Featured Bloggers for Joy
Since I don’t know all of your first names, I changed the format of Featured Bloggers somewhat to reflect your tagline or title. Your friendships mean so much. Thank you all for joining in.
- CEE’S PHOTO CHALLENGES
- LADY LEE MANILA
- LADYSIGHS
- LIFE AFTER 50 FOR WOMEN
- SECOND WIND LEISURE (SUNDAY STILLS)
- WILLOWDOT21 ENTRY INCLUDED IN COMMENTS
IT’S EASY TO PLAY ALONG WITH #WQWWC
This weekly writing challenge runs from Wednesday through Tuesday at noon Phoenix time. The only rule is to use a quote. If you want to participate, create a pingback to link your post. Not sure how to do that? See how to create pingbacks here. Be sure to link to the most recent post, not my page. I don’t see links to my page.
#WQWWC #55 – Topic: Reflections/Memoirs
3 Reflection Definitions: Serious thought or consideration. Throwing back by a body or surface without absorbing it – heat, light, sound. The image seen in a mirror.
2 Memoir Definitions: historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources, essay on a learned subject
My Choices for This Week
“Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you’re just a reflection of him?”
– Bill Watterson.
“In moments of quiet reflection our minds embrace the sea that we have crossed.”
Holmes
As we reach the end of the year, I like to spend time reflecting and analyzing what I’ve done over the course of the year and make decisions about whether or not I’ve been successful or not and why. That way I know if I’m at least somewhat on the right path – or totally wasting my time. It’s kind of like looking into a mirror and making adjustments based on what you see, so I see a connection between the three definitions for reflection.
This week I’m going to share some of my reflections and thoughts about #WQWWC, and where I think it will go in 2022. It has been just over a year since I took over this challenge. Usually, I measure success in terms of numbers based on what WordPress provides me. I’ll start with that.
Page views: 766 YAY!
Top Posts
- 6/23/2021 Vacation – 232 views, 61 likes, 82 comments, 2 other challenge links, 8 Featured Bloggers
- 4/07/2021 Fitness – 193 views, 109 likes, 43 comments, 0 other challenge links, 6 Featured Bloggers, Announcements
- 3/31/2021 Travel – 173 views, 39 likes, 85 replies, 3 other challenge links, 90 links (reading list – I didn’t get to
allmost of them), 4 Featured Bloggers - 11/17/2021 Silent – 169 views, 54 likes, 80 replies, 4 other challenges, 10 Featured Bloggers
The bulk, 25 posts had more than 100 views with another 16 over 50 views. YAY! Thank you!!!
Comparing Data
- #1 Lights – 77 views, 33 likes
- #2 Anticipation – 82 views, 33 likes, 11 comments, 4 Featured Bloggers
- #3 Winter -WP data on views (9) doesn’t make sense, 23 likes, 9 comments, 3 Featured Bloggers
- #4 Celebration – 106 views, 66 likes, 9 comments, 0 Featured Bloggers
- #50 Forgotten – 135 views, 45 likes, 68 comments, 11 Featured Bloggers, 6 links to other challenges
- #51 Toys – 107 views, 40 likes, 87 comments, 9 Featured Bloggers, 5 links to other challenges
- #52 Celebrating/Festive – 115 views, 47 likes 62 comments, 11 Featured Bloggers, 3 links to other challenges
- #53 Candles – 105 views, 44 likes, 48 comments, 7 Featured Bloggers, 4 links to other challenges
Observations Based on Numbers
First #WQWWC Posts to Last
- An increase of 127 views from the first month to the last. YAY!
- An increase of 21 likes, a slight increase in engagement. YAY!
- An increase of 31 Featured Bloggers, a large increase in engagement, but still small number of participants. YAY!
- An increase of 18 links to other blogs up from zero links in the first month. YAY!
- An increase of 217 comments from the first month to the last, which is a large increase in engagement. YAY!
Posts Most Viewed Compared to the Last Posts
- There were 280 comments in the months with the most views, compared to 265 in the last four posts, so the decrease in engagement despite the number of views was negligible. OK
- The decrease in likes between the most viewed posts and the later posts was nearly 87. SAD
- The decrease in views between the most viewed post and the latest posts was 305. SAD
Reflections and Questions:
Increases in numbers make me feel like I am doing something right and improving my posts. Sometimes that is not the case. Comparing the first to the last month takes into account the same time of year. Comparing something new to something established probably negates the effects of the posts done at the same time of year. However, it still looks like the month of December is not as active as either the spring or summer months.
Were the topics responsible for the increased engagement? For a while I used this blog as a travel blog. Many of my blogging friends are travelers, so it makes sense that two of the top topics would appeal to that base, as would an interest in fitness.
Were the posts themselves responsible for increased engagement? The last posts had more photos, videos and poetry. The fitness post had no photos, videos or poems, just quotes and instructions on how to play along. So why it was so popular is a mystery other than the topic itself.
The travel and silent posts had more pictures and videos, and to me seemed like more interesting posts. The conclusion I can draw from that is that my post made less difference than the topic or the time of year. However, they made a big difference in my enjoyment in doing them. Personal enjoyment and growth aren’t necessarily reflected in the data.
In my past life, this concept of using only hard data to make decisions plays out in education too. It’s hard to measure soft goals with hard data! The result in recent years is that you get more educational emphasis on language arts and math because critical thinking skills, writing, art, music, physical education, history, and even science, are harder to measure with numbers and simple multiple-choice tests. (This paragraph a brief memoir from my past experience with data in education, which has been extensive.)
Changes for 2022 Suggested by Data
I have simplified the instructions over the year so that now there is just one requirement – Include a Quote. Action: I will implement improvements to make the challenge simple, accessible, and fun. Players can refer to my new page coming January 1st for more details and a list of the topics for 2022. The name has been simplified to Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays or WQW.
The topic of travel and vacation is worth revisiting several times during the year. Action: Revisit the travel and vacation theme every quarter.
The topics that were less easy to measure or define like freedom, respect, love, responsible, and exciting did not get many views, likes, or participants. Many of my friends are photographers and my posts with more photos received more views, as a rule. Action: I have replaced obscure topics with more concrete topics that can be illustrated by photos as well as words. Topics like the four basic elements, the five senses, transportation, seasons, and holidays will connect more easily to other challenges, while still encouraging the unique thoughtful replies associated with Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays.
Don’t forget about the Logo Contest to design a new logo to go with the new name next year – Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays (WQW). Click on the link for details.
Writer’s Choice weeks saw increased participation. Action: Writer’s Choice will be the last week of every month along with a suggested theme, for those who enjoy the structure.
This is a time-intensive challenge to host. It requires research to find quotes, time to build a post, and time to respond to participants. Since there aren’t a great number of participants who post a link, I can spend time reading and enjoying their blogs to the fullest knowing that they have taken a lot of time composing their own blogs as well. Action: As a result of their influence, I will continue to add more photos, videos, and poetry as I write my posts.
I am pleased that most posts have over 100 views and average around 40-45 likes. What rewards me the most are the number and quality of the comments. Action: I’ll honor the folks who share quotes in the comment section as well as blog posts.
Other Challenges Addressed
Some of these link to older posts because many bloggers are taking a break.
- Ju-Lynn and Bushboy challenge us to reflect on our best photos of the month in Change of Seasons. I’m a little early, so the links reflect their posts last month.
- Jez – Water Water Everywhere
- Hammad’s Weekend Skies
“Your life is a reflection of your thoughts. If you change your thinking, you change your life.”
-Brian Tracy
Reflecting on Some of My Favorite Photos for December 2021
Now it’s your turn.
Reflect on any topic of your choice, or like I did, reflect on one aspect of your blog. It will take you some time and maybe some conversations with others, but blogs like houses, need paint, repair, redecorating, new plants and furniture from time to time. This is your excuse to reflect and make plans. Or you could start that memoir you’ve been wanting to do forever. Whatever you decide, have fun with it and have a wonderful start to 2022.
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
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