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Monday, January 26, 2015

The Big Sign-Up Day Is Here At Last! ( #AtoZChallenge )


       Six years ago while trying to come up with something that might boost my blog following and readership, I came up with the first Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.   Thinking that the concept was nothing more than my own personal stunt to get some attention for my own blog, the interest that others had in joining me in the event caught my attention.   I realized that this blogging event was something that others could enjoy and also reap the benefits for their own blogging.   This was how it all began and now here we are ready to head into our 6th annual April Blogging Challenge!

       With five Challenges behind us and thousands of bloggers having participated in one or more Challenges, the A to Z Challenge community is now extensive with members coming from all over the globe.   The Challenge of 2015 might just be the biggest ever.   If you are planning to join us then today is the first day to get on the list.  The sign-up list will be open until April for any of you who want to think some more about joining.  You have plenty of time, but don't wait too long or you might forget.   No point in waiting when you can sign up now.

          The A to Z Challenge has become so big that there is no way that I could keep this going on my own at the large scale it now is.  I am deeply indebted to the A to Z Team for all the work they have been doing so far and will be doing in the months to come.  Later in this post you will find a list of these A to Z Co-hosts and the links to their blogs.  Show your appreciation to them by following each of their blogs and getting to know them.  This is a great Team!   And of course this Challenge wouldn't be the success that it is without all of you wonderful bloggers.  Thanks to all of you!

          Read on for some important guidelines on participation and hints to make your Challenge experience the best it can possibly be.

Please read and follow the sign-up instructions outlined below so you sign onto the list correctly!

The premise of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behavior.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. You can use a theme for the month or go random – just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day.

The A to Z Challenge is a great way to get into the blogging habit and make new friends. For more details and its history, go HERE

We recommend short posts, turn off Word Verification, and visit five blogs (or more) a day beginning with the one after yours on the list.

Blogs must be on an open platform – no Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. – and comments enabled.

To streamline legitimate blogs from advertisement blogs, the Co-Hosts will be visiting each blog on this list throughout the Challenge. Blogs on the list showing no activity once the Challenge starts or miss five days in a row will be removed.

Please note your blog name and number in all correspondences. Remember that as blogs are removed, your number will change.

There are categories for those looking for like-minded blogs. Select ONE category code and enter it after your blog’s title/name. The code applies to your blog, not your theme for the Challenge and is purely optional. See the first few blogs on the list for examples. However, if your blog has adult content, you MUST mark it (AC) or it will be removed from the list. Codes are as follows:

ANIMALS: (AN)
ART: (AR)
BOOKS/REVIEWS: (BO)
CRAFTS: (CR)
CULINARY: (CU)
EDUCATION: (ED)
FASHION: (FA)
FILM/MOVIES: (FM)
GAMING: (GA)
GARDENING: (GR)
HISTORY: (HI)
HUMOR: (HU)
LIFESTYLE: (LI )
MEMOIR: (ME)
MUSIC: (MU)
MYTHOLOGY: (MY)
PERSONAL: (PR)
PHOTOGRAPHY: (PH)
POLITICS: (PO)
SCIENCE: (SC)
SOCIAL MEDIA: (SO)
SPORTS: (SP)
TRAVEL: (TR)
WRITING/STORYTELLING: (WR)
ADULT CONTENT: (AC)

Be sure to grab the badge and display it in your sidebar so we know you are participating and link to the A to Z Challenge Blog.

For more information we recommend you follow the A to Z Challenge Blog and the hosts:

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Jeremy @ Hollywood Nuts
Nicole Ayers @ The Madlab Post
Author Stephen Tremp
Heather M. Gardner
AJ @ Naturally Sweet
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian
Matthew MacNish @ The QQQE
Zalka Csenge Virág @ The Multicolored Diary
S. L. Hennessy @ Pensuasion
C. Lee McKenzie @ The Write Game
Joy Campbell @ The Character Depot
Susan Gourley @ Susan Says
John Holton @The Sound of One Hand Typing
Lisa Buie-Collard, Author

We also have a Facebook Page
Email address is contactatozteam@gmail.com
Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge and Twitter id is @AprilA2Z

Sign up below and join us for a month of alphabet fun!



       Now let's get ready to Blog from A to Z!

       If you're thinking about not participating this year, what's holding you back?   What do you think is the best aspect of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge?      Do you have any questions about this year's Challenge or is anything in this post not quite clear to you?


60 comments:

  1. How does one sign up to become an assistant/ minion?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just ask! Some of us will put out an official call and you can respond to that or you can let us know in our comments like you've done here. If you are asking to assist me in my team then confirm it here or send me an email at jacksonlee51 at aol dot com.

      Lee

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    2. Absolutely. I'm all in. Just tell me what to do and when.

      - J

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  2. I'm going to bow out again this year. Plus with Tina gone, the wind is out of my sails even to be a non participating minion for someone. The thing that steams me the most is how many people do NOT follow the instructions about the word verification. Although I will say blogger's made it much easier now that you only have to click on a box to prove you aren't a robot vs. typing in those ridiculous blurry codes.

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    Replies
    1. As Alex pointed out in one of his posts and has been confirmed by my doing it, you don't even have to click the box or enter the codes. Just hit "Reply" and the comment goes through anyway.
      You have until April to change your mind about participating!

      Lee

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  3. Replies
    1. Pretty cool! And I have you and the rest of the A to Z team to thank so much.

      Lee

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  4. I'm IN for 2015!!! Already have a theme planned. ;)

    But I'm still a bit of a loose wheel -- I couldn't come up with just ONE category and had to go with WR/MU. You can banish me for non-compliance, but I think it's the most honest and accurate description of what I do at my blog. :)

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    Replies
    1. I know what you're saying. This blog here doesn't categorize well so I just leave it at no category.

      Lee

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  5. Yay for the big day FINALLY being here!

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  6. Wow, been watching the list grow... fast. It's going to be a great year... fingers crossed.

    Jeremy

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    Replies
    1. I stepped away for a short while to have breakfast and it had grown by 50 during that time I was away from my computer!

      Lee

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  7. It's such a huge event now. Good luck to everyone involved.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks and feel free to join in the fun if you decide that you can.

      Lee

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  8. It's a great idea and one that I know a lot people appreciate. Can't believe how many people have already signed up!

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    Replies
    1. It's a simple idea that works well for bloggers.

      Arlee

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  9. Big thank you to you, Lee, for starting this event.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for all of your continued support!

      Lee

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  10. The list is bigger every time I see it! Can't wait!

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  11. Congratulations on yet another historic sign-up day!
    So proud to be a part of it!

    Heather

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  12. Thank you Lee, for starting such a great blogging tradition! Last year was my first time and I'm looking forward to it again this year. :D Congratulations on your success!

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  13. I give the most credit to all of the A to Z Team members past and present and of course to all the great bloggers who support the event.

    Lee

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  14. I've been waiting for this day. I love this challenge and thanks so much for creating it. =D

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  15. Happy to be part of the team, Arlee. I see the list is growing steadily.

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    Replies
    1. A team is as good as the sum of its parts and we've got some great parts.

      Lee

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  16. I'm signed up, but I'm debating on a theme. I did a serial story last year, which went well, but is hard to jump in the middle of for new visitors. I might stretch my artistic muscles this year...

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  17. I've been waiting for this day! I'm signed up and revved to go. :)

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  18. All signed up! Tis a wonderful thing you have created :) x

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  19. Nearly 200 already! Exciting times. I just firmed up my idea although like my last challenge it'll involve writing each post on the day. Nothing like flying by the seat of your pants!

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  20. Amazing how something becomes so much more! This will be my 2nd year and looking forward to it

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  21. I'm amazed to see how much A to Z has expanded. I like that there are categories too!

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  22. Good luck to everyone that has signed up. That is a very long list.

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    Replies
    1. Hopefully this is just the minuscule start of the list.

      Lee

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  23. I am excited! Been waiting for this day! Will be exciting to see how many people end up signing up. Anyone making any wagers on the grand total expected??

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    1. If I remember correctly we passed 3000 last year though a lot got culled after the first week or so. I'm guess we'll have at least the same amount this year, but who knows?

      Lee

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  24. I love meeting new bloggers and discovering blogs I might not otherwise had known about. I've already started writing the posts for my main blog, but haven't put together my hoped-for theme for my names blog yet.

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    Replies
    1. You've started and that's a big step forward.

      Lee

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  25. I would love to do the A-Z, but I think that every year. And every year the same thing holds me back from doing it. Me.

    Maybe this time. Maybe, if I start procrastinating right now, I'll have it all out of the way in time for the challenge!

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    Replies
    1. Or if you stop procrastinating! Go ahead and take the plunge. Prepare a little bit each day and you'll be ready to go come April.

      Lee

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  26. 'tis the season of the A-Z! well almost -

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  27. I signed up yesterday before I was truly awake! I'm so excited to see the sign-up list keep growing. I do think this could be the biggest year ever (although this is only my second year!).

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    Replies
    1. It's always fun to track the growth of the sign-up list. Be sure to encourage others to join us!

      Lee

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  28. WOW!!! 300 signer-upper-ers!

    But, alas -- I'll probably NEVER be able to visit all of them over the course of the month...

    Also -- after an encounter with the wrath of the establishment trying to squash the voice of the little people, I have kowtowed to the powers that be and have agreed to remove the rebellious , non-conformist dual-characterization of my blog as "WR/MU."

    Just kidding -- it was actually a very kind, considerate, and compassionate e-mail from a certain ninja with the magical and mystical ability to transmute time and space, allowing him to visit EVERY blog on the internet in the course of an hour. And he's also a dang fine writer.

    So I join the multitude of the un-categorized...

    :)

    Really looking forward to the A-to-Z!

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    Replies
    1. It's very difficult to visit everyone who eventually signs up though I've known of a few who managed to do so. That's a pretty incredible feat!

      Un-categorized is a fine way to go. That's what I do because my blog defies any one category.

      Lee

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  29. I've got both of my blogs signed up this year. Should be a lot of fun!

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    1. I find having more than one blog in the Challenge isn't much more difficult than having one and it helps the blogs get increased exposure.

      Lee

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  30. I'm unsure if I could even THINK of something for X and Z. I'm wondering how far I could stretch it.

    I'm especially interested in following new writing blogs this year whether I participate or not.

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    1. It's always fun to see the unique ideas people do come up with for X and Z, but it has gotten a bit more difficult for me to do something new with those letters. Part of the Challenge!

      Lee

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Lee