Bloggers do take up many challenges in the Blogosphere and the sense of achievement in completing the challenge sends an adrenaline rush. One of the most popular Blogging Challenge across the globe in the Blogging field is AtoZ Blogging Challenge. This challenge has been run over a decade and lakhs of bloggers register for it and many complete it with a smile on their end.
What is AtoZ Challenge:
In the AtoZ challenge bloggers write in the whole month of April and publish their blog posts on all days of April apart from Sunday. The first post starts with Letter A, second with letter B, and so on till you reach letter Z. Each letter signifies in the title and all over the blog post.
Why AtoZ Challenge
Many bloggers can’t understand why people register for this challenge and all the hullabaloos around it. We would say once you are in the challenge you get to know the excitement of publishing the posts continuously and seeing your posts flowing among the readers. As a blogger, you will
- Be more consistent
- More creative juices start flowing
- Interaction with fellow bloggers during the challenge
- More readers on your blog
- Bank of posts for the future to promote your blog
How to ace the AtoZ Challenge
This is the biggest question of all the first-time bloggers and also to the bloggers who are participating year after year.
1. Plan step by step:
First and foremost start affirmations that ‘ You will complete the challenge and will rock it. Such positive affirmations do make the work much easier. The date is set for the challenge, so let the mind be set too. Start penning your posts in March itself and choose a theme.
2. Select the Theme:
Though it is not compulsory to select the theme, yet it is always advisable to select the broader theme where your posts can get fitted well. Don’t narrow down the theme, for example, you can have ‘Food with Indian Twist’ as a broader theme than ‘Baby Food with Indian Twist’. Selecting a broader theme will help you increase the horizon in your writing too and your posts will not sound repetitive.
3.One Single Documentation:
Choose one single word doc or a notepad file where you are jotting all your 26 posts for the challenge. This will help you to jot ideas in the respective letter even if you are penning for a different one. Jot down the titles of each letter before March 25th, so that you at least know what to write for that particular post.
4. Theme Creative:
Select a theme creative in your design websites such as Canva, and you just need to change the text for the particular day. This saves lots of time and your page looks familiar plus even someone comes across your images on social media they will recognize this post is by you. Don't sweat , be smart to finish the challenge with such tips.
5. Maintain a rhythm:
Blogposts should be rhythmtic in nature. For example, if your posts are around 400 words then do maintain that length in all the posts, though number of words are not mentioned in the challenge If you are ending posts with a quotation or question, do that in each post. This will help you build your unique style in your writing.
6. Don’t look for perfection:
Yes! You read it right. For AtoZ if you are writing a title with a twist then at later stages you can always edit according to the SEO. We would suggest going with the flow and don’t be the perfectionist in the posts, you always have time to do that later on.
7. Easy readability & Comment Feature:
Check all your setting for desktop and Mobile settings, as readers will flow from April and you will not have time for all the technical handling. Make commenting an easier process, do switch off Captcha in comments as the tiring commenting process will make readers disinterested in commenting.
8. Well placed Share Buttons:
Make sure all your share buttons are working fine and have your social handles embedded because you don’t want that post to be less shared as the reader cannot find them right after the post.
9. Reading is part of Challenge
Though you are writing, much fun is reading fellow blogger's posts and commenting on them. For this, you need to dedicate at least an hour daily so that you are completely in the challenge.
These are some simple ways where one can follow and ace the challenge like a pro and emerge as a winner in May by flaunting all completed 26 posts. If you are a blogger and want to register for this challenge with Blogchatter then register here. Last date is 25th March, so if you are planning to take a leap with your blog then register with Blogchatter.
We participated in the AtoZ challenge for 5 years, below are the theme-based for the recent three years, have a look and get inspired to complete the challenge.
2017 - Relationships - Poetry, Prose
2018 - Parenting - An Intangible Wonder
2019 - Lessons from Nature
Few theme suggestions for bloggers to decide according to their Blogs are
- 26 moral lessons that I want my child to learn.
- 26 questions of kids that are most difficult to answer.
- 26 books for kids under age 10.
- 26 Hobbies to inculcate in a child.
- 26Lessons taught by my child.
- 26 hobbies that can be taken up in life.
- 26People I want to thank in my life.
- 26 Lessons that historic sites imbibe in us.
- 26 Letters to the dignitaries about how I want my India.
- 26 Quick snacks under 30 min preparation
- 26 Poems on Life
- 26 Short Stories on Lockdown
- 26 Stories with football as a hero
These themes may help you select your theme for AtoZ Challenge. Choose a theme according to your blog niche or we would say if you want to start a new category altogether for your blog this is the right time to do so.
Though we are not participating this year for our prior commitments towards our writing we are surely here to cheer all the participants. Wishing all participants good luck and have a rocking April.
@MeenalSonal
Wow
ReplyDeleteThat’s an power packed post. I liked #4. Sometimes it gets hard to recognize the post of of a particular blogger we want to follow but keeping the same creative with text changes is a smart idea. I am not participating this year but looking forward to the posts from other bloggers.
Thanks a lot Alpana, have a same creative gives everyone the feel of oneness yet being different with the day.
DeleteGreat post! Thank you Meenal and Sonal for sharing well elaborated details regarding BlogchatterA2Z Challenge. Very helpful pointers for all the first timers and regular participants as well. What I like the most is better to turn off recaptcha also best way to get the creative ready!
ReplyDeleteArchana Srivastava
archusblog
Thanks a lot Archana. It is important to keep the commenting process smooth else many readers don't take effort to visit again.
DeleteThese tips are super helpful. I will be participating for the first time.
ReplyDeleteSatabdi
www. satabdimukherjee. in
Thanks Satabdi, good luck for the challenge.
DeleteLove how you have created a road map for bloggers to follow, especially the one who are new and assumes the challenge to be quite exhausting
ReplyDeleteThank you, that is the idea to encourage bloggers to take this Blogging challenge and gain the outcomes from it.
DeleteYou know I've been wanting to do this for the longest time but I'm just overwhelmed with the thought of so many posts.
ReplyDeleteThink of one post per day and you will do it, once the theme is finalised the path is easier.
DeleteLoved the post dear. you had shared very useful pointers to excel the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge with ease. I really liked you had mentioned many theme suggestions for A2Z, I am sure this will help a lot to new bloggers to get some creative ideas about writing 26 posts on one topic.
ReplyDeleteThanks Surbhi, the theme suggestions makes a person think in similar manner in their particular niche. Looking forward to your posts.
DeleteThese are some very useful tips.. Following most of it and will follow others once the challenge starts. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGreat, good luck for the challenge.
DeleteI participated in the A to Z Challenge for six years and I can understand the benefits for sure! Great tips and especially loved the theme ideas!
ReplyDeleteYes having a theme narrows down our writeup and make us more focussed.
DeleteThis post is a must read for anyone participating in the A to Z Challenge. So well explained! Love that you have added topic suggestions as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mayuri, you are too AtoZ champion and yes these topic suggestions are for the Bloggers who are still deciding whether to take plunge or not.
DeleteI have participated in A to Z challenge for 3 years and it is surely helpful. You mentioned some apt points. Helpful post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Deepa, yes AtoZ Challenge brings out the best from the bloggers.
DeleteI have registered for the challenge and all set for month full of excitement!! Looking forward reading some great posts on your blog!!
ReplyDeleteThis is really helpful for the existing and new bloggers. Thanks for sharing these amazing tips. I would love to participate in this AtoZ blogging challenge in future.
ReplyDeleteExperience speaks volume, so I can say from your tips buddy, they are so on the point.
ReplyDeleteYou both are such an inspiration! You not only gave pointers but also suggested some great topics that bloggers can use as their theme. Interesting ones.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the wonderful tips who are planning to take part on this challenge couldn't take part this year definitely for next year.
ReplyDeleteThis post is perfect especially who are new to AtoZ I love the theme options mentioned by you.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, i have never participated in amy challenges. But reading other blogs is definitely a welcome idea. It aligns you to a new way of thinking and keeps you abreast of the world around. Many good tips in your post.
ReplyDeleteWow you make it look so easy Yaar. I'm still wondering if I should dive into it or not. Let's see. Thanks for the tips.
ReplyDeleteManisha - A to Z Blog Challenge teaches you a lot and it's a wonderful experience a blogger must undergo. Your tips are very helpful and all those who are reading must follow them for their benefit.
ReplyDeleteI always shied out of this challenge always thinking it is a very tough job. After reading your blog I still it is a tough challenge but at least your tips give the confidence that it can be done!
ReplyDeleteThese tips are helpful. I am too taking part in A2Z and super stoked about it. I am all ready with my theme and also identified the topics and flow of my blogs. Going to start writing early so I have enough buffer time.
ReplyDeleteI still couldnt muster the courage to participate in this; and if I ever I would steal the second suggestion.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you as even from my second A2z I started following these tips rigorously. Hope to follow this year too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this with me it is really helpful for going through blogging challenges. Hope to join ATo Z this year
ReplyDeleteWell shared pointers, Meenal and Sonal. Loved the #1,#4 and #7 pointers. You need to be smart and this post exactly shares the smart tricks one needs to follow for this rigorous challenge.
ReplyDeleteYou have mentioned every point. Making creative for everypost takes maximum time. Canva is really a handy app.
ReplyDelete- Ujjwal Mishra MywordsMywisdom
You have answered these well, A to Z can be challenging if you are not prepared well for it in advance. I am trying to get my posts ready for A to Z too.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard about this challenge. This looks like a great way to practice consistency in writing and expand one's horizon of thoughts. And as the saying goes, discipline is the key to success, I think participating in the AtoZ challenge would help to become a better blogger. Thanks for sharing the information.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good initiative that will be really helpful, and especially for bloggers who want to aim for improving their consistency in terms of their writing. Sustaining a blog can be challenging and the A2Z challenge is something that would really help in this connection.
ReplyDeleteWell this year will be my first time participating in the a to Z challenge. The tips you mentioned are very very helpful for first time participants like me, thank you for sharing these
ReplyDeleteDefinitely consistency is the key and that is what I usually struggle with. The A to Z challenge seems like an amazing challenge and pushes the bloggers to be consistent and disciplined.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this, the list of topics suggested for 26 blogs are indeed helpful. I too am really excited for this writing fest.
ReplyDeletePlanning beforehand is the key. Your all tips are really helpful. I am so afraid of trying the A-Z blog challenge.
ReplyDeleteThe A to Z challenge sounds so fun.Will try to do it this April but I am sure I will not be able to complete.Its extremely challenging
ReplyDeleteThese tips are helpful. Anyone can take part into blogging challenge with these tips. Very nice
ReplyDeleteWow, this actually cleared a lot of my doubts. I had always wondered about the A to Z Blogging Challenge that I saw many bloggers participating in. Thanks for sharing the tips. Now I am more amenable to this challenge.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really amazing way to be consistent and this let the creativity flows. I love all the themes and would definitely love to be a part of A to Z challenge in future.
ReplyDelete-Purnima
ootdiva.com