Reflecting on the A-to-Z Challenge

I stumbled upon the A-to-Z Challenge blog in early 2014. I read about the challenge criteria and it looked like fun. I wanted to blog on a more consistent basis and felt this might be the catalyst for me.

Once before, a few years ago, I had joined a writing challenge that required daily posting of a blog. I made it about halfway through the month before giving it up due to competing time demands. I hoped as I registered my blog on the A-to-Z site that this time would be different.

Did you accomplish your goals? 
My main goal was to publish a blog post every day of the challenge. I also wanted to visit and comment on at least five participating blogs per day. These were some goals of the challenge itself.  I would say that I accomplished my goals. I published daily except for Sundays.  Some days I commented on more than five blogs and other days a little less. I wish I had more time to visit and comment on more blogs. I plan to visit some of the missed blogs now that the challenge is over.

Did you post every day? 
I posted every day, A through Z,  except for Sundays. {insert happy dance here}

Did you make new friends?
I visited and re-visited several blogs and left comments. A few people commented on my posts regularly.  I have some new followers and I have followed some new blogs. Yes, I have made some new friends.

Did you enjoy the challenge? 
I very much enjoyed the challenge.  Sometimes I suffer the "why should I write - there are more pressing things I need to do" mood. This challenge gave me the excuse I needed to write. I felt accountable.

I began right after signing up for the challenge to make a list of possible topics.  There was more than a month until the challenge began, so I thought I was being pro-active. What I didn't do, that I will do next time, is to go back and visit the A-Z Challenge blog. I didn't realize the blog was publishing tips and strategies for surviving the challenge.

A week or so before P-day (first publishing day-April 1) I got an email and also a comment that gave me great advice- which I wish I had heeded earlier in the game.  The gold-star advice was to pre-write and schedule blog posts.

At that point I went to the A-to-Z blog and discovered I should have been reading the pre-challenge posts!  I downloaded all the letter badges, fixed my comments so no one would have to verify, and learned how to put a link to my blog in my comments to others.  I also "liked" the A-to-Z  Facebook page.

I set up a draft post with the appropriate letter badge for each day of the challenge.  I tried to have three written posts scheduled at any given time.  I originally hoped to have a week written and scheduled, but that quickly proved to be too much to ask.  Having some posts written and scheduled before they are due was a great help and stress reliever. Who knows when something will happen in our offline life that will delay getting a post published on time?

I did not use a theme for my posts.  I didn't conceive of this possibility until I read about the Theme Reveal.  Using a theme for my posts would be too difficult was my thought.  In hindsight, I think using themes might make it a little easier.  I'll have to test that thought out next year.

I am glad the hosts asked us to comment on others' blog posts. When my posts are commented on it lets me know I have an audience and therefore I think it will help me become better at my writing craft.  I don't usually comment often on blogs that I read thinking I have nothing of much value to offer.  This challenge gave me the permission to step boldly into the comment box.

What are my plans from here? 

• I plan to write regularly on my blog. Not sure yet what this will look like - posting at least two-to-three days a week on regular days.  I may theme the days as I have seen some bloggers do. 
• I plan to re-visit the blogs I read during the challenge and follow some of them. 
• I plan to visit new blogs from the challenge that I did not get a chance to read in April.
• I plan to comment more frequently on blogs that I read. 
• I plan to start thinking about the A-to-Z Challenge 2015.  

I am energized and excited about the blogging adventures that lay ahead.

Won't you join me?