Over the last couple of
years I have had a go at the rather popular April A to Z blogging Challenge,
the brain child of a Mr Arlee Bird, which just sort of took off (No pun
intended Mr B). Anyway I have always gone slightly over kill at this, but then
that is the nature of me and my blog. I will give a few examples in a bit. One thing about this challenge though is if
you are new to it, it is difficult to know what to expect, as you will see and
hear things both for and against. So
this post is here to help you get to grips with what to expect during April and
beyond.
First it is not easy
unless you already post on an almost daily basis, as writing blog posts takes
time and if you don’t have the time you will be doomed. So if time is limited
make sure you write your posts well in advance.
Then there is much talk of themes and should folk have a theme or not
and is it easier. Well the key thing to remember is the theme is the alphabet
from A to Z, surprisingly (to me) many blogs keep the A to Z component of this
challenge really loose and will maybe just have a nod to the letter in the post
title. Say if you were writing about chickens and you cant think of a chicken
for M you can just have a blog title that says . . . . More Chickens . . . . .
Then never use the letter M again in the post. Then there is the sub theme
option which in the given example would be
. . . The A to Z of Chickens . . . . . .. so a theme within a theme so to speak. . . . . . .
Why did the chicken cross
the road. . . . .
To get away from the A to
Z . . . . .
HAH AH HAHAHH AH HAH HA
HAHHAH AH ha ha ha ha ha ha.
However I, as I have
already said, have always gone slightly overkill with the idea, which is why
this year I am being a little more chilled and have created . . . . . . The A
to Z of Aardvark based nonsense poetry . . . well it is all just one long nonsense poem as
it happens, and seems to have got a bit stuck at the letter A.
What this shows you is
that you can create posts about almost everything and anything as long as you
can sort of get some sort of link (however loosely to the days letter of the
alphabet).
Next and also rather
important is don’t (unlike this post today) make your posts long. OK you might love the History of Cheese in
Post Revolutionary China and its Context in Improving Urban Heath, but the
chances are 1000+ words per letter of the alphabet on this will not grip the
masses in quite the same way (I know it’s a shock, but true). So keep things
short and if you must, just sneak in the odd longer post. So say in general 100
to 200 words and maybe the odd one at 500. I know you really want to write
loads more, but leave that till after the A to Z; think of it as a promotional
jolly for your blog rather than detailed info for the converted. OOOOOooooooo
yes pictures are good too but be aware of copyright issues so try and use your
own.
OK lets assume you have a
good theme and manage to get all the posts done, having worked hard every night
for weeks, long into the dark. You’re on the list along with about 2000 other
blogs. You are all keen and expecting
hundreds of visitors and comments and many many followers who will heap praise
on you and say you are a genius (Oooooooo just so you all know I am a
genius). Well it might happen, but will
probably not happen and there are reasons for this, very good reasons. Firstly
I am not a genius . . . . . . sorry I mean you are not a genius (I am sure I
am). You see everyone doing the A to Z
and managing to hang in there and keep up to date is rather busy posting and
trying to keep on top of the fact they need to post every day. Then on top of
that, are you really going to spend hours visiting other blogs reading the blog
and then writing a comment . . . . I
mean there are like 2000 of them we would all need time machines to do stuff
like that, it is not possible and anyway I am a genius not them they are
rubbish and know nothing about Chinese Cheese or Chickens that begin with the
letter M.
So do not expect more from
the A to Z than realistically it can deliver, do it until it starts to stress
you out. It is after all a bit like a fun run yes good to finish, but not if
you slip and break a leg. You do not need to try and run the next 10 miles or
drag yourself along the road screaming. Just walk away and do your own thing.
You see some folk feel they must finish at all costs and having finished find
they have two more followers who never comment ever again and they get
disheartened and stop blogging entirely. Your Blog after all is your Blog for
you to enjoy and if others do too then Brill, if you don’t enjoy creating it
then it is time to think of using that time for something you do enjoy like
eating cake ( I like eating cake).
One final point there is
much talk of following loads of blogs so they follow you back and then you have
loads and loads of followers, this is OK if it is what you wish, but I would
say (this is just me) don’t do that just follow those blogs you really
enjoy. Think to yourself how many blogs
can I realistically keep track of. I for one would rather have lots of page
views than lots of followers who don’t actually follow. There are a very small
number of bloggers who will follow almost every blog on the A to Z purely to get you to follow back I have two
or three from my first A to Z who have never commented since, I cant see the
point for either them or me.
I could say much much more
particularly on the state of the Cheese Industry in China, but I will end with
a few links (above) to a couple of my previous A to Z posts. They, as you will see are a
bit extreme, but it might just help you with ideas, but remember do what you
are happy doing and enjoy it. . . Please
do not burn yourself out it is after all just a game. . . . .
I guess I could also
mention I am working behind the seems as one of the Back Room Boys this year. .
. . .Although between you me and the fence post I am not sure entirely what I
need to do yet.
Finally as a special treat
I will give you an exclusive preview to this years theme
The Slightly Eccentric
A
to Z Aardvark based nonsense poetry
of Rob Z Tobor
(Letter S)
S
The slimy slippery serpent
slips silently underneath the . . . . Side Walk
In the dark where man and beast
get eaten by a grumpy old . . . . . . . Night Hawk
And little dogs run about
and annoy pedestrians with their barks
And every one will run and
hide with the arrival of . . . . . . . . .
Monstrous man eating
Aardvarks.
Great to be working alongside during the challenge.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent post. see you got the logo's up today.
Yvonne.
Yes logo's are up but I still have not officially joined the list yet I am waiting for a really high number.
DeleteThanks for a great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks there was much more I could, say but the post was getting long as it was. The whole themes thing is a huge can of worms. . . . . Although a huge can of worms would be a strange theme.
DeleteFirst, Back Room Boys is the name of my A Cappella group, so I must insist you cease and desist using that name so casually.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable that you came close to convincing me to participate in the A-Z.
Finally, I am saddened to have to deal with my "chicken" problems in a different way (you have embarrassed me enough with your shenanigans).
I will refrain from the use of the term Back Rooms Boys right now. The term Back rooms Boys will never ever be used in this blog ever again . . . . . Well when I say never again I mean not today, well I dont think so, certainly not in the next half an hour or so.
DeleteGood luck with the chicken problems, they are not the best of fliers and yet get blamed for Bird Flew . . . . . . . . . . HA HAH HA HH HAH AH HA HAH HA HAH HAH AHha ha ha ha ha
I am really not trying to convince folk to do the A to Z my guide is more a warning to be aware of what is involved; and in general it works better for mainstream blog subject material, us slightly more quirky blogs are very much the minority.
I think I wiLL start lightly with an E to I, then do a G to H, then finish up with T, so I can teLL people I did aLL EIGHT letters of the alphabet, efghight.
ReplyDeleteThe Welsh alphabet has 21 letters but also 8 sounds created by double letters so 29 letters in total so with a alphabet using eight letters it should be possible to create 8*7*6*5*4*3*2 different sounds. However I am not sure if folk will understand it in the local shops.
DeletePlus throw in the variation in sound caused by having a head cold or having a French background.
DeleteI was never good at French
DeleteThis is going to be my year Rob, With not one but TWO BLOGS on the go at the same time with different things.
ReplyDeleteLast year I managed to write something each and everyday. I didn't have anything planned in advance and found it annoying and fantastic at the same time. This year I have bitten off more than I can chew and will end up in a heap on the floor by the end but boy oh boy it's going be good fun! I think the new blog will EXPLODE onto the scene for the A to Z and blow everyone away...... hmm lots of explosive sounding words on here... what could that indicate?????? :O)
Don't get too carried away Mr H, remember what it says in the post. The world of blogging is a long and fickle journey but I will be there to cheer you on as best I can. And remember as I have already said in a comment above the quirky blogs are a bit thin on the ground in the A to Z so we are slightly out on a limb.
DeleteI think you'll have a winner with this theme. If you win over Pickelope and esbboston then you're accomplishing something. Of course if you win over Gary at Klahanie you've worked a blogging miracle.
ReplyDeleteGreat eccentric post. Keep 'em coming (as though I'd expect you not to be eccentric).
Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
Each post will be short but it will all add up as the letters progress. After all I have work to do this time moving in the shadows and the like. . . . .
DeleteI am not a fan of work . . . . What have I done. . . . . DAMN
This was helpful. I've been thinking about doing the A-Z for a couple of years, but realistically it's not going to work out for me to do so, in terms of available time, my posting style, etc etc, so it was pretty handy in helping me realise it. I'd hate to start it and not finish it. Even if I did have a great idea for 'A is for Aaargh!'
ReplyDeleteShort posts are the trick. . . . Well unless you are putting up a deer fence, they can seriously jump.
DeleteIt is, or can be a lot of work but with some planning and short posts it can also be done without to much stress. As I said a lot depends on how much time you have free, I am very lucky and have spare time.
And the thing I took away from this post. Man am I an idiot. I owe LEE Bird a huge apology. Somehow I got it into my head he was a woman. Dammit. I'm such an idiot. As for the A-Z thing I just kinda wing it, fresh everyday, with a theme in mind.
ReplyDeleteThat is a hard way to do the A to Z Mr Flip, I have been there, so I just prepare in advance now and chill a bit.
DeleteI am almost entirely sure Mr Arlee Bird in not a woman, however cyberspace is complicated and you cant believe everything you read or see. But I think it is best to think of him as a man. . . . . I do.
Then there is the issue of the profile pictures. I believe that Rob is a rather cheerful but bizarre cartoon character. I really have a problem who have put up pet photos--or are the bloggers really animals. I'm looking at the comments above and on my screen all of the icons are now silhouettes. There is probably some symbolic statement to that but I'm not going to mess with it.
DeleteLee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
I know it's hard Rob. But I am a hard man! Not in the sexual context, or even in the muscular kind of way, but more like a musclehead who likes to do things in not the easiest way possible, like hunting wild game with a pencil and a rubber band.
DeleteWell Mr Flip I am impressed with your hunting skills although most modern hunters have moved over to an iPhone and an App (what is a pencil?)
DeleteHello Mr Lee there is a reason for my rather bizarre cartoon character which started a long time ago when a certain person (who I dont know) was being rather threatening on the internet via FB. So I vanished into obscurity to become the rather unknown and slightly eccentric Rob Z Tobor. I find it odd what some people use as an image, but they too may have their reasons such as they love cats . . . . .
DeleteI am not sure I can do anything about the silhouettes I blame blogger.
Or the blank icons represent how we are all becoming faceless and indistinguishable from the mass of world humanity and losing all sense of individualism or personal identity.
DeleteAm I reading too much into this? I'm sure I am, but it would be an interesting topic for a group of philosophy eggheads to sit around and discuss.
Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
That was very deep Mr B . . . . .So its the A to Z of Philosophy this year . . . . . YICKS....
DeleteRob!
ReplyDeleteMe old mucker, you are once again delighting the world and beyond with that ridiculous alphabet challenge. Yep, a great way for some to accumulate followers and massage their egos. Oops, a great way to embrace the sharing, caring ethos of the great blogging community. Blah and blah! :)
A is for Aardvark and A is for good old Arlee, who is, evidently, a male type dude.
Kind regards, Gary, the official anti-A to Z spokesman.
Go on Mr G have a go . . . .you know you want too. I do it because I like the added twist of working in the Alphabet to my blog it is a quirky challenge and makes me go off and do something different. I have never chased followers, for one thing I have dodgy feet so cant.
DeleteAs for my Ego I am not worried about this as I am a genius so it is a good Ego. . . . . AH maybe this is not entirely what you meant.
Your article has is another one in the AtoZ Challenge that has been helpful to me. I wrote a couple pieces for the challenge but am still hesitant on what to expect from the challenge and the theme I should have. Thanks for the suggestions which were written in an amusing way. That helps to calm my newbie nerves.
ReplyDeleteIt is entirely up to you about the A to Z remain relaxed and chilled and enjoy it. it is just a way to meet more bloggers and like minded folk. Dont try to do to much for each day, note what I plan to post for S its short and in keeping with my blog.
DeleteGood luck I will try and visit during April......