Ah yes, it's that time again. The Challenge is over, and we all get a chance to reflect on the past month.
So, this year was a big fat fail for me. Oh sure, I posted something every day of the challenge. I hit all the letters. But I did not visit one single solitary new blog. Not a one. And that's a fail.
I did visit anyone who visited me first. (Except for one commenter whose blog I could not find. I searched and searched her Google + profile, but to no avail.) And I visited all the blogs I usually visit. That was about all I could manage.
There was something nice about no Linky List. I felt less guilty about falling down on the visiting other blogs job. And maybe I'll go back and visit all the blogs that I didn't visit in April. (Let me keep my illusions. I pretty much know I'm lying to myself, but there's a part of me that believes this lie at this moment.)
So, why did I fail to visit other blogs? Because I went and started a second blog for the Challenge. And that first week was a bit of a scramble to get it up and running. Luckily, Talking It Out had a few of us working on it, so those posts all went up, too.
(Pro tip: Never start a new blog for the A to Z Challenge at the end of March.)
The having to post two blogs to the A to Z Challenge Blog as well as on social media was tricky. I'm not at my computer every day. My blogs go live in the morning. I'm usually at work in the morning (and if I'm not at work, I'm sleeping). So, the links may have gotten posted late in the day. (In a couple cases, I posted the links a couple hours before the blogs went live because it would have been more than a day before I'd've been able to post them otherwise.)
But, I did like being able to give a bit of a tease as to what each post was about. I found in prior years I would end up visiting blogs that I had nothing to say anything about.
It was an interesting year. Well, I guess that's one way of talking about 2017 as a whole. Now, back to blogging as normal.
Doing it with two blogs is a challenge all right!
ReplyDeleteLast year I hardly visited any new blogs. It was all I could do to keep up with my blogger buddies.
Wise advice not to start a new blog so close to the challenge. I found this year since I didn't do the challenge that I didn't always comment on blogs I normally would have every time they posted but would comment maybe every third day or sometimes longer intervals between comments. It will be interesting how the challenge goes next year.
ReplyDeletebetty
I knew you were doing two blogs, but it still stresses me out to to think about it. :) I'm sure it would have helped you to have been part of the list, so that people would have commented on your blog(s) regardless of whether or not you shared the links.
ReplyDeleteI did manage to comment on a few new blogs, but, without the list to guide me, I felt like I was commenting on the same new blogs over and over again. I wasn't expanding my worldview by clicking on posts I wasn't sure I'd be interested in reading. *shrugs*
Congrats on getting through 5 years of A-Z! Are you preparing now for next year? ;)
At the moment I'm not sure if I'm going to do next year. We'll see how my life shakes out. Much can happen.
DeleteAt least with the other blog I had help. If I had to write 26 posts there, too, I would have lost it.
I don't know that it was a fail! I'm impressed two blogs and one start up right before A-Z.
ReplyDeleteNancy
www.filledtoempty.com
The 2nd blog was stupid. But necessary in this year.
DeleteTheres so much to discover, absorb and do during the challenge. Theres so many, finishing touches, follow ups. I floundered during the course of my travels but still got 15 posts penned. So I'm not a survivor! My seventh year too, lol Is that bad luck? Wheres Q? I know he's here somewhere...
ReplyDeleteI can hear that big sigh of relief that it's over.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you and I enjoyed reading
your posts.
On to the next. LOL
I don't know if I'm relieved that much. I generally post 5 days a week, so the posting isn't a challenge for me. Thanks.
DeleteI don't think you failed at all!!! Congratulations are in order. I didn't do the challenge this year. I hope to do it next year. I think doing away with the list was a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThe list was a pain, and not having it helped with my not doing the visiting, so... Yeah, not sure if it was a positive or not.
DeleteOh girl, you managing to do two blogs during A to Z is a huge feat. Give yourself a pat on the back :) PS: I saw a sloth crochet thing that was super cute and thought of you lol
ReplyDeleteLink please...
DeleteI really hate chasing blogs through Google. While Blogger has its glitches, it's so simple to find someone and go their site. Great that you made it from A to Z!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Google + sucks as far as being able to find someone's blog. But, it's just as easy to leave a link in a comment, so that's the way around that.
DeleteYes, that is one protip we should have thought about before March 25th. WE ARE TERRIBLE AT PLANNING.
ReplyDeleteDon't beat yourself up too much. You worked really hard that month! I know I'm going to need a while to recover.
Yeah, I tried to be theatrical and enticing when I advertised my blog on the AtoZ blog comments. I know it's hard to visit other people's blogs. I feel guilty about only visiting three a day.
ReplyDelete3 a day is 3 more than me. Kudos.
DeleteHAHA...I have been blogging since 08 or 09 (one or the other) and never had so many folks following me....why? Cause I did not get out there and meet and greet other bloggers! I love that I have met other bloggers so I do try to venture out and still meet others. Its fun and I have learned this blogging thing takes time! You did great on the A to Z challenge!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yeah, as soon as I got serious about following others and commenting, my views and comments skyrocketed.
DeleteI didn't get to visit others as much as I'd like either.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not alone.
DeleteYou visited me!!! I'm a new blog to you - so you managed, even though late in the game 😎 Thanks!
ReplyDeleteA new blog, just before A-Z? you must have had your hands SO FULL!
You visited me first, so it doesn't really count. Thanks for stopping by. (I was really good about visiting back. I have that going for me ;) )
DeleteIt is challenging enough to visit other bloggers when juggling one blog. I can't imagine trying to do it while also posting to two blogs.
ReplyDeleteI also found working out the timing on when things posted against when I'd actually have time to manage the rest of the challenge stuff a little difficult. Towards the mid-point I got into a groove though so that helped.WeekendsInMaine
That's good. I'm assuming you have a pretty regular schedule, too. That would help. My issue was that each day is different for me, so what would work one day might not work the next.
DeleteHi Liz - well done on finishing ... writing up a 2nd blog is beyond me. But it's been good to have the interaction with you recently - though I've no idea about school subbing etc! or kids for that matter ... congratulations and see you around - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI don't think you've failed. You have an entire year to visit some new blogs on your schedule. Two blogs is a challenge-I will never do that again. At least, for my second blog, which I don't publicize in my main blog (for personal reasons), it had already existed. I just publicized it. I can't imagine starting one. Congratulations on finishing - now, go and knit something good! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteYeah, I do have an entire year. That's what I was thinking. Whether I get to it or not, however...
DeleteTwo blogs! Yikes! Happy May. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, stupid of me.
DeleteI hardly had time for one blog but you did two, that's quite a challenge. and you're right - don't start a new blog for the a-z challenge, although it wouldn't be so bad if you're NOT also doing a second blog.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't on social media and I'm wondering now if I might have missed something there, I'm no good at it anyway.
congrats on finishing the challenge.
have a lovely day.
my reflection post
Gosh, it does feel good to get back to normal!
ReplyDeleteWell done YOU! All that and working, I am in awe.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is such a habit now that writing posts weekly is no sweat.
DeleteI can't imagine starting bother blog so I commend you. I had a hard time to just do one. I enjoyed the challenge and just did my best not to sweat it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, at a certain point I didn't worry about it too much. After the other blog got established...
DeleteI didn't really like this years set up and really thinking I'll skip it next year if this is the way they do it again. I prefer the linky list. By the time my posts would go live the letter was already up for like 12 hours and had so many links that no one bothered with the later on additions I don't think. Eh. I visited a few new people but it was way more work this year than I was willing to do, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI think you did pretty well - you got through the Challenge, and with two blogs. That's no mean feat. I had no idea about your other one! And your posts were typically entertaining, so job done. It definitely is complicated trying to juggle it around work and everything else, but I would apply that to this whole writing/blogging/marketing/etc game.
ReplyDelete