The ZEAL for Blogging - My Realizations from the A to Z Challenge
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| Credits to Brand Surgery |
"Tyne,
do you wanna join the A to Z Challenge? You have to blog everyday in April.
It'll be fun!"
"Wow!
I wonder if I can write about something everyday for the next 30 days."
"This
is my 3rd year already. You should be good too!"
"O.K."
"I
already signed you up."
"LOL!"
And
that was the start of the crazy-blogging-everyday-no-skipping-sleeping-late challenge!
I
swear I have never blogged this religiously in my entire 5 years of having this
site! But it's quite addictive and compelling, actually.
These
are my realizations about blogging in the last 30 days with the A to Z challenge:
Blogging
is a Commitment. At first, it felt like I jumped into marriage without being
ready for it. Like any commitment, it requires dedication. You need to devote time while juggling all your other activities. Talk about sleeping around 2:00 a.m.
almost everyday. I also use my lunch time to write my blogs just to keep up with the challenge. Imagine that!
Blogging
reaffirms my passion for writing. I consider writing as my ministry. I aspire
to make a difference one blog post at a time. In fact, I do wish to author a
book someday. And I realized over the last 30 days how passionate I am about this gift. I spend at least 3 hours per
day for a blog post including research time, editing of photos and proof-reading. I always aim
to leave my readers with something to learn, laugh or be inspired about. I have come to appreciate writing all the more through this challenge.
Blogging
has been a pathway for me to meet more people. I have never (virtually) met
that many people from across the globe before, sharing the same passion for writing. Imagine there are over a thousand of bloggers participating this year. This challenge has paved the way for me to connect to people by walking through their sanctuary of thoughts and insights. It's like knowing their life story even before meeting them in person. I have so much respect for writers who bare their life stories and share their gift of writing. On a personal note, I appreciate that Dee and I have become much closer despite the fact that we live in different continents now. Because of this A to Z challenge, we had to chat everyday. And I'd like to thank her for signing me up, helping me with my site (for free!) and for inspiring me to blog every single day.
Blogging keeps me abreast and informed about anything. With the wide variety of themes on this year's challenge, I have read through the most interesting facts, stories and insights from the blogs I visited. Thanks to the power of internet, I can learn a lot of things from travels, to lifestyle, writing fictions, current events, photography, grammar, selfies, about love, faith, dating, singlehood, marriage, just about anything and everything. By visiting blogs, I am educating myself. I got inspired all the more to hone my writing skills.
Blogging has opened me to a lot of possibilities. The A to Z challenge has afforded me the opportunity to expand my network and reach a wider audience. I get surprised to see my stat every time I check my google analytics report. Support from fellow bloggers who visit my page and leave insightful comments made me love what I do all the more. Also, there is that opportunity to earn from blogging. I know a few friends who get perks like being invited to try new products, dishes or services and subsequently get paid for their write-up or review. And there are those who found love in the blogging world. The possibilities are just boundless.
So here are my Top 5 Posts:
10 INCREDIBLE Countries I Travelled to
And here are some of my favorite blogs during this challenge:
A Deecoded Life's "Why I Kissed Online Dating Goodbye"
A Deecoded Life's "Kisses from the Future"
Chuck Allen's "What Happened to Alice" series of stories
Moonlight and her Shadow's "Stages of Love"
Brits in the US 23's "Geraldine"
Thank you A to Z Challenge for bringing out the zealous writer in me.
And thank you everyone for visiting my page! You guys inspire me to write my best every time!
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This post is part of the A to Z April Challenge
a blog hop that goes through the alphabet
for all the days of April except Sundays.
Today's feature is Z for ZEAL.
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Aww, thanks for the shout out! It's true that this challenge made us closer, and I am so glad to know someone in real life who shares this crazy passion with me! Sorry for the late nights, but after this, I bet you'll have picked up the writing habit and will be more active in blogging from now on. This is what got me started on taking blogging seriously.
ReplyDeleteYay! Finally now I can rest (for a while.) When is the next link-up again? Haha! Thanks Dee! I know your encouragement and tips really helped (and the retweets too! Haha!) This felt like my debut in the blogging world, really! Cheers to the many things to blog about!!!! Haha
DeleteCongrats on finishing! My first challenge 3 years ago was where I made some of my best blogging buddies that I'm still in touch with on a daily basis. It really is a great opportunity.
ReplyDeletethank you! yes, i intend to keep the connections i have gained thru this challenge! all the best to you too!
DeleteYour enthusiasm is uplifting. Thanks for sharing how much the challenge did for you.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from A/Z; didn't have a chance to visit all the blogs during the challenge so visiting those who did a reflections post. Wow, I am amazed at the time you spend writing a post, that is awesome :) I know what you meant about not getting much sleep during the challenge; I found myself with lots of late nights too visiting other blogs :)
ReplyDeletebetty
thank you betty!! yes, i do enjoy learning as much from visiting blogs! the themes are just varied and there is so much info and stories i found interesting!
DeleteCongrats on finishing the A to Z Challenge! I really enjoyed your posts throughout the month and getting to know you a little bit in the process.
ReplyDeleteI signed up for the email updates so that I can keep track as you get back to a "normal" blogging schedule. (Whatever that is, huh?) :)
haha! funny Chuck! yes, i'd say we're back to regular programming now! thanks again for your valuable insights here!
DeleteCongrats on finishing the challenge. So next year, will Dee have to sign you up or will you be signing her up this time? ;)
ReplyDeletehaha! uhm, i guess it's going to be still like a team work while maintaining 2 individual blogs. haha! but yes, it helps to have someone to push you to write! thanks Pat!
DeleteIt's an amazing way to meet new people and make friends. We discovered that was the bonus from the very first Challenge. I'm still good friends with several bloggers who participated then.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a good experience!
thanks Alex! now, i know how that the benefits outweigh the efforts that are entailed in finishing this challenge! congrats too!
DeleteYou forgot to include Blogging is FUN! Congrats on completing the Challenge. Looking forward to next year!
ReplyDeleteMary @ Jingle Jangle Jungle .. visiting from the Reflections linky
yeah! for sure! thanks for visiting here!
DeleteI do find myself frequently repeating things I've read on people's blogs. I start to say, "I heard a friend say" and realize the information I'm about to quote came from a blog!
ReplyDeleteand now that it is all done - don't you miss it :D I know I do...
ReplyDeleteGreat Reflections post. So happy to hear that you have committed yourself to writing more. And isn't it awesome to make friends through the A-Z? The blogosphere is a wonderful place and there are some incredibly fine people who participate in the Challenge. Congrats on finishing. I'm looking forward to reading your A-Zs. See you for the Road Trip??
ReplyDeleteMichele at Angels Bark
Hello there.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on completing your first challenge! I didn't get to visit your blog during April, but I'm popping over today from the Road Trip.
Entrepreneurial Goddess