and we've got unity, comradery, and a spirit of support for each other.  Now in it's 6th year, A to Z has shown how we bloggers can help each other out when help is needed.  We are all in this together.  Visit as many blogs as you can and comment often.  This is a good investment of your time and as you continue blogging onward into the future you will see how your actions in April will pay off in the coming months and even years.

Ask Arlee!

       All of the co-hosts have been doing their "About Me" posts so here is mine.

        With a lifelong interest in writing, I discovered blogging in 2009 and realized it is a great way to get ones writing out before the public without having to submit it all over the place to face numerous rejections and maybe never get published.  It's been a wonderful writing adventure for me so far.

        After a couple months of being mostly unnoticed on my blog, I started catching on to the social networking game and the not-so-secret secret of getting blog followers.  This discovery led to my starting the first Blogging from A to Z April Challenge in 2010.   It worked and now here we are with six fantastic years and thousands of adherents, fans, and followers.  A to Z has gained an admirable reputation and we've had some of the best bloggers in the world joining us since its inception.

        I currently blog at:

        Tossing It Out

        Wrote By Rote

        A Faraway View

        A Few Words

        I have all of these blogs operational for A to Z in April.   I hope you will take time to visit them.


>>Some questions asked by A to Z community members:

Susan Scott from the Garden of Eden Blog asks "Do you remember your dreams?"  Much of the time I do remember my dreams.  I've been interested in dreams since childhood and have at times kept a dream diary.   Now I write about dreams and dreaming at my blog A Faraway View.  Be sure to visit Susan's blog as well as she also will be writing about dreams as her A to Z theme for April.

Barbara In Caneyhead asks: 
"What is your favorite pastime other than writing/reading/blogging?"   For many years I worked in touring theatrical productions as a manager, actor, and juggler.  I'm still very interested in show business even though I've stepped away from that life for now.  I continue to have a passion for travel and take long road trips whenever I can.  I love traveling the roads of the United States.

Loni Townsend asks:
"You are one insane guy... four blogs for the A-to-Z challenge?? Okay, here's my question for you: How do you find time to do it all?"   In order to take on the four blogs for the Challenge I plan ahead as much as possible.   Short posts are also vital.  I highly recommend that everyone keep their posts short for A to Z if they can.  In fact, I've grown to be rather a fan of shorter posts all the time.  Oh, I still get wordy at times, but don't most of us?

Nicole asks:
"What I'd like you to blab about is:
How did you propose?"   Actually I don't exactly remember the how of it.   Since we were both older and had gone through previous marriages I think we just kind of came to a mutual agreement that incorporated logic and, of course, love.   My wife and I have now been married for going on 18 years.
"Aside from blogging, what do you do for fun?"   I enjoy movies and music.  And my wife and I like to dine out.
"If you could only have one condiment for an entire year, what would you pick?"  That's so difficult since I'm a condiment crazy guy.  One of my absolute favorites though is Tabasco sauce.  That could take the place of a lot of other things for me.

Dixie@dcrelief asks:
"Oh, and a question? What finally made me say yes to the challenge?? I don't know, this is 'ask Arlee' today... right?!!"   Well yes, it is "Ask Arlee" day, but I can only guess why you said yes to the Challenge.  My guess is that you needed A to Z in order to Challenge your abilities, you wanted to be part of a great community of bloggers, and you find me utterly irresistible.   Isn't that why every one does this A to Z Challenge?

Advance!

     And now, my thanks to all of you for stopping by and being a part of A to Z.  Also, a magnanimously huge thanks to my great team of co-hosts as listed in the sidebar and all of our individual teams of helpers who you can find listed in the tab at the top of the page.  These are the people who really keep A to Z advancing onward and I'd be lost in this Challenge without them by my side.  Be sure to visit all of them and express some gratitude.

     Now let's get busy wrapping up our blog posts and visiting all the wonderful bloggers out there.  Don't forget to leave comments!

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