A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal Day! #atozchallenge

One of the most burning questions participants ask themselves every year is: "Should I have a theme?" Themes are not mandatory, but definitely fun. They let your visitors know what to expect, and help you create posts that line neatly up from A to Z. They also have an added bonus – they let you participate in a whole separate blogfest!

Three years ago, A to Z participant Mina Lobo started the Theme Reveal, and we thought it was such a great idea that we made it tradition.

Here is how the Theme Reveal Blogfest works:

Sign up on the Linky List below. On Monday, March 21 (TODAY!) reveal your theme on your blog and give us a hint of what to expect from it. Then, once your post is up, use the Linky List to visit all the other blogs announcing their themes.

This is a great opportunity for all of you to get a jump start on your A to Z experience. You can link up with fellow bloggers, scout out and bookmark themes that you look forward to, and lure in wandering participants with your awesome theme. This way, by the time the frenzied posting begins on April 1, you will already have an audience eagerly awaiting your posts.

Be sure to visit others on the list and find some awesome themes!

#atozchallenge Stormy's Sidekicks! We put the FUN in dysFUNctional!

HMG: I do mean that with the utmost respect!

Today, we are here to introduce Stormy's Sidekicks. Well, here and The Waiting is the Hardest Part..

So, take it away Stormy 2.0!

Stormy 2.0: Hello, amazing blog people! This is my first ever A to Z Challenge and I have THE coolest team to help me! I don't even know how I lucked out the way I did!

StWG: You didn't 'luck out' at all, Funsize. It was all me! And, when am I going to be set back on my feet?

HMG: Stormy. Nice of you to join us.

StWG: Apparently, someone forgot to send me the memo that I was introducing MY Sidekicks today.

Stormy 2.0: You're so PRONE to dramatics. 

HMG: Well, now that you're here, feel free.

StWG: Good. Fine. Whatever.

Stormy 2.0: Yes, if you're so INCLINED!

StWG: So, we have 7 bloggers that couldn't wait to be my Sidekicks this year! Let's get right to the introductions so I can send version 2.No back to the assembly line.

Returning Sidekicks

Suz at Suzi's Ice Box Art. 


 






Sarah Foster from The Faux Fountain Pen.

 
Diana Gordon from Part Time Monster!

Brand Spanking New Sidekicks

L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge.

Andrea Casarsa from Maybe it's just me...

Pempi aka SENCO Cat Herder at Special Teaching at Pempi's Palace.

Tamara Narayan at Tamara Narayan, Author.







 
StWG: My team is going to ROCK the Challenge this year! Prepare to be amazed! Mostly by me, but hey, having these awesome bloggers under my wing couldn't hurt! Them.

HMG: Thank you, Stormy.

Stormy 2.0: Even when you're FACE DOWN, you still LEAN toward full TILT Diva status.

StWG: Watch and learn,  Shrimp-Kabob.

HMG: Yeah Stormy, about this 'laying down on the job' thing you've got going on, we really need to talk.

StWG: Less talk, more glue.

HMG: Fine. I'll see if I can make that happen.

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Sign-up for The 2016 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge!

The A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal list can be found here!

 

To make #blogging fun, Bring a Friend to the #atozchallenge !

Today's post is brought to you by Andrea, from D's Company.
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As an introvert, I've always thought that big parties sucked. Especially the ones where I'm all on my own, in carefully chosen clothes & makeup that don't make a bold statement but aren't boring either, enduring awkward chit-chats until I finally find at least one semi-decent person to talk to. But what a difference it makes to be able to bring a friend, who would laugh at the same jokes, understand my bookish references, and would introduce me to people who are worth it. The party doesn't suck so much any more.

Doing something with a person you like is always easier and more fun. Doing a blog challenge with a person you know is no exception either. Having someone there that you're already familiar with, going through the same ups and downs makes the ups better, and the downs shorter.

Blogging can be tough as a one-person job, but having a friend in it with you, makes things lighter. Do you have doubts whether you can manage a challenge? You'll have your own community to support each other. Are you stuck on the theme or a specific letter? Your readers can help.

So spread the word, involve your audience - here are some ideas how.

 1. Write a blog post. Your readers might or might not know about the challenge, so give them a short intro, tell them how you're going to do it or just to keep yourself accountable.

 2. When you see a great blog/post, leave a comment encouraging them to join. We're all unsure about our capabilities from time to time, and knowing there's someone believing in us, makes all the difference.

3. Talk to your friends about it! In person, you know, maybe over a beer. I'm forever trying to recruit my friends who don't only deserve the benefits of this great community, but could also do with a little shake-up of getting challenged. 4. Invite people to the twitter chats. We've two every week, Thursdays at 9pm, and Saturdays at 8am EST to accommodate the different time zones and it's nothing like the dreaded parties! But bringing a friend still helps.

5. Be social on, you know, social media. Get your friends to the A to Z Facebook page where you'll be able to see what everyone's posting about.

Show them the A to Z pinterest boards, the G+ page or my personal favourite, twitter.

You name it, we have it! What I'm saying is, don't fall into the trap of doing it all alone. The best thing about blogging is connecting to others through your writing.

Reciprocate it by involving them in the biggest challenge you'll probably take and you'll have the pleasure of seeing another person succeed because of you.

Isn't that the awesomest?  Still on the fence about signing up? Look at all the blogs that are participating!


PS: If you do any of the sharing described above, leave a comment and we'll visit. We're cool like that.
 

Introducing the Multicolored Lady's Minions of Might & Magic! Csenge's #atozchallenge team

Sziasztok!

I'm the Multicolored Lady, the Challenge's resident Hungarian co-host. I have already introduced myself earlier - this time I am here to introduce my marvelous, much appreciated multicolored minion team, my

Minions of Might & Magic!

(*confetti*)

Erica is a lover and practitioner of Music, Meditation, and Storytelling. You might remember her from her amazing theme of Hindu mythology last year! I hear she will have something equally fascinating for this year's challenge. You can find her blog here.

Freya writes about herself thus: "Incurable Drama Queen, Mind-Vagabond, OCDed Control Freak, Innate Traveler, Proud-Softie Dog Mama, Insatiable and Irregular Blogger. I'm Freya and I live in Bangalore, India. I love to read, that's my thing. I'm a housewife and have 5 dogs who fill up my life along with the husband. Mostly that's what my blog is about too."

You can find her blog here, and you can also connect with her on Twitter or Instagram. 

Lancelot is 25 years old, and describes himself as "a foodie who loves to eat (not so much love in the cooking department), part-time wanderer, blogger since 2014, an A to Z survivor and basically trying to live 100% a life without regrets since 2015!" You can find his blog here, and follow him on Twitter here.

Last, but not least, the team would not be complete without our Everyday Fangirl, Patty. She is from Michigan, and lives disguised as a mild mannered data analyst for an advertising firm. You can find her blog on all things fandom here, follow her on Twitter here, or check out fandom blogs The Cantina Cast and The Bearded Trio where she also regularly posts. 

The Minions of Might & Magic will be visiting you over the course of the Challenge, helping us make sure everything is in order and everyone is having a great time.

See you all in April!

*disappears in another shower of confetti*

A to Z Tips - Running with a Theme #atozchallenge

If you’re participating in the Challenge, you are probably already planning your posts. That’s great–plan and write as many as possible before the Challenge begins so you have more time to visit other bloggers in April.

If you’ve toyed with the idea of a theme or not, let me tell you - it’s easier if you have a theme for the month. We offer the Great Theme Reveal on March 21, which gets people excited about your theme. Plus we run a feature here during the year called Themes That Rocked the Challenge that gives you an idea of the variety of themes out there.

Here are some reasons why a theme helps:

The first year of the Challenge, I didn’t have a theme. Of course this meant some days I was scrounging for something that matched the letter. (For Q, I blogged about Q*Bert and some obscure band called Q-Tip–not good!)

A theme will give you direction. You don’t want to be confined? Choose a good theme and it will expand your possibilities, not limit them. If you select movies, you can go with the movie titles. Music? Go with band or song titles. Sports? Go with players or teams. By narrowing the focus, it’s actually easier, because then you won’t feel overwhelmed.

A theme also lets visitors know what to expect. They will be more apt to return, especially if they like your theme. We’re creatures of habit and like consistency. Include a line or two at the beginning of each post that states your theme for the month if it’s not obvious in your post title.

It’s good research. Select a topic you want to know more about – you’ll learn something as you search. Perhaps it’s something you need to research for your next book or for school. Kill two birds with one stone – and educate others in the process.

Does the theme have to match your blog exactly? No, it can be anything you want. If it’s something that interests you, chances are you’ve already talked about it on your blog. Brainstorm some different themes and pick one. If it fits your style, then do it.

Have fun with it. Just think–your blog is a theme park for one whole month. Make it fun! Because if you’re having fun, so will your visitors.

Co-host Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh is the author of Amazon Best-sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, Dragon of the Stars, and his blog can be found HERE

Introducing An Unconventional Alliance, Pam's #atozchallenge co-host Team!

I'm so thrilled to introduce you to this year's Unconventional Alliance! Why are are we the alliance? Because an alliance is like a party and who doesn't want to have a party everywhere they go? An Unconventional Alliance will be my team to help me get through the A to Z Challenge. There will be lots of partying and lots of work and lots of fun! Let me introduce you to the band team:

First up is our DJ. She'll be playing the music that will keep our toes tapping. Meet Shalini:  

Taking up the #atozchallenge for the third time in a row, I can already feel the adrenaline rush. Here's a lil' about me.

An IT Professional who decided to get married to an Olive Green and thus start a nomadic life - Began blogging only to note down the recipes she tried in her almost-burnt-down kitchen. Like any food blogger, 'Julie and Julia' is her inspiration.Music is her soul and she can be seen humming and dancing to the latest tunes played in the radio while trying out recipes in her kitchen. One day wanting to meet the one and only Gordon Ramsay, she cooks her heart out to bring a smile on her soldier's face. ツ She is also an ardent reader and a passionate dancer. She occasionally writes poems and stories as well.

Shalini blogs at Something's Cooking  and Tale of Two Tomatoes. Her other nickname may just be Mrs. Tomato. @onewidbrowneyes

Next is our lead singer Rajlakshmi.  When she's not rocking out on the mic, she might be cooking or taking beautiful photos.

A military brat hailing from Assam, I have lived in different parts of the country, experiencing the essence of various cultures in India. I often brag about the fact that I studied in 9 schools (No, I wasn’t kicked out :P ) and know 5 languages. Most days you would find me processing travel photos, blogging about ‘smarty’ siblings, trying my hands at Paper Quilling or watching the world - upside down. 

Java Developer by profession, Sydneysider, travelling is my passion, writing keeps my creativity alive, Yoga is a part of my lifestyle and, more often than not, I end up setting off the fire alarm while cooking.

I strongly believe in Karma - what goes around, comes around. And therefore, no matter how small, I avoid negativity. 

She blogs at The Twinkle Eyed Traveler, The Poetry Wagon, and Destiny's Child. I believe in Karma too. And cake. She tweets @Sunjhini

No party would be complete without a dance teacher! Meet  Claire. She'll show us all the moves so we can look our best on the dance floor. Claire is also passionate about children's books, which is also my passion.   

Hi, I’m Claire Annette and am joining the A-Z Challenge for the third time Yippee! I live and write in Central California. I’m passionate about kids and books and have made my career as a children’s librarian, reading specialist, and kindergarten teacher. I get my kid fix these days as a substitute teacher - yes, I actually think subbing is fun. I am a field trip planner extraordinaire and I combine my love of travel and kids’ book on my blog. Sign your permission slip and join me at A Field Trip Life. 

Claire blogs at A Field Trip Life and tweets  @claire_noland 

Here's Parul! She's the life of the party who will make sure everyone is having a good time. My teens would call her the Hype Woman because she's happy. 

HR Professional. Working Homemaker. Blogger. Wikipedian. Family Photographer. Engineer This is how I describe all that I do on an almost every day basis. I am Parul and I write for the love of expressing myself and giving my thoughts a voice.

I love my love, life, colors, watching the Sky and Sunsets. If I could get up early – Sun rises would have made it to the list. I started blogging three years ago and I wish I had started earlier. I always have personal stories to share and moments to feel excited for. I call my blog happiness and food cos I write about things that make me happy and in my posts, you will find food for thought.

If not writing, I am reading or editing Wikipedia. After work, you will find me on my couch with a cup of ginger tea and my laptop. A child at heart – I love playing games like Candy crush, Free cell, Klondike, Sudoku, Words, 2048 and every other thing. A social media enthusiast and a learner.

Taking up #atozchallenge for the second time and excited to see what it will bring this year. I am lesser prepared than last year and hence a bit nervous. Good luck everyone! 

She blogs at Happiness and Food.  She tweets at @parul2411

And, well, you know me, I'm the ring leader, partygoer who always wants cake. If you see the team around the Challenge, please say hello cuz they are here to help! Remember I'm @pamlovesbooks on Twitter. Say hello. 
Please?

And now, we dance. 

Adding the A to Z Challenge badge to your Wordpress Blog #atozchallenge

There have been some questions about adding the badge for the Challenge onto Wordpress blog pages. The process is different than it is for Blogger. I've made a short video where I demonstrate the process.

The theme I'm using in the video is Twenty Fourteen, which has two sidebars, one on either side. Depending on which theme you choose, there might be only one sidebar (the current default theme, Twenty Sixteen, is like this). The important thing is to position the badge so that visitors can see it when they come to your blog, preferably at the top of the sidebar. Be careful: there are one or two themes that don't have sidebars. You might want to stay away from those.
Let me know if you have any questions or problems doing this.

---

John Holton
The Sound of One Hand Typing
The Sound of One Hand Typing FM

#atozchallenge Rocking the Challenge!

So, I think I've settled on a theme for the Challenge.

It's gonna be a really simple one. (I wonder if it may be too simple) But it will require help from the people who visit my blog. I think it will be an interesting way to gather information that I can use at a later date and people will probably have fun making their own contribution.

Usually, I choose to do something that will help others and since I've done the Challenge, I've collected enough data for several books. Alas, I haven't done any kind of compilation, which won't get done unless I put it on a list.

Never fear, we have time yet. But all the same, the Challenge isn't very far away! The next time I post here, I'm hoping to introduce my Joyful Brigade of helpers for the Challenge. We're getting ready to rock the Challenge. Are you? In the very slim even that you haven't signed up as yet, access the sign-up list here.

I haven't heard from a couple of my helpers, so if you're up for helping me check in on a set of blogs during the Challenge, please feel free to leave me a message here and I'll touch base with you.

So have you settled on a theme yet. Narrowed it down to a couple? Still waffling? Need more time because you still can't decide yet? 

#atozchallenge: Introducing Damyanti and her team, D's Company!

 I've been part of the A to Z family for a while, and many of you know me as Damyanti from Daily (w)rite.

I'm camera-shy, so the spotlight is on Guilie Castillo, who is introducing herself and her team mates, (my gang) this year : D's Company.

 Take it away, Guilie!
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The A-to-Z Challenge is, undisputedly, the blogging event of the year. In a community where blogfests and hops abound, that's saying something. And the magic was there from the beginning. In 2010, around 100 bloggers took up Arlee Bird's call to arms; by the following year participation had increased more than tenfold: over 1300 blogs signed up. And that number grows every year. Why? What's this A-to-Z magic that sweeps the blogosphere as soon as the sign-up list opens in January?

• The community. No group of people is as welcoming, and as fascinating to get to know, as bloggers. They come from such varied backgrounds, product of such different cultures and lives, that their posts become doors into entirely new worlds.
• The exposure. Nothing grows a blog's audience like the A-to-Z. Nothing, short of being featured on the Huffington Post, exposes your blog to as many potential readers, fans, and friends. 
• The relationships. You will forge unprecedented friendships. There's something about the hectic atmosphere in April that... Well, you know. The best friendships are forged in fire.
• The challenge. It's a human trait. We love challenges. We might enter the A-to-Z world hopelessly (and, honestly, kind of adorably) clueless as to what exactly we've signed up for, and we might finish the month exhausted and certifiably brain-dead, but we can't wait for it to be April again.

It's such a rush to see that list of 27 posts. We did it. Our creativity stood the test. We committed to something and we actually saw it through. That sense of achievement is a high that's hard to pass over. Last year I seriously considered sitting the Challenge out. Among other pressing things, I was behind — like, months behind — on the edits for my first novel, due for publication in spring 2015. But I signed up anyway. And I didn't finish. I skipped one letter outright, and my last post was a three-in-one. Should I have abstained? You know what? Nah. Finish or fail, the A-to-Z is the highlight of my blogging year. 

This year I'm joining co-host Damyanti Biswas's team, and it's my pleasure to introduce the fabulous women who make up D's Company.

 Vidya Sury Lives in hot-and-happening Bangalore. Tries to live mindfully, doing what she loves and loving what she does as a mom, writer, blogger, editor, and social media enthusiast.

 Misha Gericke Lives close to Cape Town, South Africa. She's either writing, editing, or working as a fresh produce exporter.
  
Andrea Michaels A writer in love with the sky and the ocean and brown eyes in general. Regularity and structure aren't her strong points but she makes awesome pancakes.

 Soumya Prasad The group's second Bangalorite is a hard-core techie. Her name means "one who is soft-spoken", which she considers the biggest irony of her life. A lover of love and all things related to it.

 Samantha Geary Jones Speculative fiction author living in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her lover, her two adorable little girls, and a border collie sidekick. Freelance writer for film, TV, and the gaming and trailer music industries.  

Guilie Castillo Mexican author and dog rescuer living in Curaçao. When not writing she'll be found wandering the island's wilderness with her seven dogs. 

Damyanti Biswas Blogger, author, troublemaker. A to Z cohost. An inept housewife, tea-and wine-lover.

We're all looking forward to getting to know you!
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Follow the A to Z Blogging team on our Facebook Page!
Email address is contactatozteam at gmail dot com
Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge and Twitter id is @AprilA2Z. 
If you have a theme for you A to Z Challenge, sign up for the Theme Reveal!

We’ll hold Twitter chats on Thursdays at the tag #azchat at 9.00 PM EST. Please follow the Twitter and Facebook handles, and the hashtags in order to keep up with the conversation.