I had such a great time this year, just like I had last year. And of course all challenges come with its ups and downs; obsticles.
IF IT WAS EASY EVERYONE WOULD DO IT!
Things I learned about 2013's AtoZ Challenge:
CONS
- Some blogs did NOT have a place to comment OR the commenting area was hard to find (however I am a little slow at times and maybe this hindered me).
- A few blogs I absolutely loved and wanted to follow, but unfortunately they did NOT have any way to follow them. So I had to copy and paste their URL into my blog lists. It works but it is NOT the most helpful or welcoming way to get followers (if that's your goal).
- Accounts that are attached to Google+ NEEDS to have a signature. And NOT just during the challenge but ALWAYS! It is very frustrating and difficult to find a blog after they have commented without a signature.
- Commenting...
- Some commenters remarks felt GENERIC; as if my post wasn't read and they were trying to hit a quota.
- Even though I was a minion I have to admit that I took a few days off. I was LOSING STEAM as most bloggers were.
- YOU GET WHAT YOU PUT OUT.
- This statement is true in my case but I do have to say when talking with a few participants - this statement was not true. They felt as tho they worked really hard and got little in return. Bummer.
PROS
- I should have pulled the kids out of school during the month of April and had them homeschooled in English/writing, Math, History, Ethics, Ologies, etc.
- My TBR list grew with books... :
- ...and Character's:
- Movie TBW list grew:
- Here are a few of my favorite blogs who hosted crafts, recipes, gardening, the 80's, and of course... life lessons and some smexy stuff:
- I cried, I laughed, I cried from laughing.
I'd like to say thanks to ALL the co-hosts for another wonderful year and my minion sisters - you are awesome!
Team #MinionWarriors
The Warrior Muse - Co-host
and Me
Letter A received the MOST TRAFFIC and MOST COMMENTS.
Letter X received the LEAST COMMENTS.
Letter V received the LEAST TRAFFIC.
April 2012 traffic 2,262
April 2013 traffic 3,954
To see what my A to Z posts were all about, check out my A to Z Recap: Shel Silverstein & A to Z Recap: Book Covers posts.
You did a terrific job. Didn't even notice you took a few days off minnioning. :)
ReplyDeleteI felt bad when I'd hit a site that (consistently) had no comments. I wonder how that happened because it's not like they were bad or boring blogs. But you never know. Maybe they're just posting and not visiting others.
But on the other hand, when I think about my commentors,I'd say that about 80% were either people I knew already, or ones whose blogs I visited.
So that means only about 20% just hit on my through the linky list. Maybe most people just stick to who they know.
It was fun though, and I'll definitely do it again.
I really enjoyed your posts for this challenge. I have to agree with you, though. It was getting to be a bit of a pain typing in my signature over and over again. It's okay if I'm visiting a few blogs, but when you're visiting say, fifty, it grates.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great reflections post. Congrats on finishing the challenge!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shout out Dani! I really appreciate that. I felt the same way about some blogs not being easy to follow; I have no clue how to follow some if they don't make it easy. That made me sad because if someone follows me, I like to return the favor!
ReplyDeleteYou did an amazing job in this challenge visiting around! And that's not an easy thing to do.
I so agree with the cons. That google+ thing...ugh!
ReplyDeleteThat's a serious jump in traffic, you should pat yourself on the back! Sorry I couldn't make it by more often! :(
ReplyDeleteAwesome job with the challenge! I agree with the signature thing. I hard a time finding some blogs because of this :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for all of your hard work!
A nice recap and calling out of some of the challenges. I'm so glad I learned how to do the signature, and have to remember to use it all the time, cause it does make life easier.
ReplyDeleteThis was my first time doing this challenge. I think next year, I'll have a better feel of how to go about keeping track on returning back to blogs I enjoyed. Hopefully I'll be able to visit even more new ones next year. Writer’s Mark
I really enjoyed your Silverstein poem theme, even though I couldn't make it every day, I always liked what I saw here. It brought back some fun childhood memories :)
ReplyDeleteI also know what you mean as I hit some blogs that looked like they had some great posts and would only have one or two (if they were lucky) posts and not that many followers. I thought it was, kind of, sad
Hi, found you on the reflections list :) My first year and I enjoyed the challenge. I did visit blogs on the list every single day, some days just half a dozen, other days 30+, so I must admit I did get disappointed when I had posts with no comments - or maybe that was the fact they were that bad! LOL
ReplyDeleteBut I have to thank the A-Z for the post on creating a post signature, I never knew how to do that before now :)
Suzanne @ Suzannes Tribe
Thanks for the mention, Danni. Yes there were lots and lots of things to be found and learned during the challenge! Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your stuff Dani! Thanx for the honorable mention. Look forward to some summer reading with you and as always the arrival of the zombies in October!
ReplyDelete-Bushman
Hey Dani - can I ride on Bushman's gardening shirttails - he sums it up nicely! :)
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed your posts too - and your visits to my place. Thanks for your wonderful support it was, and is, truly appreciated.
Also, thanks for the mention - here and in your "P" post - lucky me to be so loved! :P :) :)
Have a wonderful weekend,
Jenny @ PEARSON REPORT