This year was my first time taking part in the A to Z Challenge. My theme was 'what I learned about writing from watching TV'. I'd like to say a big thank you to anyone who read any of my posts, or commented, or encouraged me in any way.
The Positive:
I enjoyed chatting about TV and expanding my usual writing posts out somewhere different. It was very nice to learn which TV shows people were fans of, and which people had never heard of (poor old Young Americans. I am the only person who watched it.) It was very cool to learn how connected I was with some people in terms of our TV Viewing. (Allison of Geek Banter, you spring to mind!)
I watch or have watched a lot of TV, I learned.
When I had posts scheduled, life was easier. I had time to read comments and reply. Planning them too far ahead got hard, as I muddled up the days and nearly ended up posting them all wrong.
The Negative:
I don't have enough time in the day to read all the posts I'd like and comment everywhere I'd like. That's just a hard fact I have to accept. I am just not that good at multi-tasking, so great swathes of my day pass where I can't be blogging or online. This means, try as I might, I am never going to be able to visit 700/500 however many blogs. I wish I could. I did what I could, but definitely felt like part of the fun of the challenge would have been able to visit lots of new blogs and people rather than the few I managed. It took me time managing comments to my own and trying to visit back people who visited me (and I'm sure I didn't manage that.)
That's taught me a lesson though. I have limited time. I have to accept it, and do what I can with it. I'll never follow 1000 blogs or have 1000 people follow me here. But I can connect with those I have, and hope to do so meaningfully. I could blog on topics other than writing, and enjoy myself.
General A-Z Thoughts:
Well organised challenge.
Posts were easier to follow when they were on a general topic (travel, writing, etc) than something very specific. I find it hard to know what to comment or say to a very specific post about a writer or book I haven't read or say, a hobby I know nothing about.
It was easier to pick out people who'd labelled themselves on the list as writing etc - division into categories would be nice so I could focus the little time I have.
Captcha (?sp?) is the devil.
Overall I enjoyed it, despite feeling like I didn't give back or visit back as much as I'd have liked.
Viki, don't be so hard on yourself. Every adult learns the essence of time or lack there of even with a willing spirit.
ReplyDeleteI personally as a reader of blogs and not a participant in A to Z, chose every carefully among the list of who new to follow. You were one of them. I like your style. :o)
I enjoyed your posts and the theme. Like you, I was time-challenged. We'll see what next year brings...
ReplyDeleteYou did what you could and that's good enough! I enjoyed your posts and wish I had found them sooner in the Challenge. :)
ReplyDeleteI thought it was great about the categories. It saved time (not that I participated).
ReplyDeleteI didn't have time to participate. I wanted to write last month, and I knew it wouldn't happen if I participated. I was going to check out some of the blogs I don't normally follow, but I forgot to in the end. Oops!
Glad you enjoyed it! There were a few topics that I knew nothing about and they were difficult to comment on. And I didn't have enough time either. It was all I could do to maintain.
ReplyDeleteYes time is both a friend and an enemy. But congrats on completing the challenge and choosing a good meme to share.
ReplyDeleteJ.L. - thank you for your kind words, that's good to hear. I will go easier on myself ;)
ReplyDeleteDiana - indeed it is a time consuming challenge!
Madeline - thank you, that's nice to hear!
Stina - indeed, hard to do it and write too!
Alex - you do a lot Alex, I'm constantly in awe of how you fit it in!
Sheena-kay - thank you, that's appreciated!
I had so much fun visiting your blog and learning that we are TV buddies! :D I also did not visit nearly as many blogs as I would have liked.
ReplyDeleteAllison (Geek Banter)
It was a fun challenge, and you handled it well! Next year will be even better :)
ReplyDeleteAllison - we are TV Buddies ;)
ReplyDeleteLara - thank you, indeed next year I'll know what to expect!
It was such a fun experience, you do wish you could have spent so much more time reading and commenting on more blogs. I totally understand. It's like, I wish I could be on vacation during next year's challenge just so I can do more. I know I didn't get to yours hardly as much as I wanted to. I mean, it was about TV! and learning! Well, hopefully next year I'll have a better strategy of how to keep up with the blogs I'd like to. Writer’s Mark
ReplyDeleteViki, and I didn't have time to read all your posts, I'm sorry! Much as I really love reading blogs, I do find keeping up with all the blogs I already follow, let alone finding new ones, a bit stressful. But you mustn't beat yourself up, I think everyone understands the time constraints and fellow writers know that writing in general is a time-consuming pursuit leaving not too much time for anything else. I think you do very well at getting round to other people's blogs so give yourself a pat on the back for that as well was for managing the epic feat of the A-Z!
ReplyDeletei read my friends' posts for the week, so i loved them being concise! but i wish i had more time. i want to do so much! and your posts were fun! great theme!
ReplyDeleteI relate to you about not being able to comment on everything I wanted to. But I just signed up for the Post A to Z Road Trip so I can keep visiting throughout the year. I still won't manage to get to all of them, but at least I can keep meeting new writers that way!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2013/05/want-to-join-us-for-ultimate-road-trip.html
Nancy - ah exactly, if I could be on holiday during the challenge it would work out just fine!
ReplyDeleteJaxbee - you are right, we all understand that we don't have all the time in the world! Thank you I will pat myself on the back ;)
Tara - We need a way to time travel and make more time!
Beverly - oh interesting I didn't know about that, I'll check it out.