The Blogging from A to Z Challenge – Are You With Me?

For the 10th year in a row, I’ll be participating in the April “Blogging from A to Z Challenge.” And I would love for you to join me! If you’re a blogger, or even a wannabe blogger, the challenge is a great way to stay with your goals or perhaps test the waters. Details usually come out in March, but you can start planning now.

Typically I begin my plotting and planning in early January, although themes and topics float around in my head all year. You don’t have to have a theme to participate, but I find it helps – and my readers seem to enjoy it. So I think about possible themes. Generally my themes follow what I enjoy – travel, food, music, literature. You blog each day in April (except Sunday), and use each letter of the alphabet as you blog.

When I first decided to take part, in 2012, it was purely by chance. I was following a blog (I can’t even remember whose blog it was), and I learned about the challenge, which actually began in 2009, before I was blogging. I hurriedly came up with a theme (authors, poets, lyricists) and put together a list (A is for W.H. Auden, B is for Bertoldt Brecht…). I used Wikipedia and my own books for research. I felt rushed, but I managed to post every day in April (except Sundays, that’s the rule). By the time I got to Warren Zevon, I was exhausted! Whew! One thing I knew for sure – I’d be better prepared for 2013.

And I was. In 2013, I blogged the alphabet on places I’d been, 2014 was about cheese (yes, it was), 2015 featured musical instruments, 2016 had a beautiful theme about Paris between the wars (1919-1939), when the city experienced a cultural boom of artists, writers, composers, and designers. In 2017, I showcased Broadway (and off-Broadway) musicals, the following year, 2018, featured a look back at the year 1968, accompanied by hit songs from the era. In 2019, my theme was Dylan, and I featured covers of Dylan songs A to Z.

Last year, my theme was “Yes, But Would You Eat It?” – a look at foods of the world.

I’ll be revealing my theme for 2021 soon, in a separate post. But I hope you’ll think about joining me in this challenge – it’s fun! And I’ve met some wonderful people through the A to Z. So stay tuned!