Blogging from A - Z should be easy as A - B - C.
A ~ All clear: Write and post all posts from A-Z.
B ~ Been there, done that: Visit heaps of other participnats' blogs.
C ~ Comment: Comment on many of these other blogs.
-- Ⓐ - Ⓩ -- -- Ⓐ - Ⓩ --
Let's see how I've done.
A ~ All clear. Yay! for the first time ever, I have written and posted all the posts from A - Z on their actual days.
B ~ Been there, done that. Not as good. I started out strong, visiting the blogs according to a copy of the Master list. Only already early on, I found dead links, I found links to the sign up, I found blogs not participaing in the A - Z Challenge. Some did not blog at all, some only blogged about matters not related to the A - Z Challenge. I found blogs I could or would not read from personal causes, thus no blame on the bloggers in question (If you're curious: Graphical point of view: white-on-black or with moving/dancing objects. Contents: pure self promotions, economics/business, mental health, cosmetics, most animals ...)
C ~ Comments. Not good either. I commented on some on the blogs on the list. But I did not comment on blogs where I had nothing to say, either from not knowing or caring for the subject in question, or just feeling inadequate - see above.
Another obstacle was that I met quite a few blogs, where the contents were interesting, and I had comments or qustions I wanted to share, only I could not, because the blog required me to log in with Disqus or some such.
Honestly, I think that with all the talk of visiting and commenting on others' blogs, and the rules for the Challenge clearly stating that to participate
Your blog link should take readers directly to your blog. Please check it. Have a friend check it.
***This is a blog hop! We ask that anyone who signs up has a blog where any and all participants can comment (without logging in, signing up, emailing, etc).
If your blog cannot offer that, this hop might not be for you. (LINK)
the "A-Z police" ought to be a bit more on their toes.
I know that the team can only do so much, but when I agonised about this under letter C on the A-Z home blog, the team was aware of the problems, and promised to do something about it.
And a very minor complaint: Following the links in the master list take me to a "redirecting" page where I have to confirm that I want to be redirected.
This made me kind of lose steam. And my visiting beyond E or so were more ecclectic, based on themes and name of the blogs.
So far I have not found many blogs I was interested in reading or following. I am sure I would have found more, had I been more thorough, but the aforementioned obstacles took their toll. And some of those I liked, stopped A-Z'ing all too soon - sad.
I really liked that the Challenge this year again seemed to focus more on writing, reading and commenting on Blogs, and not so much on counting views/comments or directing flows to and from other SoMe.
-- Ⓐ - Ⓩ -- -- Ⓐ - Ⓩ --
All in all better than previous years. I could have done better, and so could the A-Z team.
A - I posted my posts on time. And I finished early for no reason.
SvarSletB - Why it's harder to comment as the challenge go on, seems to be a mystery because I know lots of participants aren't slacking off in writing/making their posts. Yeah, some people participate to promote something which I always think there should be a rule against that. The challenge should be about fun and interesting things, not information about something to sell.
C - I try to make my comments mean something because I don't want to just say, That's nice or good post because that's not really commenting. Ah, disqus - I tried that but it didn't work for me. I gave up on disqus, can't remember the exact reason, only that I dislike it.
I have the same issues with people are not leaving a correct link. If people have to search for the a-z posts, then they are not doing it correctly.
Thank you for commenting on my a-z posts.
Have a lovely day.
A - Finishing early ;) I think you're the only one. Well done,
SletB - It is a mystery. Maybe some sort of fatigue, as it was easier on Mondays ;)
I too hate pure promotion and "Nice post, please read my blog"-comments.
C - I also would have liked to comment more, but some Disqus ones and other with verifications pictures - you know the find all buses, fire hydrants and so on, broke my commenting rhythm.
People are asked to double check their link, and you can even go back and change (Except for some this was broken) so, really no excuse for strange, non-functioning links.
Gratz once more on finishing - early at that.
At least it seems to be improving... And congratulations on finishing.
SvarSletYes a bit better every year - still hoping. And thanks!
SletLike you, I started following a couple of blogs that stopped. I also found a couple that I ended up just not being interested in following. But the up side is finding some new friends. Thanks so much for visiting my reflections post and commenting.
SvarSlethttps://dbmcnicol.com/a-afterthought/
I think it's always like this. Actually I'm OK with people stopping when hey realize they bit off more than they could chew, and say so. I'm not OK with people not even starting ;)
SletI also most years find new blogs to follow, sadly some I find only do the A-Z and noting in between.
Thank you for visiting and commenting.
That "redirect" page comes up when I click on blogs I follow from my reading list in Blogger, I wonder if the A to Z team had any control over that.
SvarSletI visited a bit, but not much, as I'm already having way too much trouble keeping up with just the blogs I already follow.
I solved it, or found it out, rather. Right click and open in new tab (or middle click) gives me the redirect page, while left click gives me the page proper in a new tab - surely Blogger at large ;)
SletI think I was unlucky that the first few blogs, I visited, included a large number of "sales blogs", white on black blogs, and on subjects I found utterly boring (my fault, not their), so I lost my steam.
I agree that clicking on a link should take you directly to that blog, why have the link otherwise?
SvarSletIt was a combination of me/Blogger leading ti this - see above - it took me 3 weeks to find out.
SletCongratulations on finishing! I've participated in A to Z and I've had some of the same problems each year (the dead links, the people who just stop with no explanation, the blogs which it's impossible to find their A to Z posts on if they even exist) which is why I tend to visit blogs I recognize from previous years. I wouldn't worry about not finding many blogs you felt you'd like to continue to read. Some years are like that. Some years are just the opposite. Again, congratulations.
SvarSletThanks for the congratulations, and the same to you.
SletIt is a bit strange that so many this year had trouble following the very clear cut rules, but maybe I was just unlucky. Returning to some of the blogs later on, a few har actually allowed comments, and mended the links.
Congrats on finishing.
SvarSletAs for issues you raised:
Redirecting links has to do with your browser, not opening the link in a new tab, etc. Not much that can be done about that as it's a Google product.
Each year I make a copy of the the masterlist and change it to work for me and my needs -- you should try it, as it eliminates the need to try links etc. that don't work for you.
The A-Z team does this bloghop on a volunteer basis...
Ronel visiting for Reflections for A to Z Blogging Challenge 2024
Thank you for answering.
SletJust half an hour ago I slved teh redirecting: Left clicking wil redirect me with no strange pages, Wheel click takes me to redirection page - Google is to blame I'm sure.
I also did that - copying the master list. and wrote my own notes. It did not eliminate the need to use un-working links - but I did so only once ;)
I know you're volunteers. But under "C" I told of the non comment allowing and dead links, and you told me: "As I move through the list this week, I'll mark those not participating and send them to the captain to be removed. I hate it when I go through the list and encounter these things, too." So I was wondering that they still were in the Master list by the end of April - Is there som way we participants can help?
Congratulations on finishing the A to Z Challenge. Your comments on B are particularly interesting as I had the same experience and the same thoughts. I like rules and it always irks me when people don't follow them. I was put off reading some blogs by subject matter or blog aesthetics. I can't read messy websites. I mean I can, but it isn't a pleasant experience. Anyway, we did it! We finished! We followed the rules! Good on us!
SvarSletYeah at least in such a challenge the rules are there for a reason. But we did it. Yay us!
SletURGH! The first many ansver to comments on this post seems to have disapperared without a trace! I'll try and re-create them. Stupid Blogger -which I suppose is to blame here.
SvarSlet