O is for ... Other Blogs!

What? I know I did something similar for L, but so what? It was awesome.

Now that we're over half way done with the challenge, how are you faring? So far, I have posted every single day except Sunday, and have visited at least ten blogs on the list every one of those days. It's a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun.

Anyway, here are some blogs related to the letter O that I have been enjoying during the challange:

Michael Offut has been posting about Star Wars: The Close Wars, the animated TV series.

Oh Frog It! has been embroidering song lyrics.

Tim Brannan, from The Other Side, has been covering all kinds of monstrous topics.

Duncan, at Our Home Called Kuantan, has a nice series of Keep Calm.

Outside Perception had a lovely tribute to Boston yesterday.

Do you have any blogs you've discovered through the Challenge that relate to the letter O? Feel free to share them in the comments, and make sure to visit my five, follow them, and tell them I sent you. Oh, and you can find my blog here: The QQQE, if you'd like to follow me.

Neck and Neck - #atozchallenge

There are 26 laps on this alphabet track with 14 down and 12 to go. We've traveled far and wide beyond our wildest expectations -- of ourselves and fellow blogathon contenders. Many of us had to make pit stops along the way -- some to adjust and others to regroup. There were even some crashes (shout out to Stephen Tremp workin' that phone and tablet!) that caused a blog or two to spin out of control but many drivers on this track prevailed and remained on the leading lap, as a result.

It does not matter who is in the first, ninth, fiftieth or eight hundred and twelfth spots because everybody is aiming for that checkered flag, or rather -- badge, representing their survival through one of the wildest events to ever hit cyberspace. There's no one winner in this race to the flag. In fact, this isn't even a race. It's more like a multi-caravan cruise along the letters that link us together from different states, countries, time zones, viewpoints, hobbies, experiences and generations.

At times, some of us were way ahead of others while the rest was just trying to keep up. The ones who have perfected their visiting, posting and commenting down to a science have started just coasting along and riding their comfy wave in the winner's circle, but now...

We're all pretty much Neck and Neck.

So, let's keep it that way and meet each other at the finish line!

Your A to Z Challenge Co-Host,

Nicole @MadlabPost on Twitter
www.madlabpost.com

Motivation!

We are halfway through the A to Z Challenge - are you still motivated?

True motivation comes from within. We can read something exciting, listen to a speech, or hear a motivational speaker, but unless the desire gets deep into our soul, we won’t stay motivated.

You’ve come this far. If you’re growing weary, it’s time to dig deep and remember why you began this journey. To improve your blogging skills? To make new friends? To draw attention to your blog? Whatever the reason, only you can motivate yourself to keep going.

Motivation is a goal in action. Recall why you joined the A to Z and place that in front of you as a goal. And don’t stop until you hit the target.

Believe in yourself - and get excited!

L is for Love

Blog love, to be specific.

After all, isn't that kind of the point of the A to Z Challenge? I mean sure, part of it is to push yourself to write a lot of posts, but mainly the idea is to visit a lot of blogs, and show them some love.

So here are a few of the blogs I've been reading during the Challenge:

Shannon Lawrence has covering Histories Mysteries.

L. Diane Wolfe has been sharing a lot of great Promotional Tips for Writers.

Joe Lunievicz has been writing about swordfighting.

Laura Eno has been writing about cats! Who doesn't love cats?

Andrew Leon has been posting about How to Be ... any number of things.

Do you have any blogs you've discovered through the Challenge that relate to the letter L? Feel free to share them in the comments, and make sure to visit my five, follow them, and tell them I sent you. Oh, and you can find my blog: The QQQE, here if you'd like to follow me.

Have a great weekend, and enjoy your Sunday off!

Kick-off Time Is Coming -- #atozchallenge

A to Z Logo 2011

         What!  A to Z has already started hasn't it?

          Sure, but now the second half is going to be starting soon.  Some bloggers have been getting weary, worn-down.  A few have even given up (don't give up!).  We're almost down by 100 from the original 1969 that we had when the Linky list closed.  Some are gone because we had to clean them off the list for one reason or another.  But some others just gave up.  Don't let yourself become one of the quitters, especially if you've already gotten this far.

         Next week starts the kick-off for the second half.  Time to get your second wind.  Revitalize.  Stoke the creative furnace for the down-hill ride to the end of the alphabet.  You can do it!

        And don't forget the social media networking.  I've been seeing a lot of you making rounds and making new friends and encouraging regular friends.  Don't slack off.  Now's when we all need more encouragement with comments.  And when you can, be sure to follow the bloggers you really like and want to stay in contact with.  We all like more followers don't we?   Follow others, or subscribe to their blogs, and you may be adding to your own following.

        Now, the second half is coming.  Let's get ready for the kick-off and finish the Challenge bigger than we started.


Here are some blogs that I hope you'll visit, comment on, and then follow:

Nouveau Scarecrow

And Then...a bit of this, that, and the other

A Day in the Life of Patootie

The Written Word of Yvonne Lewis -- She lost all her followers on her previous blog and would like them to come back.

STFU for a Better Relationship

Nebraska Family Times

Lea's Enchanted Cloth

A Writer's Musings


      Keep posting, keep visiting, keep joining, and keep commenting.

      Have a great kick-off in the second half of the Challenge!




.

Related articles

• Hashtag the Heck out of Us!
• E: Must read---Every #AtoZChallenge Participant Deserves Visitors..and some MUST DONTs
• Today I Give Myself Permission To Appreciate My Achievements #atozchallenge
• Calling all #Bloggers to the #atozchallenge !

J ~ Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming...

This post will be short and sweet because I just discovered no one wrote a J post. So as a co-host awake early, I'll just jump in. We do that. Don't be surprised if you come back and it's the real J post – we do that too.

When I discovered this, I immediately thought of Dory. I LOVE Finding Nemo, it's my 2^nd favorite animated movie. Can you guess which one is my favorite? Swedish chick, from Scandinavia, proud of her heritage...How to Train Your Dragon!

However, it doesn't have my favorite line in it:

JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING...

Dory had an amazing attitude throughout. She was cheerful, helpful, positive, and never gave up. No matter what happened, she

JUST KEPT SWIMMING!

No matter what has happened to you or your blog so far in the Challenge, it's behind. Adopt Dory's attitude, and starting from here:

JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING...

You've got nothing to lose, friends to gain, and we're nearing the half way point. Dory never knew how close they were or if they were going to succeed. That never stopped her. Don't let mid-challenge ANYTHING keep you down.

~Tina, Fierce Viking Chick, and co-host

I is for Influence

It's one of the most commonly asked questions during author interviews. "What novelists would you say influenced your own writing when you were growing up?" Most of the time the answers are comprised of the usual suspects, high profile writers who've sold oodles of books. For me it would be Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Ed McBain, Agatha Christie, Mickey Spillane, Pat Conroy, and many many more. But every now and then there are a few who make the list who...well let's just say they've flown under the radar.

There's another question that's asked in a lot in these interviews, and its "What was it that made you want to become a writer?" For me, the answer to that question is forever linked to the first.

I write because I love the feeling of seeing how my words/story affects others. I adore pulling at my readers heart-strings, making their heart race, forcing their hand to fly to their mouth in shock, or how they're unable to suppress a laugh in a quiet room. In my own small way, I am influencing them.

Some would say that influence can often lead to imitation (which could have easily been my I word today). Though it is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, I'm not trying to imitate the way that King, Koontz, McBain, Christie, Spillane or Conroy write. I'm trying to imitate the way they made me feel when I read their work. Every one of them held me hostage, manipulated my emotions, and left me the better for it. That is the nuts and bolts of why I write.

It's beyond my wildest dreams to become as influential as the writers above, and many others like them, but to be one of those authors who fly under the radar and possibly influence some other future writer? That would be a gift indeed.

Did you know that I'm running a contest over at my regular blog, Cruising Altitude 2.0? No? You can read all about it HERE, then you can hop right on over there.

DL

Hashtag the Heck out of Us!

Now that we're just getting into the swing of things, let's make the most of the A to Z Challenge by keeping in mind that it stretches beyond your blog. We’re social, with a presence on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to make it easier for you to find likeminded participants and keep up with what’s trending – including the latest news from the challenge Co-Hosts. That is why it’s important to tag the challenge by using the official #atozchallenge hashtag when referencing the challenge in your social media updates – especially Twitter. Adding the A to Z Challenge hashtag to your tweets can help all of us cut through the clutter when searching for blogs to visit or staying up to date on discussions related to our daily alphabet party.

If you’re still wondering “how the heck do I use a hashtag?” or “why the heck would I use a hashtag?” the time for guessing games are over. Here are simple ways to Hashtag the heck out of the A to Z Challenge.

Hashtag your correspondence with us

When you send a tweet to us by writing @AprilA2Z, also make sure to add an #atozchallenge hashtag to the tweet. Unless it’s a really pertinent matter, you probably would do better just replacing the @AprilA2Z text with the #atozchallenge hashtag, altogether!

Hashtag your comments

Everyone and their momma is leaving comments that are one variation of “Hey, I’m stopping by from the A to Z Challenge!” or another – as if we really need to know (and we really don’t…or at least, I’ll speak for myself by letting you know today that I don’t need the reminder that you’re doing the challenge, ok?!) this bit of information. We get it. We read the memo. It’s been signed, sealed and delivered. Now here’s a thought…

If you really…I mean, really need to inform the blog that you’re visiting about your A to Z Challenge status, just put the #atozchallenge hashtag at the end of your comment. It takes up much less space and is less likely to leave a blogger wondering why he or she wasted time trying to read a comment that was nothing more than an announcement along the lines of “me too! Yay!” when it could have just as easily been summed up with a simple hashtag.

Hashtag your questions

Most, if not all, of the questions that people ask A to Z Challenge administrators can be useful to other participants who have similar concerns. Using the #atozchallenge hashtag can help your fellow participants get answers to something that they may have been wondering. At the very least, it also puts other bloggers on alert about matters that they are curious to know. Adding a hashtag can help simplify the question-and-answer sessions for @AprilA2Z on Twitter as well as other social media websites. It is easier for some participants to create a list or do a search for topics that are of interest to them if the hashtag is utilized more often, because it cuts down on the workload of having to find profiles and topics that might have come up in conversation about the challenge.

Hashtag your photos

Add hashtags to the photos that are included in your blog posts related to the challenge. This can be done by adding text directly in the image, using photo editing software or online photo apps such as Pic Monkey. If you don’t want to interfere with your visual masterpiece that you snapped in preparation for winning visitors over with your photographic images, you can also add hashtags to the “caption” section when editing the photo before publishing the blog post. The official A to Z Challenge hashtag can also be used to promote your blog posts on Facebook and Instagram.

So tell us…

How are you Hashtagging the Heck out of the A to Z Challenge?

-Nicole
@MadlabPost
2013 Blogging from #atozchallenge Co-Host
See you at the movies!
 

G is for...Go, Go, GO!!

o, Go, GO!!

Sure, I know it's simplistic, but it's also what I need to hear right now. We're into the A-to-Z Challenge by 7 days, into week 2. That's Great! You've made it this far, and you can make it to the end.

Struggling? Make your posts short. No one expects you to write the next great novel in post form (given, some are doing exactly that, so props to them!) Just share with us. Whatever it is you need to say that day.

See you at the end, my fellow warriors!

How ya' doing?

Before I go, here are a few blogs that could do with some more visits:

21. http://cynthology.blogspot.in/

22. http://www.sandysanderellasmusings.blogspot.sg/

23. http://whilethecoffeebrews.blogspot.in

24. http://reviewsfrommyfirstreadsshelf.blogspot.sg

25. http://thenovabug-blog.blogspot.sg

May you find your Muse.

Shannon L.
The Warrior Muse


Image of G courtesy of OCAL at clker.com: Effect Letters Alphabet Silver
Image of cheerleader courtesy of Vickey: Cheer

F - FLIM-FLAM!

The American Slang Dictionary
By: James Maitland
Chicago [1891]

Okay what you might not know about me, is I love books from pre-1900's and art... Below is 26 words using the letter "F" and I would like a comment from you that uses one of the them. Here or on my "F" post on my site, it might be fun or a flop.

What else is interesting that this book is over 100 years old and we still use some of the phrases/slang in our everyday language. Well at least I do and that ain't some flim-flam!
 
Jeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host
Oh No, Let's Go... Crazy
------------------------------------------------
Flicker, "let her flicker." Let her go.
Flies, (Am.), "no flies on him;" no nonsense about him.
Flim-flam (Old Eng.), nonsense; a stupid story.
Flimsy (Eng.), a Bank of England note.
Flimsy, copying paper used by reporters.
Fling, "to have one's" to indulge or dissipate.
Flip, fresh, fly, impudent.
Flip-flop, a dance or break-down ; a somersault.
Flipper, the hand. Sailor's slang.
Flit (Scotch and Old Eng.), to remove from one house to another.
Floater (Am.), a body found in the river or lake.
Floor (P. R.), to knock down.
Floored, beaten, knocked out.
Floorer, a knock-down blow.
Flop, to fall over suddenly, as one who faints.
Flop (Am.), in politics, to change front on a question.
Fluke (Eng.), an accidental shot at billiards, or indeed anything gained when not expected.
Flume (Am.), in the mining districts "flumes" are used to convey water for the purpose of washing out pay-dirt. A man who dies is said to have "gone up the flume."
Flummery, flattery, gammon, nonsense. The name is also given to a light pudding.
Flummoxed, perplexed. Sometimes pronounced "kerflummixed."
Flunk, to fail, to back out.
Flunkey (Eng.), a man servant or footman.
Flunky, frightened, timid.
Flush (Am.), having plenty of money.
Fogle (Old Cant), a silk handkerchief.
Fogle-faker, a pickpocket.

E: Must read---Every #AtoZChallenge Participant Deserves Visitors..and some MUST DONTs

A to Z Challenge is all about building community, so I would encourage all of you to go visit as many blogs as possible. That's the only reliable way to grow the audience of your blog. At the bottom of this post, I'm adding a few links that I think could do with more followers.


Now, the super-awesome Mina Lobo from my AZ team has volunteered a post on how best to go about giving and receiving comments, so I'll let her take over from here:
------

 MUST DON’Ts for the 2013 Blogging from #AtoZChallenge

Howdy, folks. I’m Mina Lobo, from Some Dark Romantic, and a helper to Ato Z co-host, Damyanti. As I go down the linky-list, checking up on my allotted group of A to Z-ers, I’m finding a lot of the jazz that drives the average blog reader le cray-cray. Please believe you’ll enjoy far greater blogtivity (blog-activity—it’s a technical term) if you heed these words and take prompt action to rectify any of the items below, should you find you’ve been guilty of them (whether by accident or design):

DON’T use Word Verification/CAPTCHA or any such beast on your blog. Those tiny, wavy, blurry letters and numbers are the work of The Evil One. If you insist on using this vile stuff, be warned: the Devil will drag you under by the sharp lapel of your checkered coat! (Props if you can name the showtune or musical from which hails that last bit.) Dunno how to rid yourself of this blight upon the blogosphere? Click here. CLICK HERE NOW!

DON’T fail to leave a link-back signature to your blog when you leave a comment! You’ve been kind enough to leave a note showing your appreciation/voicing your disagreement/requesting an order of fries with that Coke, which is super groovy of you to do. The blogger will, if s/he has a soul, wish to return the compliment by visiting your blog and doing the same. You’ll make it weh-heh-HAY easier for her/him to do so by providing a link-back signature. CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW.

DON’T bury your A to Z stuff all the way the heck at the bottom of that day’s post if you’re combining topics on a particular day (ESPECIALLY if that post has loads of pictures to scroll through). I can’t tell you how close I’ve come to tagging an A to Z participant as a non-participant because I had to scroll down to the very bowels of his/her blog to find the day’s A to Z post. Well, I guess I can tell you—I’ve come very close indeed. If you’re combining a bunch of topics for a day’s post, be sure to stick the A to Z part at the tippity-top of your post. The average individual doesn’t have the time or patience to do all that danged scrolling. (Trust me on this; if I had no sense of duty as an A to Z helper/minion/ninja, I sure as shootin’ wouldn’t.)

All right, folks; if you need to, go fix your stuff. If you don’t, rock on! And if you’ve got any Lindt or Guylian chocolates in need of a good home, Tweet me.

-----

Now that you know how to give and receive comments, make sure to drop by the following blogs and spread some love, in order to receive some love in return:

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1.     http://www.sandysanderellasmusings.blogspot.sg/

2.     http://whilethecoffeebrews.blogspot.in

3.     http://reviewsfrommyfirstreadsshelf.blogspot.sg

4.     http://thenovabug-blog.blogspot.sg

5.     http://precari0us.wordpress.com

6.     http://homelesschroniclesintampa.blogspot.sg

7.     http://dailyblessings-luann.blogspot.sg

8.     http://cherylsrandomthoughts.blogspot.sg

9.     http://zainabuf.blogspot.sg

10. http://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.sg/

11. http://stfu4abetterrelationship.wordpress.com

If you want to access all the posts tagged #AtoZChallenge across a lot of different social media check this out: http://tagboard.com/AtoZChallenge

Trust me, you won't be disappointed. Enjoy day 5 of the A to Z April Blogging Challenge, and may you all get as many comments as our Ninja Captain, Alex J Cavanaugh!

D is for Determination

Determination! 

That's what this Challenge is going to take. We are just a few days in, but the newness may have lost a bit of it's shine, you may be feeling discouraged for any number of reasons.

Not getting as many comments as you expected?

~ are you visiting a lot of blogs?

~ are you acknowledging the comments you've gotten?

Finding dead links?

~ please report them to me, Tina, through the info@ email or my personal email, both found under the CONTACT US tab. Please know we are continually combing the list for ads, dead links, and non-participants. Our assistants are out there in the trenches spending a LOT of their Challenge time doing that. So are the co-hosts. We welcome ANY help you can give.

Having trouble writing your posts?

~ these aren't works of art, perfect specimens of your very best writing, or masterpieces of any kind. They are short and sweet and meant to get you in the habit of blogging daily. Or if you're a perfectionist like me, hitting publish even though you could spend hours still editing. This is NOT the time to be trying that. Write it. Push publish.

Still feeling discouraged?

~ go hang out with your blogging buddies. Maybe you've all decided that for the Challenge you're going to visit others, but maybe you need a dose of that favorite blog you usually start your day with. That's OK. I wouldn't make you skip your coffee in the morning...

Above all, this is supposed to be FUN! Now go out there and have some FUN and don't worry so much. (Advice this girl needs to take a dose of herself...)

~Tina

C: Commenting Your Way through the #atozchallenge

As we've said time and again, the main purpose of A to Z Challenge is building a community of bloggers, and the way to do that is through Comments!

Commenting on a post is to reward the blogger for the effort he or she put in to writing the post, and it is also perhaps one of the best ways of ensuring that your posts get comments.

Here are a few blogs I came across while doing my challenge visits that I thought could do with more follows and comments. Please hop on across and show them some love. I'm sure they'll love you and your blog back!

1.     www.uberrandom.com

2.     http://saniaheba.blogspot.in

3.     http://designsbyrow.blogspot.sg

4.      http://stephcb.blogspot.in

5.     http://me-anders.blogspot.sg/

6.     http://pullupatoadstool.blogspot.sg/

7.     http://sonniajkemmer.blogspot.sg

8.     http://i-got-sidetracked.blogspot.sg

9.     http://goingvegan1.blogspot.sg/

10.  http://laura-hyde.blogspot.sg

 

Bring It On! #atozchallenge

 
    Are we off to a great start or what!    The sign-up list closed out at #1969 which is up from all previous years.   This event just keeps getting BIGGER.

         Keep in mind that the numbers will change as we continue to eliminate non-participants and other bad links from the list.   Watch your number as there is a good possibility that your positioning might go up a notch or two or more.  If you're telling others where to find you, make sure that number hasn't changed.

         And whatever you do, don't be a BAD LINK.   Keep your posts up to date as best you can.  We will be patrolling the list and removing non-participants.  If you are having a posting problem please make a note of it on your blog so we don't remove you.  Let us know if you need any assistance.

        The Challenge just keeps getting BETTER and we want to make it fun and rewarding for everyone.  Try your best to visit back to those who have commented on your blog.  Try to go through the list at least five a day starting with the blogs immediately below yours.  Be nice.   Follow the blogs you enjoy.  And try to leave a comment at each blog you visit.  Remember--in order to get comments it helps when you give comments.  This is social networking so let's be social.

         April is underway now so BRING IT ON!    Have a great Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

Arlee Bird

ADVENTURE!

As the A to Z Challenge kicks off, prepare for adventure!

You will be challenged to write a daily blog post corresponding with that day’s letter.

You will find new bloggers and make friends.

You will stretch your blogging skills.

You will learn new things.

You will emerge on the other side a different person.

Most of all, you will have fun on this adventure. Go and enjoy.

You are now free to move about the A to Z Challenge list!

Co-host Ninja Captain Alex is the author of CassaStar and CassaFire and his blog can be found HERE