May 8, 2012

Reflections from A to Z

Last month, I participated in (and completed!) my first Blogging from A to Z challenge. I found it exhilarating, entertaining, and educational. Wow, that would have made quite the E post.


But most of all, I discovered new things about myself, new interests. I learned to harness my muse, and in doing so, opened up some wonderful creative outlets.

My blog's theme has always been centered on my journey as an author, mother, daughter, wife... and the list goes on. I'm fortunate that my mother guest posts often, and I can occasionally wrangle family members into writing posts, including my oldest daughter, my two sisters, my cousin (a published poet), and even my father. My coup d'état will be finally getting a post out of my husband.

Back to my thoughts on this year's journey...

My original goal was to host
a poem discussing each A to Z post.
I hope you'll forgive my exhausted muse
for she finally blew a fuse.

Thanks to all who visited and said hi,
It meant so much that you stopped by.

My A to Z journey*

A was imagining Aristotle's April Fool's
B was Mom's views on bulging belly buttons
C was my occupancy on the Corner of Crazy & Creative
D was details about our novel, Depression Cookies
E was my Entertaining Eulogy
F was about Fantasy & Flights of Fancy
G was all about Grammar
H was my list of Harrowing Headaches (for writers)
I was my ode to Irony
J was jumbled with my favorite J things
K was deciding between life choices: Kick it or Kiss it 
L was Mom's version of Letting Loose
M was me Mauling Malapropism versus mulling it
N was about the importance of Networking
O was the fun of Onomatopoeia (I love that word)
P was Mom's ode to Piddling & Picking
Q was Questioning Quantity & Quality
R was about 'Riting and Receiving Reviews
S was about Story Strengths
T was Tripping over Transitions
U was Mom embracing Undone and Unsettled
V was my ode to Veracity
W was Writing Wanderlust
X was Xanthippe & Xenophon
Y was Yakety Yak
Z was Zero Zig-Zagging to Zenith

From A to Z
each a piece of me
left for readers to see.

I can't wait to do this again next year, but I did learn a thing or two.

First, I will start planning early in the year and write A to Z posts as they come to me. That way I can spend April visiting all the posts. It's May 8, and I'm still visiting participant blogs. Second, I will have fun! Now that I know I can do it, I'm going to let loose.

A special thanks to the hosts: A special thanks to the hosts: Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs, Jenny Pearson at Pearson Report, 
Matthew McNish at The QQQE, Tina Downey at Life is Good, Jeremy Hawkins at Retro-Zombie, DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude, Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse, Elizabeth Mueller, Damyanti Biswas at Amlokiblogs, Karen Gowen at Coming Down the Mountain, Konstanz Silverbow at No Thought 2 Small.

To read more reflections posts, please visit the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Linky List.

Give me a leg-up for next year. I would love suggestions for fun A to Z ideas. A for Anxiety maybe. Wait, that's not fun. How about Y for Yodeling? First thing that comes to you head for any letter. I'll take it!


*Please visit my sidebar to view posts that interest you. I didn't want to link readers to death (or lost my mind posting 26 links).

11 comments:

Susan Oloier said...

Congrats on completing the Challenge!

D.E. Malone said...

Preparing posts ahead of time is key, I think. I'll definitely do that next year. So glad to have met you through the Challenge!

Stephsco said...

It was definitely fun, and I agree, easier when you have a plan. Even easier with a theme. I found your blog from the challenge :)

ShaunaKelleyWrites said...

It was a fun challenge. I am so proud that I made it through, and see some good results from the effort. Now to spend 11 months thinking of the next theme.

Elise Fallson said...

I'm trying to come up with a theme for next year too. If I think of some good ideas I'll let you know! You did a fantastic job on your challenge btw! Bravo!

Lisa Carter said...

I didn't manage to read all of your A to Z posts, Tia, but I do think it's a fabulous idea. Perhaps I'll consider joining next year!

Jen @ My Morning Chocolate said...

What a fun challenge! Congrats on completing it. Planning your posts ahead of time is a great idea. I always have the intention of doing this for the Blogathon, and then I end up writing the evening before I post. Do you think you'll have a theme next year?

Natalie Hartford said...

Congrats on mastering the challenge Tia - that's amazing. I think your lessons learned will serve you very well in the future for sure...

Tia Bach said...

Thanks everyone. A to Z was such an amazing experience this year. I just wish I had had more time to visit all the wonderful blogs. I hope to get around to them and continue to use the linky list until they take it down!!

EvalinaMaria said...

Congratulation on finishing the challenge. During the challenge I didn't visit as many blogs as I would like to but, cross my heart, I'm visiting every single one with the reflection post (and I'm almost done)! I am so glad my journey brought me here.

Evalina, This and that...

Tia Bach said...

Good for you, Evalina. I still plan to do that as well. So many wonderful blogs!