A-Z Challenge Reflections

When Arlee threw out the challenge, I decided to take a chance. I was blogging four times a week, sometimes five, and bumping that up to six seemed plausible. Now that I've completed the challenge, I can look back at all the changes over the past month.

Blogging six days a week taught me consistency. Some letters were challenging, but I never missed a post. I realized my strengths and the areas where I need work and can now apply that to future posts.

During the month of April, I discovered so many new bloggers! I found a whole community of writers and authors who share my aspirations and concerns. Those with different interests have been the most fun, as they have exposed me to a whole new world. I've learned a lot from my fellow bloggers and hope the friendships continue.

One thing that surprised me was the increase of my followers. I began April with forty followers - now I have over ninety. I hope I remain interesting!

Where will I go from here? Hopefully everyone has enjoyed my posts, as I will continue to cover movies, music, books, science fiction, new gadgets, and art. I intend to post more often about writing and will seek out sites and information that are useful to my blogger friends. I'd like to integrate more guest posts as well. I've hosted two so far and will welcome David J. Williams here on May 20 with an interview.

Big thanks to Arlee at Tossing it Out for starting this challenge! All it takes is one person to make a difference, and Arlee, you did indeed. I'm sure the others said it much more eloquently, but I appreciate all you did to inspire and motivate us.

And I just realized - this is my 100th post!

Z End!

Completing the A-Z Challenge from Arlee at Tossing it Out

Today is Z - Z End!

This is the last post in the challenge. I won't go into everything I've learned here - I will save that for Monday's post at Arlee's site.

However, I want to thank all the awsome new blogger friends I've found as a result of this challenge. I hope we can continue exchanging thoughts and encouragements long after the challenge is over!

Thank you -
Jamie at Mithril Wisdom
Summer at And This Time Concentrate!
Yvonne at Welcome to my World of Poetry
B. Miller at B. Miller Fiction
Shannon at Faith, Hope, and Love
Will at Fatherhood & Other Common Terrors
Beth at Beth: A Work in Progress
Raquel at Raquel Byrnes
Rayna at Coffee Rings Everywhere
Melody at Melody’s Musings
Kierah at Kierah Jane Reilly
Grammy at Blabbin’ Grammy
CC at CC’s Chronicles
Carol at Carol’s Corner
Hart at Confessions of A watery Tart
Mary at Mary McDonald Has The Write Stuff
And 1 Wasabi Mommy

If I have missed anyone in the challenge who's been a regular commentor, I apologize! And if you are following me because of the challenge but I've not followed you back, please let me know - I gained twenty followers in one week alone and I probably missed a few.

Thank you everyone, and a big thanks to Arlee!

And on that note - I am taking the weekend off! I'll be checking in now and then - it's a habit now - but my next post isn't until Monday morning.

Yourself

Continuing the A-Z Challenge from Arlee at Tossing it Out

Today is Y - Yourself

As in be yourself.

What’s amazed me with blogging is the number of individuals who aren’t afraid to be themselves. It comes through in their blog setup, style of writing, and post subjects. These people are honest and open. They are not pretentious nor do they claim to know everything. They have provided so many insights into their world and their knowledge. Some are writers, authors, or readers. Some just express themselves in an amazing manner.

I’ve tried to remain true to who I am in my posts. I’m a private person, so I’ve not delved too much into my personal life. But I really enjoy movies and music and like to share that joy with others. I enjoy discussing writing, books, science fiction, the latest gadget or game – anything interesting! With my first book coming out this fall, I know I’m not in the league of those with multiple books and years of experience, so I don’t claim expertise in the area of writing or promoting. (Although I’m glad I follow a couple of you who do possess such knowledge.)

Hopefully everyone enjoys my posts, as I intend to stay true to me. I’m a writer on a journey of discovery – and with so much to learn!

Are you true to yourself?

X-Men and Xtra Innings

I've never followed the X-Men comics, although I enjoyed the movies. The first three were good, but I felt they could've done more with the Origins film. Like a baseball game, it seems as if the series has gone into xtra innings with no end in sight.

What about books that go into xtra innings? Series that go on forever or books that contain so many subplots that they have multiple endings? You read what appears to be the grand finale, only to discover there's two more chapters - and an epilogue! I understand the need to wrap up a story, but how does everyone feel about multiple endings? Or endings that go on and on? Or series that just don't know when to quit?

Any of my fellow writers struggling with an ending?

And does anyone care to predict when the X-Men movies will end? Any guesses, Dez? When they stop making money?