Challenge Tip – How to Make Friends! Plus the Challenge Theme Reveal is Today

One of the goals of the Challenge, besides posting daily the letters of the alphabet, is to make friends.

The very first Challenge, there were only a hundred of us. We got to know one another over the course of the month and made lasting friendships.

Has that changed now that there are thousands of participants? No! The same opportunity to connect is there. And despite the numbers, I’ve managed to make many new friends every year. So can you.

Here are some tips on how to make friends next month:

Explore the list. Not everyone uses the coding system, but even with just blog titles, you’ll have an idea what to expect. We encourage everyone to visit five new blogs a day, starting with the one right after your own, anyway. Go through the list and note those blogs of interest.

When you find a blog of interest, follow it. Most blogs have one or more follow widgets, or an RSS Feed at the very least. Click on that Google Friends Connect, Linky Followers, or Networked Blogs widget. Show the blogger you are genuinely interested.

Comment on that person’s blog. Friendships are all about interacting and the exchange of thoughts and opinions. Comment on what that person posted about and let him know you read his post and it mattered. Blogging is all about community. Hits and visits don’t tell us much or lead to connections. Comments do.

Return comments on your own blog. That’s someone who stopped by and was interested enough to respond. Return the gesture. Continue the lines of communication. That’s how friendships are formed.

Connect with that person on other platforms–Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, etc.

Continue visiting after the Challenge ends. That’s the real test – who keeps coming back? Who wants to continue the communication? If you made a connection during the Challenge, don’t let it fade away in the months following.

Friendship takes effort. But it offers the greatest rewards. Next month, make it your goal to make some friends!


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

And don’t forget – the great Theme Reveal is today!

Looking for some cool themes to follow during the Challenge? Here’s a great list to get you started:

A Roadside Attraction with the Mighty A-to-Z Challenge Assets!

Thanks to all who have been doing the 4^th annual Post-Challenge Road Trip. While we've racked up a lot of mileage visiting blogs between May and April, the last stretch of highway is a must-see before packing it in for this season. 

Speaking of the seasons changing, Stormy the Weather Gnome took Heather Gardner into their garage to unpack their road trip co-hosting activities. They will both be missed out here on the road; be sure to keep a lookout for them during the A-to-Z Challenge, as they embark on new adventures!

In the meantime, say hello to the assets of Nicole’s Mighty Minion Bureau! These ladies were in positions #53, #63 and #66, respectively, on last year’s signup list for the A-to-Z Challenge and are returning in 2015 for another year of blogging every day in April. As members of my Mighty Minion Bureau, they are also are a carefully selected team of dispatchers who keep the alphabet juice flowing through participants of the challenge.

“Special Agent” SydneyAaliyah Michelle blogs about tattoo stories, movie quotes and contemporary romance novels – including her own Hope series and Another New Life.

Vidya Sury is doing the A-to-Z Challenge with three blogs this year, including Collecting Smiles where she writes about positive messages on parenting, happiness, traveling and food.

Melanie Shultz blogs about life as an indie author and her five-year goal of building a world class publishing company; she’s already on her way, having released an alternative diction series about a private high school where students are trained to become rulers of tomorrow.

Want to know an easy way to speed through the road trip? Here's how...

If you visit every blog mentioned in this entire post today, you’ll have completed the five-blog minimum necessary for surviving the 2015 Blogging from A-to-Z Challenge. It’s a great way to develop and exercise those blog visiting muscles for April!

A-to-Z Challenge Co-Host Nicole Ayers writes about epic kissing scenes, gratitude and bathroom selfies in the workplace at The Madlab Post. Chat with her on Twitter @MadlabPost 

Meet Your A to Z Co-Host Stephen Tremp

Hi everyone, as an A to Z co-Host, today it’s my turn to do a Getting to Know Me Post. Thanks everyone for posting a question on my blog earlier this week. Okay, here we go. Everything you wanted to know about me, for better or worse. 

Q: Are you secretly working on your own Large Hadron Collider? Alex Cavanaugh 

A: Yes, I am. But I can neither confirm nor deny as it's a secret. Shhhhhhh.

Q: Where DO you stand on the Pluto issue? Barbara in Caneyland A: Glad you asked. According to Pluto’s note to NASA: Your Mom Thought I Was Big Enough, Sincerely, Pluto. So there it is directly from the source. 

Q: If given the opportunity, would you travel to outer space? Betty A: In a heartbeat. Civilian space travel is going to be very expensive, so it’ll have to be as a stowaway. I’ll lock myself in the bathroom. 

Q: Do You play "Spore"? Dr. Theda 

A: My kids do and I watch as we have one room dedicated to computers for the family. It’s hilarious as the evolving species had to adapt and keep from being eaten. 

Q: Now I'm wondering about your webbed feet. Arlee Bird 

A: Arlee, wonder no more. The answer is, oh look, a squirrel with a fuzzy tail. Um, who are we talking about again? 

Q: Are you able to be human with so many wormholes around? Hilary Melton Butcher 

A: I did go back in time and once smashed a mosquito. That one misstep changed everything in our modern day, including people. So technically, although we think we are people, we are really an entirely different race compared to what we used to be living in a perfect utopian society with no crime or disease. Sorry about that. 

Q: Can you play the guitar like Alex? Nashvullecats2 

A: I can play, just not like Alex. 

Q: You're writing a book about cats - do you have a cat of your own? L. Diane Wolfe 

A: We had cats growing up and I love them. But wifey is terribly allergic to them so we do not have a cat. 

Q: Any merit badges? C. Lee McKenzie 

A: Actually, those were demerit badges. But I’m damn proud of my Beverage Drinking Demerit badge, followed by my Belching Demerit Badge. 

Q: When were first fascinated by science? Elizabeth Spann Craig 

A: When I burned the first house at the age of five. Oops. I wonder of the statutes of limitations has run out. 

Q: Which came first? Your interest in all things related to science in space or your desire to write speculative fiction? Susan Gourley / Kelly 

A: The space and science came first and manifested in the form of art. The writing came quite a bit later. I always thought I would make a living off art. Roger Dean, artist of Yes albums, was my inspiration. Life is full of surprises. 

Q: When are we going to Mars? David P. King 

A: You and me? Dude, let’s go this weekend. We'll have an intergalactic kegger! 

Bonus Points If You Name This Movie

Q: How many other versions of you are there that exist in alternate dimensions? Dl Hammonds 

A: Since there are infinite dimensions, there are infinite Stephen Todd Tremps out there. I hope they all don’t find a wormhole and come here. Think Multiplicity with Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell. 

Marshawn Lynch: Definitely an Alien

Q: Do you believe life (extraterrestrials) exist in other parts of the universe? Chrys Fey 

A: I think they’ve arrived here and have taken over people such as politicians, famous athletes, and entertainers. Obama, Hilary, all the Bushes, Marshawn Lynch, the Kardashians (Spoiler Alert: the Kardashians are actually the Kargrandes from Alex Cavanaugh’s What Are The Kargrandes. 

Q: If you had a one time use wormhole in a suitcase when you were younger, in what situation would you have used it as an escape route? :) Jemi Fraser 

A: Getting that restraining order from Farah Fawcett. And Mary Tyler Moore. And Ginger and Maryann. Genie to. 

Q: What do you see as the next likely evolution of our species? Samantha Dunway Bryant 

A: We are all DEVO. D-E-V-O. 

Q: Do people with webbed feet still use swim fins when scuba diving? LD Masterson 

A: How the heck did that rumor get started? Oh yeah. Me. 

Did You Know: In July 2015, NASA’s spacecraft New Horizons will complete a nearly-decade-long journey to fly by Pluto, and reveal humanity's first close-up look at the distant dwarf planet. 

Fun Fact: Pluto never made a full orbit around the sun from the time it was discovered until its declassification. 

A to Z Co-Host Bio: Stephen Tremp writes Speculative Fiction and embraces science and the supernatural to help explain the universe, our place in it, and to write one of a kind thrillers. His novels are enhanced by discoveries, breakthroughs and current events in many fields of science. Understanding Albert Einstein’s famous equation E=MC2 explains how the natural and the supernatural co-exist and compliment each other. 

Stephen Tremp has a B.S. in information systems, an MBA in Global Management and a background in information systems, management, and finance. He draws from this background to write one of a kind thrillers. He lives in Orange county, CA with his wife and two daughters, a maltepoo dog, parrot, and hamster. 

Target Readers: My books will have strong appeal to 18-44 year old men and women with some college education. In addition, since the novel is written in an amalgam of genres, it will please a wide variety of audiences including thriller, science fiction, suspense, young adult, and even a little romance. 

Finally: Don't forget about the Weekend Follies at my blog. You need a good chuckle for all the hard work you put in during the week! Well, that’s it. Now you know me a little better. Thanks for stopping by. You can visit me at my Website Breakthrough Blogs.

Spring Flooding

Only two weeks left until April 1st. There's been lots of advice from veterans of the challenge and I'm here to day to offer two more bits for any and all to use or ignore.

How's this statement? Prepared to be unprepared for what happens. There are going to be days where something happens and you just can't keep up with visiting new blogs or returning comments. All of us will have days where we're flooded with other responsibilities such a family, the day job, or even the business of spring chores.

Yes, I'm going out on a limb here and predicting that winter will end. Where I live, we're getting a late start on spring cleanup and I have a sizable property to take care of. It will take me at least an entire day just to pick up all the branches that have fallen off the trees in my back acres. As soon as the snow drifts melt, I'm going to get on that.

Unexpected things are going to happen so don't stress about it. Make up for it on another day. Everyone is going to understand if you're more active on the challenge some days than others. And don't compare yourself to others. You'll visit some blogs that have dozens of comments when you get there or someone will mention that they're visiting a hundred blogs a day. Work at your own pace. It's not a competition.

One of my Dragon Soldiers, Sabina Leybold, asked as a joke on our weekly #azchat on Twitter if it was cheating to have guests during A to Z. Only if being smart is cheating! Having guests could save you lots of time. So far I only have one, but that could expand.

For you veterans, what unexpected event has disrupted your A to Z in past years? Has winter put back your usual spring chores? Are you having guests during April? Have you joined us at all on the Twitter chats every Thursday, 1-2 pm and 8-9 pm?

Meet the wHooligans!

Happy St. Patty's Day, everyone!

Hope you are all enjoying the day of green, orange, and blarney! Since my team is the wHooligans, and hooliganism is a favorite Irish pastime, I figured today to be the perfect day to introduce ourselves!

My name is AJ Lauer. I'm an author and educator based in the Front Range of Colorado. You can find me at my site, or on Twitter @ayjaylauer. I wrote an interactive apocalyptic fiction novel called Armageddon: Pick Your Plot in a crazy two week writing spree with a friend. It's great fun. You should check it out :)

Here are my answers to some of the questions posed by our readers a couple weeks ago:

Q: What is THE Tip you would like to share with the people who would be doing the A to Z Challenge for the first time?

A: Visit, visit, visit! Our list contains so many talented people with great ideas. Go see what is out there :) 

Q: How do you manage your time during the A to Z Challenge? 

A: Very carefully! So usually I've got about 60% of my posts written before April starts, and I do the other 40% on the fly. This year my theme involves audience participation, so I'll be writing every evening. I find that visiting folks is great to do during my lunch hour at work. It's a nice way to pass an hour.

Q: After you successfully complete the 2015 A to Z, and they stick television cameras in your face and ask "So, what are you going to do now", what will you answer?

A: I just did something that is perhaps a little crazy. I signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo, which is also occurring in April. So I will probably just grunt and grumble something about words before shoving my head under my pillow.

Q: Isn't it phenomenal?

A: I am awed by how phenomenal it is. I get out to appreciate our world whenever possible. (see the above picture!)

And now... A brief introduction for my wHooligan team!

Sue McPeak

TaMara Sloan @peedeemama

Shilpa Garg @shilpaagarg

LuAnn Braley @kentuckygal

Kripali Kulkarni @precarious_me

These ladies are fantastic. They'll be working hard all month to say hi to as many participants as possible, so go pay them a visit to say thanks in advance! :)