Reflections

On April 30th of 2024, I completed the A to Z Blogging Challenge with almost no stress, self-loathing, or cursing.

I feel almost guilty about posting in this annual blog challenge. I can feel guilt quite easily. I should not though, as I love this challenge. I just do not visit as many other blogs in the challenge as I feel I should.

One of the things I did this year was to post links to my blog entries on FB and in a couple groups I belong to quite regularly, I was delighted to see friends and other writers visiting and commenting on my posts. I need to create a plan to better utilize social media about my participation in the challenge to attract more readers.

Those participating blogs I visited this year include:

• a-is-for-angels at plucking of my heartstrings. Nice blog but just didn’t resonate with me.
• https://dacairns.com.au/blog/f/a-to-z-blogging-challenge-a Loved his writing but I didn’t have time to read about his stories to find one I wanted to read in full.
• https://www.sundarivenkatraman.in/2024/04/a-to-z-april-challenge-2024-c-for.html?sc=1712087367300#c9082294302610636735. C for CHIRAG BHATIA. Prolific writer. But I just wasn’t connected to the characters he featured.
• https://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/my-languishing-tbr-y-atozchallenge2024-books-bookreviews/. I confess I got lost trying to navigate her a to z posts. Something about how the organization, maybe.
• https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/ Zalka Csenge Virág I have a friend visiting home in Hungary this month. I intended to read more so I could ask him intelligent questions, but just like Zalka, life got in the way of utilizing the AtoZ opportunity as well as I should have. I will return.
• https://findingeliza.com/ Love this blog. Excellent researcher and storyteller.
• https://suestrifles.wordpress.com/.
• https://iwantbacksies.blogspot.com/. Need to examine more fully and spend some time reading this one.
• https://novalinwood.com/. Torie Lennox. positively paranormal. I stumbled into the weeds on this one. I’m not a big shapeshifter fan, but trying to figure out if Nova is Torie, if this is a new career or just a new blog and pen name, and other questions had me come back a few times out of curiosity.
• https://rooted-by-blood-and-dna.blogspot.com/. Need to read.
• https://www.girl-who-reads.com /. need to examine more closely
• The Old Shelter Sarah Zama  need to look more closely
• https://ramblinwitham.blogspot.com/ Alana. I’ve followed her blog on and off for a few years.
• https://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/. Prolific writer. Not too much of a gamer, but I enjoy his writing.
• https://kaiberie.com/blog/2024 I definitely need to go back and read and comment. I wanted to ask, but didn’t, if she knows much about sheila na gigs.
• https://whiskeyandwhispers.blogspot.com/ should have read more and commented some.

There are a lot of Indy Authors who post in this challenge and I confess, I don’t read some of the genres these authors publish in. But I always start out commenting on posts of participating bloggers, no matter the theme or topic, one or two a day, with the best of intentions… But then… I drop the ball on commenting.

I’m going to try to finish the Roadtrip this year!

A couple of years ago, or longer, I discovered Finding Eliza through the A to Z Challenge and for me it is a perfect example of what a personal, historical, or family memoir blog should be: well-written, engaging, informative, and should tell a new story, even though the data may have been available all along.

The second big reason for my participation in the challenge is actually quite selfish. Getting 26 pieces of new content up is a big achievement for me. Researching, writing, and editing (not necessarily proofing) doesn’t just pop out of my fingers. That is even more true (can something be more true or less true?) when this is a professional topic that I might turn into a Women’s Legacy Press publication.

Some points to consider for your reflection post: 

• Did you win?  Yes.
• Did you post an alphabet of letter-inspired posts?  Yes.
• Did you HOP to other A to Z participants?  Yes. 
• Do you believe your blog saw an increase in traffic and comments during April 2024?  
• Did you check the MasterList to be sure your entry was correct?  Yes and I am glad I did as it had gotten removed.
• Do you feel the A to Z Team (Arlee Bird, J Lenni Dorner, Zalka Csenge Virág, John Holton, Jayden R Vincente, and Ronel) supported you, your blog, and this challenge enough in 2024?  Yes. I am grateful they keep organizing this.
• What changes do you hope the team might consider for next year?  I wish there would be a HTTPS version of the general info page.
• Will you do the challenge again next year?  Yes.
• Did you use the Graphics page?  Yes.
• Is the HTML useful to you?  Sometimes.
• Are there any other images or graphics the team could offer to help you?  I like to make my own images.
• Any suggestions for the team?   Could there be a secure site or a spreadsheet that lists all the pages related to the challenge: signups, graphics, social media sites….?
• Any thanks?  Thank you ALL!
• Any requests for the 2025 team’s theme? I’m not sure I have ever really followed the theme.
• Any post ideas or requests for our monthly posts on the blog from June to February?  Where is this?
• (Guest posting requests? Poke team captain J! https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/) I don’t know what this means.
• Have you followed the social media of the A to Z Challenge?  Not really.
• What was your favorite comment left by another A to Z participant on your blog during the challenge?
• Did any other A to Z participant make you and your blog feel especially valued this year?   Yes!
• Do you have a favorite blog that you found during the challenge this year?  There are a couple that I am putting on my check regularly list.
• Do you feel you had a positive impact on the Blogging Community during the hop?  Maybe.
• Did you invite or encourage any other bloggers to join the challenge? Yes.
• Have you learned anything because of the #AtoZChallenge?  I always learn something, not just about the topics written about by bloggers, but also about what is working on my site and what is not. I get ideas from how other blogs arrange information and do wayfinding and such.
• Did you use a theme in 2024? Any thoughts on themes?  I always use a theme that has meaning to me and that I believe will be useful to others in my niche.
• Was taking part in the challenge a positive experience for you and your blog?  Yes.
• Consider the significance of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge, our values (community and inclusion), and your feelings about the experience. How may this influence your future blogging, learning, or actions? I like that there are diverse people with diverse beliefs and talents who participate in the challenge.
• Any other thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the #AtoZChallenge 2024?   Some of the blogs that are only advertising their products and affiliate links are a busy blur of ads, columns, and tiny images that trigger my ADHD responses to overwhelming stimuli.
• Will you consider doing the challenge again next year? YES!