The A to Z Experience Recap Redux

          Oh yeah, I almost forgot--I'm supposed to post something.  I could say, "Well, after all of that A to Z blogging I need a rest."  But no, I've been saying I'm going to blog everyday until September 21st which will be one year.  Then Rayna from Coffee Rings Everywhere comes along and tells me she's been blogging daily for nearly two years straight.  I don't know if I'm going to match you Rayna-- you are a blogging queen and I may leave you with the title.  But that's not what I'm really here to talk about today.

          Like I'm sure many of you have already discovered, there are a lot of bloggers who left reflections.  I am trying to read and comment on every one of them and on Sunday and Monday I only got about half way.  I did get distracted by other blog activities, but there are some great reflections posts.  I hope you'll read them all and leave a note for each of the great blog authors who wrote them.  There is not only some very useful information and funny stories, but also inspirational and uplifting accounts of how this blog community came together.  The fact is that there is a lot of reading content in these reflections posts and I'm still reading.

          That being the case I'm going to just carry this thing over for today.   I said in a previous post that I could probably just go on talking about the participants in the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge for the rest of the month of May--there is certainly a lot that can be said and I guess for a while I could just blog about blogs.  However I don't want to get overly redundant here.   The Blog Roll of Challenge participants will remain on my side bar for at least the entire month of April for those who would like to continue to check out these exceptional blogs.

             Now back to one of my favorite topics-- increasing readership through increasing followers.  I know some of you don't care about this topic so you can ignore this. However some of you I know are interested in this.  During April I noticed that C. Patrick Schulze, a novelist whose blog I have been following for a while, did a very good piece about Driving Traffic to Your Blog.   I promised him that I would mention this piece in one of my Challenge recaps.  The post also has a link to a podcast of the article if you're sick of reading for a while and would like to just listen.  You can find this article at  C. Patrick Schulze .  If you leave a comment please let him know that you were directed from this site.

 And now I'll close today's piece with a few more quotes from participants and observers:

I have so enjoyed A-Z blogging, finding common threads, with people I may not have sought out!
Ellie at Ella's Edge

We picked up the same V word, and our posts are so very different, and yet each so true to the word.    The beauty of the A to Z challenge is the way it has got so many such diverse people together.
~ Rayna Coffee Rings Everywhere said to Alex J. Cavanaugh


I wanted to tell you that I think this A-Z challenge was a phenomenal success. You brought together a whole bunch of new bloggers along with some seasoned veteran bloggers. The blogs I visited were fun and creative. You created community, which isn't easy to do, virtually or in reality. Way to go everyone who participated in Lee's challenge. It was great fun watching from the sidelines.
Karen Walker Author Karen Walker... Following the Whispers

I've written so much over the month of April and I believe that you inspired me to up my quality by ten-fold. I learned a lot from the participants and found some great sites I otherwise wouldn't have come across.
Raquel Byrnes 

I really just want to thank you for this Challenge we are in, it has grown me as a blogger and I have made some amazing connections with other wonderful bloggers that I will cherish in my heart forever           Shannon at Faith, Hope, and Love

Thanks for the secrets to blogging! I couldn't have done it without you! 
Wolfie  at Writer Person  --- Okay, this is my niece and she got some special help from me.  I'm really proud of the way she is learning and through the challenge has become a blogging veteran.


 

I am amazed at how the challenge ignited so much good writing. Interesting posts.
Paul C. at Quoteflections



My regret is (not that I didn't participate lol) it is that I found so many of you AFTER your challenge. So I think of all those great A to Z posts I missed! Congrats for finishing! What an accomplishment...
KarenG at Coming Down the Mountain: From Reclusive Writer to Published Author



Thank you for coming up with this wonderful challenge. I'm sorry that my headaches have kept me from writing like I should have. This has been a fantastic experience. I've learned a lot about myself and meet a lot of new blogging buddies. Thank you for coming up with this challenge. Carol Fleisher Carol's Corner

 Lee this was something special and altogether life changing.
 Debra Harris-Johnson  at Dream Weaver


The A-Z Challenge was a wild ride!      Alex J. Cavanaugh