If you like #blogging , join the #AtoZchallenge and #AZchat !

 Today, we have Jemima Pett from #TeamDamyanti tells us about how to make the most of the A to Z Challenge.

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So, you’re still wondering whether you can do the A to Z Challenge.  What on earth are you going to write about?  Will anybody read it?

Yes, loads of people will read it.  We pick out interesting-sounding names on the list, or work through the numbers, hoping to find things they wouldn’t normally read.  I find amazing crafts, weird games and fascinating journeys. 

In 2012 I was fairly new to blogging. I stepped right into the Challenge and loved it. So A to Z challenge is a great way to jump-start your blog if you're new to the blogging world.

I’d not long published my first two books and I thought an A to Z of my books’ world would be great.  It was... for me and a handful of people who were up with my stories.  I realised this last year, when I visited people doing character interviews: if your visitors are new, they don’t know your stories, they don’t enjoy the wonderful extra information and insights you’re giving them.  Making an A to Z of my world was good for me, but not my visitors. 

I also did an A to Z of food on my guinea pigs’ blog, George’s Guinea Pig World.  This was more successful, once visitors had got over the shock of having my guinea pig Victor talking to them.  Food is a universal subject. Victor made lots of friends, too, and I think he enjoyed it. Try to choose topics that will have an appeal wider than your niche. If you have a theme, sign up for the A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal.
 

In 2013, I participated with just one blog; I did all the posts in advance and gave myself time to tour round other people’s blogs.  If you have superfast broadband you won’t realise that some blogs can take ages to load for slower systems.  Getting round 20 blogs could easily take me an hour and a half, without the time needed to leave comments and dealing with CAPTCHA.  That’s where I realised the value of keeping posts short, and also having identities on Blogger and WordPress so I was always logged in for comments. 

TURN CAPTCHA OFF. Go and check now on your blog if you have it on-- some bloggers have CAPTCHA and don't realize it. It turns off vistors like nothing else.

During the Challenge people like to visit, wave (i.e. comment or like) and move on.  In 2013 my short stories ranged from 50 words to 2000.  It’s good for regular posting but too much for the Challenge. Keep AZ posts short. Respond to comments you receive, and go and comment back. 

There will be two Challenge chats at #AZchat on Twitter today-- one at 1-3 PM hosted by AZ co-hots Pam Margolis and her team, and another at 8-9 PM, hosted by Guilie Castillo Oriard with support from #teamdamyanti, discussing Commenting during the A to Z Challenge. Join in!

This year, I’ll be blogging on a special theme, to be revealed for the A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal.  I’ll also be revealing the cover of my new book, Bravo Victor, on April 2^nd.  Come and check it out at and enter the Giveaway, too! If you have a book or any cause to promote, do it during the A to Z Challenge in order to get a good response.
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Are you pre-scheduling your AZ posts? Do you have a theme? Are you already visiting other bloggers from the A to Z Challenge signup list?

Get More Visits by Hyperlinking Your Signature During #atozchallenge

One of the suggestions you may have come across in the informational posts, tabs, info@ email answers, FAQ, etc., is the advantage of having a having a hyperlink signature.

I'm just going to go Blogging 101 on you here since I know that we have a lot new bloggers joining the the A-Z Challenge.  Besides, I was a math and English teacher and review never hurts.  A hyperlink signature gives readers a "wormhole" directly to your blog.  (I write sci-fi...it's like a Transporter...um Tardis...magic tunnel?  Oh, I got it: apparating.  You read Harry Potter, right?)

So since one of our wonderful co-hosts from last year already explained it so well, I'm just going to say...Take it away, Shannon!  (We miss you...)

When you comment on other people's blogs, you want them to be able to track you down to return the favor.  This can be tricky or time consuming sometimes, so the easier you make it for them to find you, the more likely you are to get a return visit.

Some people have multiple blogs, which makes it hard to know which one you need to visit.  Clicking on each blog to find half of them empty or not having been updated can be frustrating.  The same goes for trying to track down someone's blog when you get bounced all over the place.  When their profile connects with Google+, for instance, you often have to go to the "About" page to track down their blog, though if they update their daily posts there you can click through there instead.

In order to make it easier for people to track you down, follow this method of hyperlinking:

1. Choose your link.  Do you want them to go to your main page, a specific page or a specific post?

2. Choose your signature.  What do you want it to say?  Only a portion of it will be visible.  I'll give an example below.

3. Make your hyperlink.  This is what it looks like:

Notes: You will insert your own URL between the quotes ("http://yourwebsitehere") and your blog or destination in place of "The Warrior Muse" (>Your Website<)

4. Add your signature.  Note that the only things that will be visible after you post are where it says "Shannon at" and "The Warrior Muse."  Anything within the carrots (<,>) is invisible once you hit post.

Note: Make it say whatever you want.  My signature isn't gospel, just an example.  I will often change it for something specific, like a blogfest, so that it says something about the blogfest and directs them to the related post, rather than my overall blog.  (Ex. Shannon, visiting from the A-to-Z Challenge)

5. Post it following your comment!  That simple.

I've become accustomed to typing it out as I go along, but when I first started I used someone's example, made my own, then emailed it to myself so I could always copy it from my email and post it wherever I was commenting.  Figure out what works best for you, and go from there.  People will appreciate you providing them a hyperlink, and you'll appreciate them visiting you. 

May you find your Muse.
Shannon
The Warrior Muse

Hi, Tina again.  I have mine saved in a word processing document that I always open when visiting blogs so it's handy to copy and paste.  I could never remember all those symbols to just type it out...

Meet Kate! Member of Tina's Terrific Team for #atozchallenge

Today we're taking a bit of a break from the advice and the introductions and all the "pre-season training" for something a bit different.  When our wonderful assistants stepped up to the plate to be our "beck-and-call minions" we each offered them a chance to use this blog as a platform to say what they wanted.  Possibly introduce a book they were releasing, write a story, or as in Kate @ Another Clean Slate, talk about what they wanted.  Kate is sharing about challenges and causes near and dear to her heart.  Please welcome Kate of Tina's Terrific Team!


I'm Kate and I blog at Another Clean Slate. This is my second year doing the A to Z Challenge, but my first year being on a crew. More specifically, I'm on Tina from Life is Good's minion crew which I'm told is a challenge in and of itself. 

Challenges must be my thing this year because on top of writing alphabetically for an entire month, I've also signed up to walk 50 miles. In three days. And I have to raise $1,500. Yah, I told you I'm crazy. 

Both the walk and the A to Z Challenge are good exercise- one physically and one for my writing muscles. But the walk is also being done to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). 

One of my blogging buddies has MS and recruited me to walk on her team. For those of you who don't know, Multiple Sclerosis is disease of the central nervous system that interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. 

Advances are being made every day to prevent this disease and keep it in check once it's been diagnosed. But that takes money. I'm pretty sure I can tackle this year's A to Z Challenge. I'm sort of sure I can stumble through a 50-mile walk. But I need your help in raising the $1,500 for my part of the team's fundraising efforts. 

Every little bit helps and is appreciated. I'm looking forward to getting to know a lot of new bloggers this April and know we can kick butt from A to Z with a focus on MS!   

You can find me in quite a few places:
Kate @ Another Clean Slate 
Walking the MS Challenge and need your help!
Blogging from A to Z Challenge Team: Life is Good (April 2014) 
Twitter 
Facebook 
Bloglovin

As you can see, Kate is the social one on my team. Thanks, Kate.  MS is near and dear to me, too.  A close friend struggles with this disease daily.  

I encourage all of you visiting today to become involved in something that stirs your heart.  As a blogging community, we can make a difference, because we are connected, there is strength in numbers, and because we care about people.  It's why we do what we do.

Thanks, Kate, for so willingly sharing what's important to you.

~Tina, with Kate

Meet Your Co-Hosts – Mini-Alex Introduces Ninja Captain Alex #atozchallenge

Mini-Alex here!

I’m to give you the inside scoop on A to Z Challenge Co-Host, Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Why me? Because I’m not afraid of the spotlight. Alex likes his privacy and stays in the shadows. I guess Ninjas aren’t supposed to be seen, right?

So it’s up to me to tell you about him!

Alex started blogging over four years ago when his publisher told him to get his butt online. He participated in the very first Challenge in 2010 and has been a co-host ever since. Says that first Challenge changing his blog forever.

Alex is also the founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. IWSG for short. Writers with blogs post the first Wednesday of every month. They can also join the Facebook IWSG. There’s also a IWSG Website - a database of sites and information for insecure writers. About a thousand people participate one way or another. (Writers are an insecure, squirrely bunch, aren’t they?)

I mentioned his publisher earlier. Yeah, Alex is an author. He has a space opera trilogy - CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm. They’re all Amazon Best Sellers. (Not sure how when I’m not in any of the stories, but we’ll let that slide.) He’s working on another book now. And to think he didn’t even want to be an author!

That’s probably because he’s also a musician. Alex plays guitar in a Christian rock band. He has a lot of guitars, but none are as cool as mine.

If you visit his blog, you’ll discover he likes to talk about movies, music, games, and other geek stuff. Alex also has a feature called the Ninja News where he highlights the achievements of his blogger buddies. He’d rather put the spotlight on others than himself.

And sorry Ninja SAM, he’s also married.



There you have it!

Now, where’s that Mini-Kate you promised?



You can find Alex: Blog, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, and at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

Want to Grow your #Blog via the #AtoZChallenge ?

Today we have Mary Wallace talking to us about how A to Z April Blogging Challenge helped her blog, and what an  A to Z  first timer can do to reap benefits from the challenge!
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When I first started blogging, I did so with a very specific purpose in mind, which lasted about five minutes. I started blogging, because at the time, I was homeless and thought that I had GREAT and IMPORTANT things to say about that. It turns out I didn’t; or at least not in any way that was interesting. So, I told stories and the stories turned out to be pretty damned amusing at times. Last year, in 2013, I found the A-to-Z Challenge and really enjoyed it—it helped me focus on my blog.

There are a few things about the A to Z Challenge that sets it apart from others, and I believe they help immensely in “growing” your audience, or at least offering the opportunity to do so:

• The challenge is a month long and requires precisely 28 posts. The posts should be short and punchy (Or not, if your niche audience is happy with long posts). They can be funny, lyrical, whatever.
• You can pick a “theme” (Join the A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal if you do), or not.   
•  By participating, you’ll meet people from all over the world with so many different interests and varied cultures and it will give you a chance to learn and share with your new friends!
• By meeting new people and interacting, they will be sure to spread the word about your blog: Don’t forget to use Twitter, G + and Facebook!
• If you are new to blogging, this is THE PERFECT CHALLENGE because the rules are short and sweet and there are scads and scads of people to help you along the way!
• Here are a few posts that will make it easy for you to do the challenge once you sign up:

1. Reading the A to Z Challenge FAQ post by Nicole Ayers
2.  Oodles of Ideas for Finding Your AZwords by Tina Downey
3.  Make Commenting Easy by Alex J Cavanaugh
4. Pre-schedule Your Posts by Damyanti Biswas
5.  Ace the Challenge through Social Media by Vidya Sury
6. How to get more Followers for your blog by Arlee Bird 
7. Get your Google Profile Right by MJ Joachim 
8. Make Lasting Blog Relationships through A to Z Challenge by Guilie Castillo Oriard 
9.  Don't get busted by the Photo police by Pam Margolis
10. The Dreaded conversation about CAPTCHA by MJ Joachim
11.  10 Tips to Ace the A to Z Challenge by Damyanti Biswas
12. How to Hyper Blog like a Pro by Nicole Ayers

So, there you have it! There is no reason NOT to sign up for this challenge. I had so much fun last year and made many new friends. I am a bit different in that I am “retired” which is a polite word for disabled and I do not blog to make money, but I associate myself with the very best in the business, as I did when I worked.

The co-hosts set high standards and this is a chance to prove to yourself that yes, you can blog from A to Z and write wonderful posts and have fun doing so!
 
Have you joined the A to Z April Blogging Challenge yet?

Have questions? The first ever Twitter chat for Blogging from A to Z April Challenge will happen today, 28 February, at 6PM EST on the hashtag #AZchat. Come chat with us, exchange A to Z challenge tips and tricks, ask questions of A to Z challenge veterans and co-hosts. See you on Twitter this evening!

Getting to Know Your Fellow #bloggers #atozchallenge #foodblogs

Featuring Food Blogs

What better time to celebrate food than than with the weekend coming up? Well, if you’re like me, you might want to celebrate food every day of the week. There are so many good things to eat, ways to make them and then add in the idea of growing your own food. It’s a done deal! You won’t be disappointed when you visit these fine food blogs!

Hungry Enough to Eat Six: It’s all about recipes sure to make your mouth water on this food blog. Easy organization, complete with recipe index and recipes by category will make finding what you’re looking for a breeze. Having browsed through quite a few of these recipes, and knowing my way around the kitchen a bit, I believe it’s safe to say, you won’t be disappointed.


Service from Heart: If you enjoy oriental food, you’re in for a treat with this blog. The recipes are detailed with lots of pictures; the presentation is delightful. Visitors are also treated to intriguing stories about Singapore and the surrounding region. Service from the Heart is truly a unique food blog, with lots of things to share and enjoy.


Growing Our Food: Enjoy the lessons brought to you from a food & garden blogger in South Africa when you visit this blog. If you’re interesting in self- sustained living, growing your own food is a great way to do it. You’ll learn about gardening, food preparation and preservation.  Growing Our Food shares resources and lots of information to help you succeed in the garden. It doesn’t matter where you live, this blog provides valuable information for all.


Notes from the Tomato Lady: Who knew there were so many varieties of tomatoes out there? The plants are exquisite, the garden tips divine and the recipes sound positively delicious! It’s not just about tomatoes however. This blog also has recipes and tips about peppers and onions too. One of the things I like most about this particular blog is the organization. It’s so easy to find whatever you might be looking for here.


Jo on Food, My Travels and a Scent of Chocolate: My mouth practically waters every time I read the recipes Jo shares on her blog. Saturday is a designated recipe day over there, so get ready for some mouth watering food! Truth be told, Jo shares recipes on way more days than Saturday. Jo provides clear instructions, along with photos that will make you want to stop whatever you’re doing to whip up a batch of whatever she’s making. More than that, you get a bird’s eye view of Jo’s wild side, as she shares humorous anecdotes of her journey through life.

So there you have it. Betcha can’t wait to warm up your frying pan and start sizzling in the kitchen. Sounds like a plan to me!

M. J.

©2014 All Rights Reserved
Photo credit: David Lorenzana, Rueda de los alimentos, CCA-Share Alike 2.5 Generic License

A-to-Z Challenge Questions Answered #atozchallenge #FAQ

If you’ve ever received a driver’s permit, written a grant proposal, traveled by plane, applied for college, filled out a job application, made an insurance claim or voted in an election, you have a clear understanding of how important it is to follow directions.

Whether simple or complex – directions guide us on the road to achieving (or at least getting closer to) whatever end result we are seeking. We all make mistakes – it’s true. Oftentimes, however, a lot of these mistakes can be significantly reduced – even eliminated – by simply reading and following directions as carefully as we are able.

As we head toward the Blogging from A-to-Z Challenge in April, please take heed on the directions and guidelines that are set forth for participants. Doing so will help Co-Hosts and fellow participants to prevent unnecessary potholes and bumps in the road from developing at our alphabet blogging party.

Making Category Changes

This includes: Adding a Category , Removing a Category or Modifying a Category

"Apologies for circumventing the system to add a second entry WITH the category this time. You can delete # 164"

"I neglected to put (WR) by my name, sorry!"

"Oops. Signed up before my morning coffee, and forgot to put the HU category." 

"I see I am one of those who forgot to add a category."

"I signed up but forgot to put the MI category in...sorry!"

The scenarios above have one Question in common: Can I Change My Category Code?

The Short Answer: No

The Long Answer: The “requirement” factor is one of the most common misconceptions about using blog categories when signing up for the A-to-Z Challenge. Since 2013, the Co-Hosts have offered a list of categories and their corresponding codes that bloggers can included at end of their blog’s name, when signing up for the challenge. As a participant, using a category code or not is entirely your choice. Therefore, if you forget to add a category code the first time around, it is not a big deal. There is no need to request that one be added later on down the line. Blogs that contain adult content are the only exception to this rule. All categories are optional, except for the Adult Content (AC) category. 

Your Spot/Number on the Signup List

"I can't believe I was late on the list again this year. My goal was to make the top one hundred." 

"number 14 on the list, beats my number from last year, one thousand and something!"

The scenarios above have one Concern in common: 

How can I be in the best position on the signup list to get more visits, comments, fans, friends, followers, etc. during the A-to-Z Challenge?

Our Short Response: It's not about where you are on the signup list. It's about how you participate with (and make yourself known to) other bloggers on the signup list.

Our Long Response: The number where your blog is currently located on the signup list may be subject to change as we clean up the list. In the early years of the A-to-Z Challenge, being higher on the list could help bring you more readers –especially during the first week or two in April. That is because everybody started at #1 and worked their way down the list; even with a “randomizer” widget that Arlee had available at times, this method of participation make it difficult for blogs that were further down on the list to see any real bump in traffic, comments, followers and general interactions with fellow A-to-Z Challenge participants.

These days, we’ve attempted to balance things out by asking ALL participants to start visiting the blogs that are listed after their blog. So, if you are blog #144 on the signup list, then you would start visiting blog #145 and then #146 and so on until you’ve either visited all the blogs on the signup list after yours or the end of the 2014 A-to-Z Challenge arrives – whichever comes first. If everyone pitches in to help with this by starting on the next blog down on the list, after their own, we can nearly ensure that all participating blogs get a sizable amount of new visitors during the challenge.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

• Never underestimate the power of networking -- one of the fastest ways to get help with something related to the #atozchallenge is to reach out to a fellow blogger who you know is participating in the challenge. 

• When in doubt, you can connect with one of the Co-Hosts or send your question/concern to @AprilA2Z.

Each year, Co-Hosts as well as select participants of the Blogging from A-to-Z Challenge have taken great care in providing information that addresses common questions and concerns involving our April blog hop. 

Due to the massive volume of bloggers who signup to participate in the A-to-Z Challenge, it is crucial that each participant practices his or her due diligence in paying attention to the Guidelines set forth on the A-to-Z Challenge Sign-up List as well as the knowledge provided in content published on this blog -- while also taking into account the additional information available on our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) page and our CONTACT page.

The #AtoZChallenge Way of Lasting #Blogging Relationships

Today I welcome Guilie Castillo Oriard to talk about making lasting relationships during the month of April, when we all do some A to Z Challenge Blogging!

Take it away, +Guilie  !

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Join the A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal!

If you’re reading this, you probably know exactly how many days—hours, even—are left before April 1^st. You can’t wait. I know. I’m like that, too.

Or was. Until I realized it’s not about April. April is only the opportunity—which I have squandered. Repeatedly.

Believing the A-to-Z Challenge is about April is like believing a play is about opening night. It’s your goal, what you’re working towards—operating word being working. Plenty to do before then. An actor shows up on opening night without having gone to a single rehearsal… Well.

The Challenge is only the beginning. The rules may require a post a day, but there’s a reason for all that frenzy. It’s about relationships. If we create them right, they will last way beyond April.

The Plan:

1 Write my posts ahead of time—as should you, and if you ask why then I give you a hearty hug of welcome, because it must be your first A-to-Z.

2 Start building my A-to-Z network now. With 2,000 blogs in the Challenge, I won’t be able to visit them all even overdosing on caffeine. But if I begin to engage with like-minded bloggers, that means I’m free during April for pure blog-hopping and commenting. Which leads nicely to the next point.

   But first: how does one achieve this engaging?

•         visit the main A-to-Z blog and the hosts (in the sidebar to the right), and the Team of Assistants. Check out the people that leave interesting comments

•  visit as many of the blogs on the list as you can, before April. 5 new blogs a day will still take you to about 200 blogs!

•         sign  up for the #A2ZReveal hop

•         join the A-to-Z communities on Facebook and G+

•         follow @AprilA2Z on Twitter and start your own Twitter list of A-to-Z participants

3 Never again leave a generic copy-paste comment. Do we really think no one notices? The people we visit also visit others, and see our comment there is—gasp!—identical to what we wrote on their site. That really plants the seed for enduring connections.

No need to write a Tolstoy novel to make a comment thoughtful. It’s like speed dating. You can go through the checklist in your hand without even looking at the other person, or you can meet their eyes and try, for the three minutes you have together, to find out what makes them special.

4 Include a working link to my blog on every comment. Nothing more frustrating than trying to connect with someone whose link takes me on a merry chase around the web. Here’s how to create a link that never fails:

 

Thanks Vidya Sury for this blogging trick!

Go on, try the linky signature in the comments below. Chocolate chip cookies to successful signatures!

5 Read up on these awesome tips by Alex J Cavanaugh, on how to make commenting easy!For some extra tips, visit Richa Singh's A to Z Challenge tips.

 Relationships make the world, especially the blogging world, go round. Go forth and conquer April, A-to-Z-ers! And if you want to build some great blog relationships rightaway, consider joining the team of AZ assistants. Express your interest in the comments below to get signed up!

Do you have a strategy for making comments? Which bloggers do you visit most, and why?

What Would YOU Like to Know About Your #atozchallenge Co-Hosts?

You may have noticed that we've already had some of the co-hosts introduce themselves to you. We like to do this each year so that you have an idea of who we are, what we do, and so that you can find out some just plain fun or silly facts about us.

In the past, we used a question/answer format where each co-host chose from a list of questions as a basis for how they wrote their “About Me” posts. We're doing it a little differently this year. We are – gasp – free-styling it! Everyone is doing his or her own thing.

For example, since Jeremy was literally laid up with his ankle, we wrote his for him. (In case you were wondering, all million or so of you who left such nice comments, he was really touched by the tremendous support you showed him. As a Team, we are very grateful and say THANK YOU.) Heather's buddy Stormy the Weather Gnome introduced her.

There are still some of us who like the question/answer format and that's where you come in. YOU get to ask the questions! Just as a sample, here are some from the past:

"When writing, do you prefer to compose your first-draft by hand, on your computer, or using Morse Code?" (Mina Lobo)

"If you could sing any song with the artist who wrote/performed it, what would it be and with whom?" (Tracy Bermeo-A2Z Mommy)

"What's more important, space exploration, or under-sea exploration?" (Matt Conlon)

"Name an item that you have too much of." (Nicole)

"Favorite childhood memory" (Tina)

We currently have 34 questions. We are greedy. We want more. We want fresh questions!

We have a great chance for that since we have so many new to the A-Z Challenge participants! As co-hosts, we just love it that more and more people are hearing about this Challenge and joining! But wait! It gets better. This year we have many people who aren't just new to our April adventure, but also new to blogging! Brave people who aren't afraid to say, “Yeah, sure, I'll try that!

We're also just as excited that so many are returning. We have bloggers who are doing this for the 4^th and 5^th time. In case you haven't heard – this is year 5. It's fun to wander around the list meeting people (you are doing that, right?) and seeing the “A-Z Survivor” badges which you get when you're done. I think they're kinda like gold medals...

So hit us with your best questions. Anything goes. Not saying that a co-host will be brave enough to answer your outrageous question...but there's always the chance. (Honestly, it will most likely be me since I'm NOT the shy one in the group...)

~Tina, for the A to Z Team

Our other favorite Blog Hops!

If you are like us co-hosts, you may be looking at your calendar thinking, "What am I supposed to do with the next 39 days until the April A-Z Challenge starts?" Well, it is just your lucky day because we have some suggestions! Here are some of the co-hosts' favorite ongoing blog-hops. We do hope you'll stop by and join in the fun.

A-Z Theme Reveal Blogfest!
In its second year, the A-Z Theme Reveal Blogfest is a "hop within a hop" - an opportunity to join with other A-Z'ers to share what your theme for the month will be (if you have one, which you totally don't have to do. We <3 pantsers too!). This year the big day is March 21st! Hope to see you there!

Insecure Writer's Support Group
This is a great group of people, sponsored by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, whose goal is to help one another, "rock the neurotic writing world." Known as IWSG, this hop happens the first Wednesday of every month. If you've ever worried if you're the only writer who feels nervous, insecure, insufficient, or just plain weird, this is the group that will tell you that you are NOT alone. And they'll tell you in funny, insightful and wonderfully supportive ways.

Blog Blitz
Hosted by the incredibly kind and talented (and previous A-Z co-host!) DL Hammons, the Blog Blitz is an opportunity to show lucky bloggers some love, in a BIG way. Periodically DL will select a member or two of the team and email everyone their website, and then we ALL show up and leave comment love on that person's most recent post, on the same day. It's a great way to meet new bloggers, and who knows? You might get selected and have your day in the sun! (Co-host AJ was selected last April and can verify - it's quite the rush!)

Here are a couple of smaller, weekly hops that we think are pretty rad:

• For all you movie buffs, co-host Nicole hosts the Monday Movie Meme.
• On Fridays you can join VikLit in Celebrating the Small Things.
• And if you want to take Saturday as a bit of a rest day, join Cate for Six Word Saturday.

And if you're really searching for something to do, several of the co-hosts are not only great bloggers, but also have books published!

• Alex recently had some exciting success with his book CassaFire, but make sure to check out CassaStar and CassaStorm, too!
• MJ has two collections of her flash fiction, FlashTyme volume I and volume II. She also wrote Beyond Our Words, reflections on Catholic prayers, and The Merciful Victory of the Cross, which is reflections on the Stations of the Cross.
• AJ wrote an interactive fiction book (think Choose Your Own Adventure) called Armageddon: Pick Your Plot, which pits you against apocalyptic events from fire hurricanes to nanobots to alien invasions.
• Jeremy has several art books including Retro-Zombie: Art & Words, which is both a coloring book and poetry compilation. So cool!
• Stephen has published the first two books in his Breakthrough Trilogy: Breakthrough and Opening. Check them out before the final book, Escalation, comes out on March 10th!

What are your favorite blog hops? We know some of our participants are authors and artists, too - take this opportunity to share a link to your work!