We Arrived. We Blogged. We Conquered. Congrats to my fellow A to Zers who made it through the alphabet in April!
This was my second year attempting, and completing, the Challenge. I feel a little wiser and well-traveled after having made the journey. In my 2012 Reflections post, I likened the challenge to one of those “around the world” parties we used to have in the dorms at college. I was new to the blogging world and eagerly flitted around like a social butterfly, discovering new sites and making new friends.
This year, the Challenge was a bit like mountain climbing. Not in the sense you might think of, starting at the bottom and working my way up to the pinnacle. No, I already knew what the top looked like. At the finish line, the air is clearer, the view is great. I remembered that from May 1st last year! No, the 2013 Challenge felt more like rappelling (or abseiling, as the rest of the world calls it).
Photo credit: © Jarek Tuszynski / Wikimedia Commons
With over 1600 brave bloggers on the sign up list, I attempted to visit as many as I could as I propelled myself through my own Challenge. I tried to follow systematically, starting by using the optional subject headings that were available this year (GREAT OPTION). I hit on the Music sites first, since my theme was the Music-Fan Connection. On days when I chatted about secondary subjects within my theme (parenting, travel, politics, etc), I tried to hit as many sites as I could find in those categories, and so on. But I also visited haphazardly, clicking on links found though the twitter #AtoZChallenge hashtag, and through the daily status posts on the A to Z Facebook page.
I felt like my feet never touched the same place twice as I rappelled through as many blogs as I could, leaving comments as my footprints.
Foot traffic on my own blog was lighter than last year, but I really appreciated those who came and took the time to comment. The real rock star standouts for me were Another Clean Slate (great writing), Some Dark Romantic (for co-hosting the Big Reveal and keeping the A to Z HOT!), messymimi’s meanderings (great facts), Bibsey (2nd year of alphabetic hilarity, holla!), Whole Foods Living (yum), and Ramblings of a Silly Girl (a city girl after my own heart).
Now, I’m at the bottom of the mountain, dusting off my hands and wiping the sweat from my brow. I’m giving a wave up to all the A to Z winners this year at the top, especially those new to the Challenge in 2013. I’m off to climb another mountain as I attempt to finish writing my second novel, but I hope to take breaks along that journey and visit more of my A to Z comrades.
Thanks to the Arlee Bird and the entire A to Z crew for hosting!
Another blog that has not bee updated since may, still I will carry on
Congrats on your first A-Z! It’s tons of fun, isn’t it?
The second year was easier on me, too. I was a “seasoned” blogger by then, at least compared to my first A-to-Z, and that really helped. Good luck on your novel!
Shannon at The Warrior Muse
What a difference a year makes, right? Thanks Shannon! Hope to see you on the A to Z again next year!
This is by one of my favorite Reflections posts for the 2013 A-to-Z Challenge, that I’ve read so far. Your liking it to climbing a mountain and strategies for visiting participating blogs is easy to relate to and well presented. Thanks for joining the party!
~Nicole
#atozchallenge Co-Host
Thanks for stopping by, Nicole! Climbing a mountain in just 26 steps makes it sound a lot less daunting, doesn’t it? 😉
Very clever perspective! I’m glad you enjoyed the journey, Jess. Hope to see you next year!
MakingtheWriteConnections
Wonderful reflection post and a very apt description of the entire experience! I didn’t make it around to nearly as many blogs as I’d hoped, but everywhere I did visit gave me something new to think about.
Happy to “meet’ you via the reflections list! Best of luck in finishing your second novel.
Cheers,
Jen
Congratulations on finishing the Challenge again!!
I tried to visit systematically but my eyes wondered all over the place and I just landed where ever and commented. It was always interesting and I enjoyed every blog I visited!
I loved those blog categories too! That was sweet.
Stopping by from the #atozchallenge . Congratulations my fellow reflector post maker!
@JLenniDorner
What a great reflection post!!!
You did it, well done!
Evalina, This and that…
Congratulations for finishing the A to Z Challenge! It was my first time this year, and I found it challenging but rewarding. I enjoyed your posts throughout the month, and I wanted to nominate you for a Liebster Award 🙂
You can check out the details here:
http://joanneclancy.blogspot.ie/
Thanks for sharing your A to Z blogging challenge, experience. I hope to get my own reflections post up soon, but I’m taking a little breather. Congrats on finishing. You had a good idea, hitting certain types of blogs first. I wish I’d thought of that. I just visited blogs, randomly. I am a new follower from the challenge. I wish I’d found you sooner, but there were so many blogs and I was just trying to hit as many as I could during my (very) little free time.
Thanks Melissa – good idea on taking a breather – it’s well-deserved! I think you & I were of the same mind on our A to Z themes, mixing our business know-how in with our writing. I too wish I had found you sooner – so many great tips!
I enjoyed your posts. This was fun, I had a great time with the Challenge. Congratulations for finishing!
Wooo hooo! We rock!
Connie
Peanut Butter and Whine
Thanks Connie – awesome finish on your part too!
Thanks, Fay! Best wishes and congrats going out to you too!
Thanks Tami – I remember your blog, it was a fun one! Congrats!
Thanks Laura – you too!
Well said. You’ve climbed the mountain. Abseilled down it. What next? Blasting through the moutain…I’ll look forward to that in 2014. Congrats on completing the 2013 Challenge.
Oooh, I like that imagery, David – blast through that sucker! As long as we have A to Z, there will always be a mountain to climb somewhere!
It was a great race. Congrats for finishing.
Cheers, Teresa – congrats to you too!
Wow! I’m in awe of your secondary goal…which for me would have been harder than just the blogging. Good for you!! Love the look of your blog, by the way.
Thank you, Claire! I pretty much took the month off from writing to blog, so nose needs to go back to the grindstone. But in the best way possible – writ to live, live to write! Congrats on the challenge!
I’m not a mountain climber myself. However, I can definitely see your point of view. It’s beautiful on top of a mountain. It’s fun hiking all the trails along the way. Hiking is more my style, where my feet stay on the ground. It’s amazing when the journey finishes. So many memories, a fatigue that’s more than worthwhile. Congratulations on finishing the challenge. Best of luck as you work on your novel.
Thanks for the kind words, M.J. I actually don’t climb either, but it seemed fitting! And your analogies are spot on as well. Congrats on a hike well done!
My thoughts and process are similar–I started with tags I’m most interested in (writing and books) and skipped around from there. I also clicked on twitter links. Like you, I noticed lighter traffic, fewer comments, and fewer new followers. I think blogging has plateaued and people have so many online interests these days, that blogs dont’ have the same pull. But i also appreciated all the thoughtful comments and interaction!
Thanks for weighing in Stepahnie. You’re right, there are a lot more distractions online these days, but still so many stellar blogs out there. People don’t know what they are missing! I guess we have to go for quality over quantity. 🙂
It felt just like you described and we did see a lot of treasure along the way 😀
Congrats on completing the mountain!
Treasures, for sure! Congrats to you too!
Great analogies! One of the best reflections I’ve read, and I’ve been up a while. Your visiting method was great! If you’d like this post to appear on the A-Z Blog, you’re welcome to guest there.
Tina @
Life
is Good
Co-host,
April 2013 A-Z
Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood,
#atozchallenge
Thanks, Tina! I would be honored to have a guest post on the A to Z Blog! Anything more I have to do, or would you just post it as is? Very cool – thanks!
You did a great job, and i like your take on the music scene. Go after that novel with all that is in you, i know you can do it!
Aw, thanks for the vote of confidence, messymimi! It was nice have you visit, and vice-versa!
Congrats on finishing the A to Z! Interesting analogy – this was my first year, so I wonder if it’ll feel like that for me next year? 🙂
And good luck with finishing your second novel.
http://sophiesthoughtsandfunmbles.blogspot.co.uk
http://fantasyboysxxx.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks for your kind words, Sophie. And great job with the first year! I honestly don’t think this challenge can ever get old – it’s never going to be the same thing twice! 🙂
Wonderful account of your experience of the challenge Well done.
Yvonne.
A to Z AMBASSADOR.
Thanks, Yvonne!
I am so relieved I made it. There were some days when finding a topic for the corresponding letter of the day was tough… But I made it. Yay!
Congrats, Barnes! I know, some letters come so easy and you look forward to them, others – not so much!
I didn’t make use of the categories /subject headings I just worked through the numbers (and I am still doing this). Perhaps I should have paid more attention to them. Great to see that it worked for you.
Good luck with the novel. another great challenge 🙂
Wow, I admire that you are going through the numbers! That takes patience but what a great way to work the A to Z!
It’s been another great year. here’s to next year!
Cheers, Rebecca!
Coming down a mountain, what a great metaphor for AtoZing. Best of luck with your writing!
Thanks Emily, you too!
Nice analogy.
Thanks, Sue Ann. Not that I’ve ever really mountain climbed, but… it seemed fitting!
Congrats on finishing. There were some great themes this year and I liked the labeling.
Thanks, Susan – can’t wait to see what people are cooking up for next year!
And thank you for being a part of the A to Z. What a great analogy you’ve given. I never thought of it that way, but, yes, your vivid account makes me see it. I’m glad you were with us again and hope to see you for future Challenges.
Best of success with the book!
Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
Thanks for your kind words about the blog and the book, Arlee! Will continue to be a champion for the A to Z, I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for all bloggers.
Oh. Wow! Thank you *so much* for the shout out. I’m all onion-eyed now. (Like, for realz.) 😀 It’s been great getting to know you and I look forward to checking in more regularly, now that the April madness has passed us by (and I can’t wait for your book in September!!!). 🙂
Onion-eyed – love it! This is what I love about the challenge – stumbling across good peeps. 🙂
Nice way to do the reflections post! Good luck with the novel!!
And big thanks for the shout out!!!!!!
Thanks! And it was my pleasure to give you a shout out – awesome job with your blog! See you around the webs!