Reflections on the A - Z Challenge 2019

Part of the A-Z Challenge involves doing a reflection post on your thoughts on the challenge once it's over.

As usual The Team have been helpful and given us questions to  give us some pointers on what to think about so here goes:

1. What did you love about the challenge this year?
What really pleased me was that this year (my fifth time of taking part)  I felt I did more creative writing.  

The idea for the posts came to me last year.  I wanted to do something that felt more like writing as opposed to writing about topics.  I didn’t want it to be a story that had to be followed from start to finish so I ended up with: “Conversations in my Head” with a muse called Alice who was loosely based on Alice from Alice in Wonderland.   I tried to include references to the story when I could but Alice had a habit of taking on a life of her own!

I wasn't as prepared as I'd hoped to be but I definitely felt less pressured this year as I had prepared at least half of my posts in advance.  The rest were all ready before they were due.  In previous years I have been known to "wing it" and that's hard.


2. What would you change about it?
I don't think I'd change anything.
 
3. What was the best moment for you during this year's challenge?
That was when I'd written my last post and scheduled it to post!
 
4. What is the best comment your blog got during the challenge, and who left the comment?
I has some lovely comments and I'm not going to pick just one and upset all the others! 

I still didn't have enough time to visit other blogs although I did try and get around to everyone who left me comments.  I did feel that I probably wasn't the only one finding it hard to do visits and I didn't have many new visitors to my blog.

I'm aware though that I didn't always leave comments on the A-Z post of the day and I don't have a great social media presence.

5. Will you do the challenge again?
Yes
 
6. Was it well organized and were the hosts helpful? (Did you fill out the after survey?)
Yes, Yes and Yes!

7. How did you and your blog grow, change, or improve as a result of this challenge? Did you find new blogs out there to enjoy?

As I stated abote, the posts for the challenge were different from what I usually post and were well received, even from regular followers.  Researching the posts took time but now Alice has been unleashed I'm sure more posts in the future will feature her.

I did find a few new blogs but I need to spend more time on working through the Master List.
 
8. Were you on the Master List? (If you did the challenge last year, was it better this time without the daily lists?)
I was on the Master List and Yes I prefer not having to worry about daily lists.

9. Any suggestions for our future?
Keep up the good work!
 
10. Any notes to the co-host team? A word of thanks to Jeremy for all his hard work on the graphics? A picture with your A to Z shirt, if you ordered one?
Well done to the team, including Jeremy.  Haven't got a T-shirt.  (Not sure if you ship overseas.)


Umm Wendy, don't I get a say in this?
No Alice.  I'm reflecting, which means I'm not listening to you!

Z is for Zombie

This year I decided not to tie myself to a theme.  I wanted to do something that felt more like writing rather than composing posts.  I didn’t want it to be a story that had to be followed from start to finish so what I’ve ended up with are: “Conversations in my Head”.

Hmm I think Wendy is looking a bit like a zombie today.  She’s very tired after two days of Grandchildren.  (Rory yesterday & Nathan today.)  This A-Z challenge thing is also quite tiring.  She managed to get all her posts done in advance (although not all of them before the challenge had started) but it’s still time consuming checking out her comments, other blogs, leaving comments etc.

But this evening I think she’s quite relieved that it’s come to an end.  Well apart from checking out more blogs and catching up with the sites she regularly follows.  This blogging lark is certainly time consuming and then of course there’s Facebook and something else called Lifecake.  I think that must be the one where all her kids upload pictures of the babies because she spends a LOT of time checking that one out.  And Instagram.

Thankfully she doesn’t really do Twitter or Pinterest.  Hmm maybe I could take over her Twitter feed.  I could probably have lots of fun with that.

Alice, you may think I look like a zombie, but zombies don’t actually exist and I can hear every word you’re saying.

Oh.  So no Twitter fun then?                                                       

Absolutely not.  Anyway the challenge is finished now.  We’re done.

Done?  You think you can get rid of me?  Just like that.  Z doesn’t stand for evicted.

No although I’m sure between us we could think up a z word that means to expel something from your head.

Something!  I’m a very important SOMEONE and I have no intention of being expel or zapulted out of anywhere.

I was rather hoping you’d say that.  I’ve got used to you now Alice.  So maybe I won’t zapult you just yet.  It’s quite good to have a sounding board and a different perspective on things.

Well it’s good to know I won’t be homeless and I do like to have the last word.

 
Umm, that’s my only condition Alice.  I’ll always have the last word.

Y is for Yellow

This year I decided not to tie myself to a theme.  I wanted to do something that felt more like writing rather than composing posts.  I didn’t want it to be a story that had to be followed from start to finish so what I’ve ended up with are: “Conversations in my Head”.

My hair IS NOT YELLOW!

Alice can you please stop shouting.  And what do you mean your hair is not yellow.

I’ve seen the pictures.  The drawings of me.  My hair is shown as being yellow!  No one has yellow hair.

Well some people might actually have yellow hair Alice and of course yours is a lovely shade of blonde I think.

You think?  What do you mean you think?

Well Alice as you’re in my head and not real your hair could be anything I want it to be.  Sometimes I think of it as being short, dark and VERY curly!

No, no, no!  It’s blonde, and long and just a bit wavy.      

Absolutely.  But illustrations in books for children are often not totally realistic.  Characters are often beautiful and flawless or the opposite.  Middle ground doesn’t sell books too well.

Now you’ve interrupted my beauty sleep Alice so can you leave me alone for a bit now?

No.  You have to look after Rory today so you need to be up.

Oh yes.  How could I forget?

That’s what happens when you get old.  And have to dye your hair so that people think you’re less old than you really are.  If people saw your hair in its natural state they would think you are ancient.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Alice.  It’s hard work maintaining your looks as you get older.    And my hair is one of the few concessions I make to trying to look younger.

Well I guess that’s true.  All the other bits of you are natural at least.  And your teeth are still your own.

Alice do you have to remind me of things I’d rather not look forward to, like false teeth?

And the creaking bones?  Although I think you already have some of those.

I certainly do Alice.

And the ……

Enough Alice.  I don’t need to be reminded about the downside of growing old.  Today I’m going to concentrate on the plus side – being retired and spending time with my Grandchildren.  And Rory, whose hair might also be classed as yellow.

My hair IS NOT YELLOW!

 
Now, now, Alice.  I heard you the first time.