So, what can I say that doesn't sound like a lot of cliché? The first and most obvious affect is in the amount of posting compared to the rest of the year: March, 4 posts. February, 6, and January, 5 posts. April? 27 posts. I was fortunate to have posted something on April 1st, or else I wouldn't have noticed Arlee Bird's invite to the Challenge.
So primarily, it really lit a fire under my arse to write. Funnily, two or three days before the Challenge was issued, I had been reading on Blog-promotion (mostly on problogger.com ) and said to my wife that I really need to work at providing content before I work at drawing eyes to my Blog. Careful what you ask for, eh?
I found that when put into a position where I need to write something, I can deliver, and that was a huge confidence-boost. It wasn't always gold, and it wasn't always on time, but every letter got covered. It also gave me the chance to write about things that I couldn't fit into another context. This was meant to be a “Daddy Blog,” and while that's my primary role in life right now, it isn't all I bring to the table. I was happy to have an excuse to write about other things.
At the same time, with 26 posts, I needed to fish for ideas. Often. Many times, I went to the dictionary, and bounced ideas off of my wife. She's quite clever, you know. For a human.
Most importantly, I had the chance to meet and get acquainted with a LOT of new Bloggers out there, and follow and be followed by a wide variety of writers. Lots of you now feel like friends, and I'm glad I had the chance to get to know ya'll. I'm looking forward to seeing what you're like outside of the A-Z Challenge. Not that there wasn't some trepidation; not only was I now accountable to twice as many people to deliver interesting content on a regular basis (really, my following DOUBLED – and then some – within a month), but many of you are of a decidedly Christian persuasion, and I'm a little worried about being offensive. Trying to balance that with not censoring myself, or being insincere has been a bit of a juggle (cheers, Arlee!). I'm happy and humbled that I can be myself, and those of you that are Christians aren't just 'Churchy,' but show love and acceptance regardless of my beliefs. I can't thank you enough.
If this becomes an annual thing, count me in! I'd be glad to do another challenge, but I think I'll need to sit-out the “15 Favorite Albums” one. I just need a little breathing room before I jump into another Challenge, but I'll have my ear to the ground to know what other challenges are proposed. I'm still flirting with the NaNoWriMo idea though. I chickened-out last year, and regret it, but the truth is, I wasn't up to it.
Thank you to all of you for the community support, and mostly for holding up your end of the deal with all of the great content you've contributed to the Challenge. It's the end of the beginning, and I'm honored to be swept into this upward-spiral!
To the Coming Revolution of the Children of the Day.
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Good job on completing the challenge!! You and I have the same number of followers, I get so excited when I log on and someone new pops up. I wonder if that feeling fades after a while? I doubt it though :)
ReplyDeleteMy heartest congratulations Will on completing the challenge, I was lucky as I had quite a bit of poetry put away incase I do another book, but to select photo's and I like my music to be appropiate made it all the more exciting.
ReplyDeleteI hope to do the 15 albums but my blog only allows 5 pictures at any one blog, so am sorting that out.
I did enjoy what you wrote about and thanks to Arlee I would never come across your excellent blog,
Take care.
Yvonne.
I hope Arlee does it again next year as well. Glad the challenge spurred you on, Will. Don't stop!
ReplyDeleteYAY for you getting new followers!! They should be reading you cause you're awesome!!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of followers of the Christian persuasion, too, and sometimes I wonder why they follow me cause, as we know, I could make a sailor blush most days.
You are an excellent writer and I enjoyed stopping by although I could have been better about it. :) I appreciate that you cared about not offending "us Christians", but as Christians, it's not our place to judge anyone. If we do, then we need to rethink our walk (read: PRAY).
ReplyDeleteGreat to meet you and thank you for the kind words on my post today! :O)
Congrats on finishing the challenge :o) I enjoy your blog and shall be back!!
ReplyDeleteI caught up with the challenge towards the end but it all seemed fab - I would definitely be in too if there was a repeat :0)
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining the Challenge and most of all finishing it! You're comments were very helpful as well. It's good to push your limits sometimes and if you ever wanted to write a novel NaNo is a good place to start. You might end up with crap, but at least you get some writer's discipline.
ReplyDeleteNext year? Who knows? But if it goes hope to see you there and I'm sure we'll be seeing each other in cyberspace in the months to come.
Lee
Tossing It Out
I'm glad you joined the challenge... I've enjoyed reading your posts (daddy and otherwise, it's always nice to get a dad's perspective!). :)
ReplyDeleteWill, good job on completing the challenge. Sorry to hear that you felt the need to censor yourself because of us Christians. You're blog is about you.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on finishing...hey I tagged you on my post for tomorrow May 6th so pretty please come by and check it out tomorrow :)
ReplyDeleteYou have been tagged. I put you on my post for tomorrow. If you would like come by and check out what I had to write. You are it!!!!!!
ReplyDelete