… in the A to Z April Challenge – that is the question!

I’ve done the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge for the last four years.  I was a minion to Damyanti the year before last – hard work, especially when I had a slow-loading internet system.  I enjoy it; I enjoy the posting experience, I love thinking up themes and posts, and I love meeting new people and finding new blogs to follow.

But last year I found it a big strain, with all my other work on.  Increasingly I am a full-time publisher, writing the books in my spare time.  I was working on my father’s memoirs, and then the Princelings paperbacks.  Yet the A to Z is a huge shop window, potentially putting me in front of thousands of people I don’t know, of whom at least a dozen might like my books.  The difficulty last year was feeling the pressure to go visiting, and to make nice comments on those I visited that weren’t to my taste.

The aftermath is that I also have a lot of blogs I’d like to keep up with, and I get overwhelmed with trying.  There must be a simpler way.  I’m sure Vidya, Annette, and David have a secret weapon, since they visit every post and tweet them without fail.  I don’t manage that, even with my own (save for the automated launch ones)!

But as the time to sign up approaches, I am drawn like a moth to a flame.  How can I not take part?  Just find something easier this year, something relevant to my current book releases… I have had another idea.  I have a spreadsheet for A to Z on which I keep adding new ideas.  This one’s a doozy.  It’ll fit with all sorts of things going on in my worlds.

Yes, I’m going to do it, one more time.  After all, I’ll only have to do Camp NaNoWriMo if I don’t.

But then, I could do Camp NaNo anyway.  It’ll help me with that three book writing schedule I have this year…

Ooops.

If you want to do the A to Z April Blogging Challenge, blogging every day, starting with letter A on the 1st, B on the 2nd, C on the, er, 4th (since the 3rd is a Sunday) and ending up with Z on the 30th, then go to the signup linky on the A to Z website.  Sign-ups open TODAY!

To Post or Not to Post… #atozchallenge
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14 thoughts on “To Post or Not to Post… #atozchallenge

  • 25 January, 2016 at 12:19 pm
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    Oh – I was five later! It is hard work, but we do meet amazing people .. I guess the answer is to reply-comment on those who come over to your blog .. and check out a few others …

    I try and do what is recommended .. but fail at that too … still I do enjoy the A-Z and have signed up .. cheers Hilary

    • 25 January, 2016 at 1:08 pm
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      Good luck Jemima and Hilary! I’ve decided against this year – I had an idea, but found too many letters missing and I don’t see myself having the time to do lots of research to fill them. So I’ll either research more slowly and do it next year, or keep it as an occasional series. I’ll still visit my old A to Z friends so I look forward to seeing what you both come up with.

      • 25 January, 2016 at 8:33 pm
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        Yes, I thought I’d just visit without doing the posts, but it was an idea that helped the new book, so…

  • 25 January, 2016 at 11:17 pm
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    I love the challenge so I’m biased about doing it and think everyone should. LOL I think if you come up with a theme that has short posts, you could get it done.

    • 26 January, 2016 at 10:04 am
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      For me it’s not so much the blog posts as the visiting – and I do want to write in April. I just have to manage my time better!

  • 26 January, 2016 at 6:45 am
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    Don’t overdo things, just enjoy yourself.
    xxx Gigantic Hugs xxx

  • 28 January, 2016 at 1:43 am
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    I’m with you. I can’t keep up with visiting, and it strains me to try to comment on everything. I am leaning toward not doing it this year. I was also thinking of filling in the days between my usual posts with links to blog I found interesting–in other words, I’m thinking of doing the visiting but not the posting 🙂 It’s pretty hard to stay away.

    • 28 January, 2016 at 9:41 am
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      Ooh… how about you reblog an Aussie blog in the A to Z – the timing might just work for you!

  • 28 January, 2016 at 9:53 pm
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    I’m very happy you decided to do it. I’m a bit worry too, I feel sooooo behind. But it’s such fun… how can I renouce it?

    • 31 January, 2016 at 8:09 pm
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      There IS plenty of time – it just doesn’t feel like it. Good luck!

  • 8 February, 2016 at 8:12 pm
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    Can’t wait to see what you come up with! I signed up awhile ago and ended up at seat 99!

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