Countdown to #AtoZChallenge

Less than two weeks until the blogging world's answer to a blogger's marathon - the annual A to Z Challenge, hosted by Arlee Bird and his grand team of assistants! There are several co-hosts, and each co-host as assembled a team of cheerleaders and helpers to manage a list of 1,143 blogs and counting. Last year, nearly 2,000 blogs stepped up to the plate, and I expect a flurry of sign-ups as April 1 approaches. I am very honored to be among Arlee's cheerleaders, so at least 100 A to Z Challenge participants will become very familiar with my comments as I check in and cheer you on!

The A to Z Challenge, for anyone unfamiliar with the challenge, is a month-long journey into blogging. The challenge involved 26 posts during the month, each beginning with - you guessed - the letters of the alphabet, in order, from A through Z. The possibilities for topics are limitless. There are no word count minimums or maximums - I've seen daily photos posted with no words, and I've seen intricate character studies and flash fiction entries approaching feature article length. I've seen blogs stick with a theme, and others blog on the fly, hopping around from one topic to another. The beauty of the challenge is - whatever works for you works for the challenge. It is all about community and networking, and it is an opportunity to really populate your blog.

This will be my third go at the challenge, and I look forward to a month knee deep in the blogosphere as I check on comments left on my own page, discover new blogs and revisit and reminisce with old blogging friends. 

My first round was when I was brand new to blogging, and it was just the boost I needed to gain confidence and readership. 

My second round, I had quite a bit of traveling and external deadlines during the month, so while I started off with a bang, I peetered out and lost steam when I dropped a bit behind. 

This time around, all the posts are pre-scheduled and SHORT, so that visitors can quickly visit, read the writercize, and try it out. It will not follow my standard format of intro, writercize and sample. In the interest of everyone's time, I will jump straight to the writercize, provide a sample for those interested in reading it, and hope to provide some inspiration and make some new connections along the way!

I would like to formally invite YOU to sign up for the challenge now, and leave a comment here to let me know that you'll join me! That way I can be sure to visit you and check in as we meander through the alphabet together.

Then, in true writercize style, I give you a task. Figure out your J, Q, U, X and Z post titles today - and give yourself a break by pre-scheduling at least five of your A to Z Challenge posts. (If you don't know how to schedule a post, read this helpful instructional. It works for blogger, though the screen print is an old version, the instructions are the same. Now the post settings are along the right hand side of the page rather than at the bottom.) Trust me, you'll thank me later!

Sneak Peak: Tomorrow I have a very special announcement for all of you about an opportunity to meet the Grand Host and Mastermind behind the entire challenge. Stay tuned! Especially all you bloggers in the Southland - an event is coming up very soon that you will not want to miss!