05 May 2014

A to Z Challenge Reflections

This April was my first try at doing the A to Z Challenge. While I wish I had done a bit more planning ahead of time, I did end up having a lot of fun. I've always been a procrastinator, so I don't really know what I expected. But anyway, reflections!


I somehow managed to get through the entire challenge, posting every day except Sundays, despite the usual hectic work schedule, a case of strep throat, and also working on the second draft of my novel. I'd like to think that blogging every day helped create some inspiration, and was at least part of the reason why I got so much writing done. I managed to get six chapter rewrites done over the course of the month, creating a momentum that I haven't had in a long time. I'm hoping to completely finish the second draft within a week or two. 

I certainly got a lot more traffic during the month of April. I started the challenge with 79 followers, and now I have 110. Yikes! I met a lot of new blogger buddies and am looking forward to keeping up with their blogs in the future. 

I didn't have a theme this year, but I've already got some ideas for next year! Hopefully by then I'll be writing full time and be able to get the posts done in advance, instead of writing them the day they needed to be posted. Some days I had good ideas, other days the posts were a bit forced. Some days I was too busy writing, working, or suffering horrible throat pain to write more than a couple paragraphs. But I am glad I managed to post every day. 

OH! And if by any chance you remember my second post (feels like forever ago) and my quest for a blue binder, well...I went back to Staples for something else and I GUESS they restocked!


(Surprisingly I don't hate this picture of myself...I know, a first! It's also the first time I've used my webcam. I'm thinking a Blogger/Twitter profile pic redo is in order!)

So, to recap! 
26 posts
6 chapter rewrites
31 new followers
152 work hours to work around
72 cups of coffee
AND 1 blue binder later...

The challenge is complete! 

13 comments:

  1. Congratulations for getting the challenge completed, =) I tried planning out my posts in advance this year, but it only worked for a bit, and by, like, halfway through I started writing each post as I went along. Like you, I found some days great, some kind of forced, and some super quick. But it's definitely a lot of fun, isn't it?

    Congrats on your binder, it's awesome when a place unexpectedly restocks something!

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  2. Congrats on making it to the end of the A-Z Challenge! Like you, I wrote my posts each day rather than planning them in advance, but sometimes that is the best way! :D

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  3. I was beyond thrilled when my local Staples restocked my favorite spiral notebooks. I'm pretty sure I bought every single one they had, just in case they decide to stop stocking them some day.

    Congrats on completing the A to Z challenge. I didn't do it this year, but I've done it in the past, and always end up wishing I had planned more in advance. Maybe next year...

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  4. Actually the shorter the blog during the A to Z the better. So maybe it was a good thing.

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  5. This is the first I've gotten to you and, now, I want to know if all your posts had to do with a blue binder. The search for a blue binder could make for a very interesting theme. Hmm...

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  6. Glad you got a big batch of new followers! And that you pushed through and finished.
    I didn't have a theme my first year. I've discovered it is much better to have one though.
    Thanks for participating.

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  7. Woo-hoo! Congrats on completing the challenge -- and securing that blue binder! I that same impulse, when you just have to have the supplies that you want, in the color that you want them.

    Momentum is a wonderful by-product of this whole A to Z thing. Before April I was stuck in a deep depression, didn't want to write or socialize or get out of bed. Now I'm attempting to create some semi-fictional story for the first time in forever. Good luck with your current project, I'll keep checking back here for updates :)

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  8. I had no idea about the AZ challenge until it started but I think I'll try take part next year. Congrats for doing it, I struggle to do just six a month so it would be a real challenge for me!

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  9. I like your blue binder and your recap. :) I'm glad I got to know you through this Challenge. :)

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  10. Woot! Yay for finding your blue binder! Love office supplies :) And congrats for finishing up the challenge.

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  11. Yay, you found it!! And congrats on succeeding in the A to Z!

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  12. Congratulations on completing the challenge. And good luck with your writing. :-)

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  13. Hello there.
    Congratulations on completing the challenge! Thanks for sharing. I'm just stopping by briefly before the next A-Z Challenge begins. Visiting from the 2014 A-Z Road Trip.

    Entrepreneurial Goddess

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