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Thursday, March 21, 2013

A to Z preview!

Today is the day we share our A to Z challenge THEMES in a hop hosted by Mina Lobo and David Macaulay. And even if you don't have a theme, I hope you are signed up because it's going to be an epic, record breaking year!

I had two goals in mind when I started this blog...

To improve my writing for publication
and
To pass on my Lazy Housewife advice

This year I am going to share what I've learned from both of those areas...


 Tips from the messy countertop of the Lazy Housewife...

AND

Editing Tips
brought to you by Curiosity Quills

 So there you have it, my duo theme. And don't worry, I know how to maximize space!

Speaking of maximize, while I have your A to Z attention, I would like to share some posting tips to maximize yours and your readers' experiences! And these suggestions don't have to be permanent, you could just give them a try for the challenge...
  • clean up that side bar! loading blogs can be slow, especially if you have twitter feeds, videos, etc.
  • comments as a pop up - so we load your page, wait, then we click to comment at the bottom of the post and the page reloads, wait, wait,wait - if your comments pop up in a different screen, it's much quicker
  • update your google plus profile - when I click on a person who has commented on my blog, I see their profile and find their blog link to visit back. If you have blogger, you may have upgraded to google plus. Please make sure your blog link is clearly identified, I have several friends whom I have to search for their blog because it is not in their google plus profile... make it easy for people to find you!
  • know your number - another way to help people find you is to know your number in the megalong A to Z list. You can leave it in the comments. The numbers change, especially in the first week, thanks to the minions weeding out spam and such, so your number will be approximate. Last time I checked I was 177, now I'm 174.
  • other items that are just good blogging you probably already do:
    • remove captcha!!! please, for the love of blogging! and by all means, use this badge to promote the cause!
    • be nice or don't comment
    • try to reciprocate - this is why having the posts pre-written is a great idea. It gives us time to visit without worrying about our next letter... J and V were the hardest for me!
So that's all I have to say about that. I look forward to meeting and greeting as many A to Z participants as possible! Good luck and have a great weekend! I'll be on spring break next week, but I hope you'll come by for two special interviews while I'm gone =)
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61 comments:

  1. Jeremy [Retro]March 21, 2013 at 6:59 AM

    well that is wonderful... you know i have seen your art all over the place... it's wonderful.

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  2. Fida IslaihMarch 21, 2013 at 7:01 AM

    Thanks for the tips! And I can't wait for your editing tips! (-;

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  3. Rhonda AlbomMarch 21, 2013 at 7:29 AM

    Fun topic. I love lazy tips. Also loved the tips you shared today. I revealed my topic today too.

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  4. UnknownMarch 21, 2013 at 7:37 AM

    Great theme, definitely will check your blog! and the advice here - amazing! you already helped me by relling to link my blog to G+. now i'm going for comments as pop ups.

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  5. SuziMarch 21, 2013 at 7:38 AM

    Lazy housewife tips. Now that sounds like something I need. It'll be a fun read!

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  6. Alex J. CavanaughMarch 21, 2013 at 7:54 AM

    Very cool topic! Mine will be dual as well.
    And excellent tips. I've used the pop up comment box since the beginning because I know it takes a minute to load my page. (Dumping over sixty images last year helped though.)

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  7. Laura ClipsonMarch 21, 2013 at 7:58 AM

    Sounds like an interesting theme, and great tips for the challenge!

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  8. UnknownMarch 21, 2013 at 8:01 AM

    Can't wait to read some of those tips, Tara!

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  9. L. Diane WolfeMarch 21, 2013 at 8:20 AM

    How to be lazy while editing - that I would like to learn.

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  10. JackieMarch 21, 2013 at 8:45 AM

    You so rock, Tara! I cannot wait to read your tips!

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  11. Madeline Mora-SummonteMarch 21, 2013 at 8:48 AM

    Looking forward to your posts! And great tips re cleaning up our sidebars etc. As for a theme, uh, still working on it... :)

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  12. Charity BradfordMarch 21, 2013 at 9:04 AM

    Great theme and BLESS you for your tips. All of them are great. I'm heading off to clean up my sidebar and check on my google + profile.

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  13. DanaMarch 21, 2013 at 9:31 AM

    I can't wait to read your posts! Thanks for the tips. I'm looking forward to the challenge. Now I just need to come up with my theme. Yikes!

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  14. Dani and JaxMarch 21, 2013 at 10:08 AM

    OOH! Good themes!

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  15. mshatchMarch 21, 2013 at 10:21 AM

    Great themes, Tara. Can't wait to see some of those lazy housewife tips :)

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  16. David MacaulayMarch 21, 2013 at 10:21 AM

    That lazy housewife advice may prove very useful - another great theme, think the challenge will be big this year..

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  17. Mina LoboMarch 21, 2013 at 10:44 AM

    Lazy Housewife Tips = Le Fun! I think I've got this down pat, though, as I just don't clean anything. No, for real. ;-)

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  18. Al DiazMarch 21, 2013 at 10:45 AM

    Thank you for the tips, they are very useful.

    And I love your theme. I'm sure it will prove enlightening, hahahaha.

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  19. Elizabeth SeckmanMarch 21, 2013 at 12:23 PM

    Great advice! I'm headed back to my blog to be sure I am reader friendly!

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  20. AnonymousMarch 21, 2013 at 12:32 PM

    I am a lazy housewife...er...working housewife....er....I dunno...something...

    Good luck and your theme sounds amazing!

    Jamie Dement (LadyJai)
    http://writebackwards.we3dements.com

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  21. Optimistic ExistentialistMarch 21, 2013 at 12:57 PM

    Tara I think I need to do my comments as a pop up. Thanks for the tip!

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  22. Sherry EllisMarch 21, 2013 at 1:17 PM

    Thanks for the tips. I think I'm failing on "know my number." I'd better fix that!

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  23. RenaMarch 21, 2013 at 1:22 PM

    The other awesome thing about popup comments? you can scroll through the original post and not have to leave the dialogue box.

    I'm off to change mine soonish...

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  24. Carrie-AnneMarch 21, 2013 at 1:27 PM

    Awesome themes. I'm not a housewife (maybe someday I'll have a husband and kids), but editing tips are always good to know.

    I agree about long sidebars that take forever to load. They remind me a bit of some of the posters on the old aohell message boards whose posts took like 5 minutes to load because of gigantic signatures and/or way too much white space. You couldn't do anything while you were waiting for the screen to load.

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  25. VikLitMarch 21, 2013 at 1:33 PM

    Great theme and I look forward to A-Zing this year

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  26. Hilary Melton-ButcherMarch 21, 2013 at 2:08 PM

    Hi Tara .. great tips and thanks for the reminder re my About blurb, which I need to update ...

    I cleaned up last year and it's stayed the same?! That could be one of your lazy housewife tips??!!

    Oh ya .. the number good idea ...

    Enjoy ... your subjects sound fun ...

    Cheers Hilary

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  27. UnknownMarch 21, 2013 at 2:29 PM

    I'm not a mom, but cleaning tips will help anyone! And I'll be all over those editing tips!

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  28. Julie FlandersMarch 21, 2013 at 2:43 PM

    Great tips and I know I am really in need of cleaning advice LOL.

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  29. AnonymousMarch 21, 2013 at 3:41 PM

    Great tips. I hope in your cleaning advice you have something about menehunes coming while I sleep. :)

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  30. Krista McLaughlinMarch 21, 2013 at 5:11 PM

    Sounds great - I can't wait to read your posts!

    Great tips for the challenge!

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  31. Sheena-kay GrahamMarch 21, 2013 at 7:41 PM

    Love the theme and your lazy wife pic.

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  32. Livia PetersonMarch 21, 2013 at 7:50 PM

    Awesome tips and theme, Tara! I removed captcha already, but a pop-up comment box - I never thought of that. I may have to do that come April in a few weeks :) And definitely, it's gonna be a EPIC April and a busy month in blogosphere.

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  33. AllisonMarch 21, 2013 at 9:56 PM

    Looking forward to the editing tips! Good advice too :)

    Allison (Geek Banter)

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  34. Lynda R Young as Elle CardyMarch 21, 2013 at 11:02 PM

    great advice!! Especially removing captcha and updating G+ profiles.

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  35. CynthiaMarch 22, 2013 at 1:07 AM

    Lovely advice! I agree that if people don't have anything nice to comment on, then they shouldn't comment at all.

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  36. Mark MeansMarch 22, 2013 at 2:21 AM

    Great tips and looking forward to your A to Z entries. They sound pretty interesting!

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  37. Jocelyn RishMarch 22, 2013 at 2:35 AM

    A duo theme - very cool! Best of luck with it!

    I use Mollum as my spam filter, which is only supposed to toss up a captcha if the comment looks suspicious. The only problem is I have no idea how sensitive the trigger is, so I don't know how often people get challenged. I just have to hope for the best because without Mollum I was getting over five hundred spam comments a day.

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  38. Romance Reader March 22, 2013 at 3:05 AM

    Any sort of lazy housewife stuff and editing tips is very me, I have to say.

    Maria RR

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  39. UnknownMarch 22, 2013 at 5:06 AM

    Tara, thanks for this post. I've given these tips till I'm hoarse but I still find blogs that could use them.

    Wish you all the best for your AZ!

    Damyanti
    Co-host, A to Z Challenge 2013

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  40. A Daft Scots LassMarch 22, 2013 at 8:50 AM

    I love your theme. I can't wait until this thing starts!

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  41. DL HammonsMarch 22, 2013 at 9:34 AM

    Excellent theme...and Challenge tips!! I'll be dropping by often! :)

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  42. MelissaMarch 22, 2013 at 10:06 AM

    Great advice! I love this pre-hop hop and hearing about everyone's themes. It's getting me excited about AtoZ, even though I'm not participating.

    Re: your comment box suggestion... I have mixed feelings. It can be more convenient if the visitor enters on the home page and would have to reload the page to comment; but when the comment list is already long, it forces the visitor to scroll through the comments (and if they came in on the specific post page - do it twice!). On popular blogs, that can be a real pain.

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  43. MaryannwritesMarch 22, 2013 at 10:29 AM

    Tara, I'm so glad I popped over this morning to visit your blog. What great tips for bloggers for the challenge, and I LOVE the badge for turning off Captcha. I have so much trouble reading those codes they use and most of the time do not even try to leave a comment, even though most of the time I would like to. It often takes me three or more tries to get it right - my eyesight is not great - and some of my friends have similar issues.

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  44. M PaxMarch 22, 2013 at 12:24 PM

    I look forward to all these tips, Tara. Anything on how to get the pets to do chores? :) Have a wonderful weekend.

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  45. Ink in the BookMarch 22, 2013 at 1:55 PM

    Happy spring break! Enjoy your rest and remember: It only lasts for a week Make the most of it!!!!!

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  46. ChanceletMarch 22, 2013 at 2:24 PM

    Don't know if I'll do a theme, but am looking forward to the journey!

    BTW, I'm having a giveaway to celebrate 100 followers on my blog.

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  47. Emily R. KingMarch 22, 2013 at 2:34 PM

    All wonderful advice, Tara. Your A to Z posts will be awesome.

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  48. Carol KilgoreMarch 22, 2013 at 3:05 PM

    I can't wait to read your A-Z posts! I need as many tips as possible in both areas. Sad but true.

    #398, as of this morning

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  49. Yolanda RenéeMarch 23, 2013 at 12:49 AM

    Great tips, thanks for posting. I have got to get to work!

    Thanks!

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  50. Catch My WordsMarch 23, 2013 at 12:54 AM

    Great tips. I despise capitcha. It's such a stupid waste of time and some of them are impossible to read.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  51. Printed PortalMarch 23, 2013 at 1:09 AM

    Thanks for the tips - looking forward to visiting you again during the challenge.

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  52. Michelle WallaceMarch 23, 2013 at 6:34 AM

    So you're giving us a double treat Tara?
    You rock!

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  53. Tyrean MartinsonMarch 23, 2013 at 10:57 AM

    Great advice! And love your theme duo!

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  54. Kelley LynnMarch 23, 2013 at 12:21 PM

    What a great idea! Good luck to you! (I am NOT doing this... haha) But I will be by to visit!

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  55. Misha GerrickMarch 24, 2013 at 3:06 PM

    Excellent themes! I did editing last year and people really seemed to find it useful. :-)

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  56. Tara TylerMarch 25, 2013 at 11:59 AM

    cant tell you all how much i appreciate all the comments & support! see you in april!

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  57. Christine RainsMarch 25, 2013 at 3:58 PM

    I can't wait to read your posts! Excellent suggestions. I've been meaning to make my comments a pop up. Guess there's no time like the present!

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  58. Heather M. GardnerMarch 25, 2013 at 6:15 PM

    Nice. Great ideas! I need the housewives one for sure!

    Heather

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  59. Rebeccah GiltrowMarch 27, 2013 at 10:52 AM

    Hello, just stopping by to wish you luck with this challenge :)

    http://rebeccahgiltrow.blogspot.co.uk/p/a-to-z.html

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  60. ChanceletMarch 28, 2013 at 1:40 PM

    Love your themes. I'm sure I'll learn something from both of those topics! even if I'm not a housewife....

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  61. Marianne (Mare) Baker BallApril 3, 2013 at 12:20 AM

    GREAT tips. I learned most of these last year when I joined for the first time. I would have liked to have known these things earlier. :-) Fun post, I like your writing. I'm #120, by the way.
    from The Dugout

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Thanks for stopping by!