What I Did In April
As a participant in the 2015 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge I'm joining in with others who are offering their reflections on this sixth edition of the annual event. The Reflections posts have been a tradition from the first Challenge in 2010. To see the entire list of bloggers with Reflection posts visit the A to Z Challenge Blog. The Linky List will open on Monday May 4th.
Wrote By Rote is one of four blogs that I had entered in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge of 2015. This year to make things somewhat easier for me in posting content I took the approach of using a common theme on all four blogs. My theme for April was Elements of... which in the case of this current blog was Elements of Memoir.
In essence I explored what memoir is and what type of content it might contain. My aim in presenting this particular content was to provide some ideas to those who have considered writing memoir or who have some sort of interest in the literary genre of memoir writing. My posts looked at the components that make up memoir, the approaches to writing memoir, and some memoir topics that can be used by someone writing about their life experience.
Audience Response
This year had a much lower response on this blog that last year. One explanation that I can think of was that I didn't promote my posts as much as I did last year as I focused primarily on directing readers to my main blog Tossing It Out. Also my duties as a Challenge co-host kept me preoccupied to some extent with matters aside from my blogs.
Another factor that may have attributed to a lower rate of following is that my posts this year were focused on the mechanics of writing rather than the personal stories that I presented in the Challenge of 2014. I think that readers found the stories more appealing than the somewhat dry technical posts.
Hopefully readers weren't bored by the posts and the comments seemed to indicate some interest in my topic. Also most of the posts were kept very short, a factor which probably had little affect on the visits my posts received. There were few to no new visitors on my memoir posts this year with my comments coming from loyal readers who regularly visit Wrote By Rote. My thanks to all of you who faithfully visit this blog and leave comments.
My Reaction
This blog did acquire some new followers as a result of the 2015 Challenge. I didn't keep track, but there were probably 10 to 20 new followers added to my Friend Connect since the A to Z sign-ups opened in January. Under the circumstances I don't consider that to be bad at all.
Only one post received over 100 visits and that was the post for "A". All of the other posts received about 60 visits on the average.. Comments were light for the most part but they were good comments.
Since I was not on any strong mission of promoting this blog this year I am not disappointed in my results during April. I added what I feel is some fairly decent content to this site and to me that is a worthy achievement. If some of these posts add to any search engine credibility for Wrote By Rote then the time compiling this series was not wasted.
Again I thank my regular readers for your support. If you are here for the first time or have only visited occasionally I hope you will continue to return and interact with my posts. If you are interested in guest posting with a memoir related topic then please let me know. It's been a while since I've had a guest post on this site and it's about time for some more of them.
If you're interested in guest posting please let me know in the comment section. Or just leave me a comment with any observations you might have about my A to Z strategy this year, the blog in general, or what you think about the A to Z Challenge.
I enjoyed the posts I did read. I am planning on writing a memoir in the next few years so I am sure I will be back to re-visit from time to time if it is still available.
ReplyDeleteHow you manage both blogs and co-host is beyond me. I struggle with one blog and ambassador duties.
Bushman
2015 A to Z Challenge Ambassador
@jwb81074
Jeff, let me know if that memoir ever comes about. You'd be welcomed to guest post on this site as well.
DeleteLee
I also enjoyed your posts on this and the other blogs I follow that are yours! It was a busy month for sure for all of you guys. I got some handy tips about memoirs from you too, but I'm not really much of a writer so I'm not sure how successful I will be. Or even if I can get my butt in gear to actually write anything. A couple of years ago one of my friends asked me to blog about my experiences with the Dead. That was so overwhelming that I had to break it up into multiple posts and at that it was still too overwhelming so the four posts I've done have been languishing in my drafts since early 2013, and there needs to be at least 2-3 more posts after those.
ReplyDeleteA person could do an entire blog devoted to nothing but The Grateful Dead--actually I imagine there are a few already. My suggestion is to just occasionally write short essays about life events when they come to your mind--or at very least scribble notes about things you remember and your reactions to them. Often memoir is a gradual things that develops over time as the story begins to formulate within you.
DeleteThanks for staying with me in my blogging adventures. If you stopped commenting a lot of my comment sections would be empty.
Lee
Well Done Mr B you did a great job. . . I was down to one visitor by about halfway through the A to Z and by the end was commenting on my own blog.
ReplyDeleteI often find that my own comments are the most entertaining. Maybe I should just start a private blog for myself.
DeleteLee
I've got to tell you honestly, I'm not a "writer" and I'm not interested in posts that discuss the mechanics of writing or talk about writing. But I do love a good story. And I usually enjoy memories, that are shared in an interesting way. So, I'm one of those folks who stopped by just once or twice and saved most of my reading for other things. I'm sure these kinds of post are a great service to anyone desiring to write, especially if they have not attained much experience yet. I love you and I honor you, just the same.
ReplyDelete~ We made it!!! ~
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I am Ensign B of Tremps' Troops
Thank you, Barbara. I'm not the biggest fan of the blog posts about mechanics either. I try to keep mine short and as entertaining as possible especially since I don't consider myself an expert on writing style and mechanics.
DeleteLee
I came and read every post in your memoirs theme, Arlee. I thought they would be very good for those who are thinking of writing memoir.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your great effort on all your blogs! I found that my own A to Z posts increased both my number of hits and comments, so I am pleased about that. And I completed the Challenge! :-)
Wangi, That's a good report to hear. We like to see blogs get increases in traffic and comments.
DeleteLee
Sounds like you had a lot of visitors. Congratulations on completing the challenge.
ReplyDeleteWell, Sherry, maybe not a huge amount, but an amount consistent with my normal posting.
DeleteLee
Hey, new follower here! =) Congrats on finishing the challenge! Found you a little late, but looking forward to reading your posts in the future.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the blog, Anne, and I hope you will continue to stop by. I'll resume regular posting on May 16th.
DeleteLee
I found this blog through your reflection. It was meant to be. I have finished a second novel that was published in April and have thought a lot about memoir, playing around with bits and pieces. I am following you now and will look forward to that. Love the Challenge, my 3rd year. My own reflection has opinions about what works and doesn't. I hope it will be of help to those who are at the beginning of their challenge experience. I'm grateful for all I've learned and continue to figure out.
ReplyDeleteI will be sure to check out your Reflections post, Stephany. It sounds like the kind we like best. Keep notes about your future memoir and let me know if you ever would be interested in guest posting at this site.
DeleteLee
I'm still amazed at your ability to keep up with 4 separate blogs as well as co-hosting duties. The thought of that alone just exhausts me! This was my first year and I absolutely loved it! Will definitely be back for more :)
ReplyDeleteMary, you didn't do badly at all for your first year. Next year you will be a seasoned vet!
DeleteLee
I enjoyed your Elements of Memoir theme because I am writing a memoir so they were quite helpful and if anything, they spurred me on to get off the pot and get busy again! Gaining 10-20 new followers is great, I think! Especially since you weren't really promoting this blog.
ReplyDeleteMichele at Angels Bark
Michele, I'm pleased with the outcome on this blog. Last year I did better because I really pushed each post. This year the posts were just here for anyone who happened to find them. Speaks loads for the benefits of active promotion.. Looking forward to that memoir!
DeleteLee
I completely missed this blog during the challenge , but will read some of the posts now. I don't know how you do it? How do you manage to create and promote the biggest blogging challenge in the blogosphere and maintain four active blogs all filled with good content? You really are a super hero with super powers. Thanks again for another opportunity to write, share, meet deadlines and network with old and new friends . You are an amazing person
ReplyDeleteHello there.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on completing the challenge! Thanks too for all your hard work behind the scenes. Just meandering through from the Road Trip.
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