We Preempt This Post for an Important Announcement

         There was another post scheduled for today but then I changed it.  Actually I've had a few different posts scheduled for today but I've changed them as new ideas took precedent.  But that in itself is going to be a topic of an upcoming post.  I won't say when that post will be since that date might change.  Change can happen, right?  So let me tell you what's happening right now.
But first....!
          Yes, actually, first let me present another "Comment about a comment" based on my post at the beginning of the year titled "Where Am I Now Anyway?".  Here is one more:
Sarah Allen said...

Ha! That's awesome :) Since I usually write posts at night and schedule them for early morning, while I'm still asleep, the time disparity definitely happens for me too. I think its fascinating that we can do it that way, although you're right about possible miscommunication or misunderstanding. Sarah Allen (my creative writing blog)

January 4, 2012 9:43 AM 

        This is sort of an illustration of what I was talking about at the beginning of this current post.  Except rather than the night before, I might write a post a few days before it goes on line or in some cases weeks or months ahead of time.   What sometimes happens in those cases is that something else may come up to cause that original post to get preempted or even changed or cancelled entirely.   No blog bit written for some point of time in the future is necessarily guaranteed a place in time.  

       It is fascinating that we have the ability to manipulate what we write on a blog as opposed to what we write for a book or have scheduled for publication.  I've never done it yet, but I could go back and change an older post if I wanted to and that is something you couldn't do very easily with a hard copy of something you've written. Blogging is media juggling and that's probably why I like it so much.

And now...

     Here's what I think takes precedent to what I was originally going to talk about.   It's the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  Still a month away, but it weighs heavily on my mind as it probably pervades the thinking of my illustrious co-hosts and many of you who have signed up and perhaps may be even faithfully following the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog and Twitter  Daily News.   If you are not following these sites, I encourage you to follow the links over to them, mark them, and check them regularly.  There is some fun stuff coming.

         If you haven't heard yet, we are making a push for 1000 sign-ups by Thursday March 1.  That's less than a week away, but we can make it with your help.  By the time you read this (when my future will be your present),  we'll have passed the 700 mark on the A to Z Linky List.   On the first day of sign ups we passed the 300 mark.  I believe we can at least match that first day over a period of nearly a week.

        What can you do?   As any of you know who have been checking my Sunday Summary posts on the A to Z Blog, many bloggers have already been promoting the Challenge on their own blogs.  Some of those posts have been very creative!  And all of them help the cause.  We're requesting that over the next few days you do a special post to put out a call to those who may not have heard about the A to Z Challenge or just haven't made the effort to sign up.   If you can at least make a mention on your blog it would help.   Word of mouth is the best promotion.

         Then, try some other ways to spread the word:

• Direct email to those bloggers you know who haven't signed up.
• Announce in places where there could be bloggers (church, school, meetings, etc.)
• Post notices on bulletin boards (library, church, school, laundromat, etc.)
• "What's happening" sections of local newspapers.
• Whatever means your creative mind comes up with.

      Why the thousand by March 1st?  Oh, I don't know--it sounds good.  But seriously, we want this to be the jumping up point for the next and final phase of sign-ups.  We expect a sudden rush in the last week of March and last minute decisions at the beginning of April.  Those of you who have already begun visiting those who are now on the list know how advantageous it has been to have these early sign-ups.  I've seen many of you making the rounds and making new friends in the process--not to mention the added followers.

       If more people sign up in these weeks before the Challenge rather on those last few days, we are all ahead of the game and will be less likely to miss some of those blogs that might have waited or will allow our own blogs to have the opportunity to be viewed and marked now as opposed to later.  It's a win-win situation for all concerned.  So please help us in our push for a thousand by March 1st.

And Still More News....

       Next week on February 28th is the release of Alex J Cavanaugh's Cassafire.  There's a big party on that day to celebrate.   Join him to help his book catch fire on the book charts.

        Don't forget our other co-host Stephen Tremp has a great book called Opening and it's now available.

        Karen Gowen's Celery Tree online bookstore is also a place for you to check out for fine books from many of your favorite bloggers and it's something that you can be a part of as well if you have a book to market.

        Go down the list of all of the co-hosts to visit their sites if you haven't done so already.  There are books, artwork, and some darn good company to be found with all of them.  

      And One More Thing...

        There's still a video contest going on.   We stop taking submissions on March 11th so there's still time for you to make your own video and enter it in the contest.   Check the A to Z Blog for rules, sign-up, and list of entrants so far.

         That's a lot going on!  And now back to our regularly scheduled blogging--unless I change my mind.

          What have you been doing to get others to sign up?   Are there any other ways you can think of to get the word out about the A to Z Challenge?   What is the most unique or original way that you've heard about the Challenge or something else getting promoted?

         I'll leave you with the following message from our sponsor courtesy of Dale Smurthwaite:

Related articles

• #atozchallenge: A to Z Challenge Sunday Summary (2/19/12) (a-to-zchallenge.com)