Rebecca Graf's Blog, page 2
March 13, 2021
Comparing Two Works
Most people tend to compare things. We see a movie and compare it to another like The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. Now, this comparison can be good or it can be bad.
I tend to not like comparing books only because too often I see people do it in a negative sense. One story I wrote was compared to a bestseller but as a weak attempt to imitate it. I do want to note here that I still have yet to figure out how those stories were similar. That being said, I don't like comparing books. But it be beneficial and entertaining if done the right way.
In one of my graduate classes, I was to choose two books to compare. They had to be from different eras. I chose A Tale of Two Cities and All the Light We Cannot See. Both are set in Europe and both are set during wars and revolutions. There is personal drama in the midst of world drama.
I found that comparing the works actually helped me understand and enjoy them better. I had to dive in and explore them in a way I wouldn't have if I just "compared" them.
I still stand by that you shouldn't compare books. That can keep you from missing out on enjoying a book because you are caught up in negatively standing it next to another book. Compare only to dive deeper into it and explore the plot, themes, and characters.
Check out my comparison here - https://medium.com/amateur-book-revie...
I tend to not like comparing books only because too often I see people do it in a negative sense. One story I wrote was compared to a bestseller but as a weak attempt to imitate it. I do want to note here that I still have yet to figure out how those stories were similar. That being said, I don't like comparing books. But it be beneficial and entertaining if done the right way.
In one of my graduate classes, I was to choose two books to compare. They had to be from different eras. I chose A Tale of Two Cities and All the Light We Cannot See. Both are set in Europe and both are set during wars and revolutions. There is personal drama in the midst of world drama.
I found that comparing the works actually helped me understand and enjoy them better. I had to dive in and explore them in a way I wouldn't have if I just "compared" them.
I still stand by that you shouldn't compare books. That can keep you from missing out on enjoying a book because you are caught up in negatively standing it next to another book. Compare only to dive deeper into it and explore the plot, themes, and characters.
Check out my comparison here - https://medium.com/amateur-book-revie...
February 21, 2021
Bridge of Hope
Some topics can become rather touchy and can spark a fight. One of the biggest topics is race relations. Talk about a way to get a fight started.
I was raised in the South by parents who grew up in a society that stressed segregation. While they never encouraged treating anyone of a different skin color differently, they did look at them as a different part of society. My siblings and I were taught to treat everyone with respect, but we did notice that our parents did react differently to those of skin colors different than ours.
But my raising through school showed me something different. I grew up with people from all walks of life and nationalities. They were my friends. I saw them as my equals with just different backgrounds and different cultures. I couldn't understand why we couldn't get along and rewrite the path our histories set before us.
This is why I came up with my short story when I read about a ghost that haunted a bridge. He was a runaway slave who had been executed on the bridge. Why not let his death be something that brought peace in the future?
I am an optimist. I think we can all get along and create a better future. Why not use the past to pave that way?
You can read my story by following the link below. I hope you enjoy it.
https://writerrebeccagraf.com/writing...
I was raised in the South by parents who grew up in a society that stressed segregation. While they never encouraged treating anyone of a different skin color differently, they did look at them as a different part of society. My siblings and I were taught to treat everyone with respect, but we did notice that our parents did react differently to those of skin colors different than ours.
But my raising through school showed me something different. I grew up with people from all walks of life and nationalities. They were my friends. I saw them as my equals with just different backgrounds and different cultures. I couldn't understand why we couldn't get along and rewrite the path our histories set before us.
This is why I came up with my short story when I read about a ghost that haunted a bridge. He was a runaway slave who had been executed on the bridge. Why not let his death be something that brought peace in the future?
I am an optimist. I think we can all get along and create a better future. Why not use the past to pave that way?
You can read my story by following the link below. I hope you enjoy it.
https://writerrebeccagraf.com/writing...
January 9, 2021
Authors Need Positive Attitude
There is way too much negativity in this world. It can be found everywhere from schools to the news and even within sacred places like churches. We can't get away from it. If you are an author, you know how important that positive attitude is to you.
Positivity can go a long way in this world. I think that is true because there is so little of it. The media and those around us thrive on negativity. It's like how a polite person stands out in the world of rudeness. The same can be said for an author that has a positive nature.
I've interacted with many people, and many of those have been authors. And too many of them have a very negative attitude in their online presence. They dismiss all suggestions. They say negative things about reviewers and other writers. It is really very sad.
Authors really need to be bright and cheerful, have a positive personality, and see the possibilities in everything. I know that is not always possible, but I think too many just assume that is completely possible and don't even try. As a reader, that turns me off. Not a good thing if an author is trying to get me to follow them.
What are your thoughts on this? You can discover more of mine in this article I wrote -
https://curiosityneverkilledthewriter...
Positivity can go a long way in this world. I think that is true because there is so little of it. The media and those around us thrive on negativity. It's like how a polite person stands out in the world of rudeness. The same can be said for an author that has a positive nature.
I've interacted with many people, and many of those have been authors. And too many of them have a very negative attitude in their online presence. They dismiss all suggestions. They say negative things about reviewers and other writers. It is really very sad.
Authors really need to be bright and cheerful, have a positive personality, and see the possibilities in everything. I know that is not always possible, but I think too many just assume that is completely possible and don't even try. As a reader, that turns me off. Not a good thing if an author is trying to get me to follow them.
What are your thoughts on this? You can discover more of mine in this article I wrote -
https://curiosityneverkilledthewriter...
November 28, 2020
Controversial Posts
What items online get the most attention? I think we can all agree that is the controversial ones that people comment on the most. Controversial topics draw people in stampedes. Kind of like not able to stop staring at a disaster scene. Then why not use them to your advantage?
Now, I want to point out right here that I'm not saying that I want to start riots or to set out to receive death traps. I'm suggesting this is a great way to get attention and get conversations started. Controversial posts are extremely hot and get lots of visits.
What is a current controversial topic? How can you write about it without getting too biased or too heated? Right now, race relations are a hot topic. Write about your first experience at realizing there were issues. Write about a different perspective. Play devil's advocate. However you write it, do it in a way that isn't hostile but thought provoking.
I wrote an article that seems to very controversial. I didn't think so at the time. Actually, the hosting site asked me to write this article. You can find that article here -
https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-....
I noted at the very beginning of the article to state that this list is just my opinion and other events could replace any of them I listed. That didn't stop people from calling me racist for not putting more Asian events. I had them calling me stupid for not putting more ancient history in the list. Then I had the ones who condemned me for putting a picture of a religious figure in it. Even had one message threatening me. This is my most visited post on this site.
Opinionated posts get attention. It can get bad attention, but it gets attention and gets people talking. Give it a try.
Now, I want to point out right here that I'm not saying that I want to start riots or to set out to receive death traps. I'm suggesting this is a great way to get attention and get conversations started. Controversial posts are extremely hot and get lots of visits.
What is a current controversial topic? How can you write about it without getting too biased or too heated? Right now, race relations are a hot topic. Write about your first experience at realizing there were issues. Write about a different perspective. Play devil's advocate. However you write it, do it in a way that isn't hostile but thought provoking.
I wrote an article that seems to very controversial. I didn't think so at the time. Actually, the hosting site asked me to write this article. You can find that article here -
https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-....
I noted at the very beginning of the article to state that this list is just my opinion and other events could replace any of them I listed. That didn't stop people from calling me racist for not putting more Asian events. I had them calling me stupid for not putting more ancient history in the list. Then I had the ones who condemned me for putting a picture of a religious figure in it. Even had one message threatening me. This is my most visited post on this site.
Opinionated posts get attention. It can get bad attention, but it gets attention and gets people talking. Give it a try.
October 11, 2020
Studying African History
The world is a large place. It is hard to get familiar with all of it. What we learn about this vast world, starts where we are from and then spreads out. That means when it comes to African and Asian history, I'm sorely lacking in knowledge.
To me, the names and places are so foreign that I struggle to connect with them. That makes me less inclined to study up on those areas. Yet they intrigue me. I want to know more about their histories. That means I try to gain more knowledge as often as I can.
I took a class on African history. I found it very interesting especially when lies were dispelled that I had been told for many years. I learned the truth of a large continent that has been a mystery to myself and to others for centuries.
I knew that European countries had claimed parts of Africa for a time. I didn't understand the problems that they had created and left behind. Taking that class opened my eyes. I learned a lot of truth that helped me understand the problems of today.
History is what the present day stands on. It creates the backbone of the people and why they act the way they do. I had to study African history to understand the Africa of today.
Want to know more? Check out a piece I had to write for school in my African history class.
https://soapboxie.com/economy/Impact-...
To me, the names and places are so foreign that I struggle to connect with them. That makes me less inclined to study up on those areas. Yet they intrigue me. I want to know more about their histories. That means I try to gain more knowledge as often as I can.
I took a class on African history. I found it very interesting especially when lies were dispelled that I had been told for many years. I learned the truth of a large continent that has been a mystery to myself and to others for centuries.
I knew that European countries had claimed parts of Africa for a time. I didn't understand the problems that they had created and left behind. Taking that class opened my eyes. I learned a lot of truth that helped me understand the problems of today.
History is what the present day stands on. It creates the backbone of the people and why they act the way they do. I had to study African history to understand the Africa of today.
Want to know more? Check out a piece I had to write for school in my African history class.
https://soapboxie.com/economy/Impact-...
August 9, 2020
The Story Behind the Short Story Thieves in the Cemetery
We all have family stories. I love listening to them as they reveal so much about each member of the family. My mother told me one that always made me chuckle. When I was needing to write a short story, I thought of this event. I knew only the fact that my grandmother, my mother, and my father went to the cemetery before my parents were married. There they unknowingly crossed passed with crooks.
Yes, the story centers around a picnic at a cemetery. That was common for me as a child. The graveyard was situated next to a church. My grandmother would go to tend to the graves of her parents. We'd always take a lunch out there to sit on the church steps and eat. Wonderful memories come from that cemetery. That is why I like cemeteries to this day.
Behind every story is a story. It might be a dream. It might be an actual event. But there is always something lurking there that is quite interesting.
If you want to read my short story, the link is at the bottom of this post. Read it and enjoy it. Share it with your friends. Always share great stories that you encounter.
https://writerrebeccagraf.com/writing...
Yes, the story centers around a picnic at a cemetery. That was common for me as a child. The graveyard was situated next to a church. My grandmother would go to tend to the graves of her parents. We'd always take a lunch out there to sit on the church steps and eat. Wonderful memories come from that cemetery. That is why I like cemeteries to this day.
Behind every story is a story. It might be a dream. It might be an actual event. But there is always something lurking there that is quite interesting.
If you want to read my short story, the link is at the bottom of this post. Read it and enjoy it. Share it with your friends. Always share great stories that you encounter.
https://writerrebeccagraf.com/writing...
July 3, 2020
The Need for Authors to Have a Website
We are in an internet driven world today. Our phones are connected to it. Our televisions as well as our radios. Most of our jobs require connection to it. That means authors need to be present on it to get readers. That usually means a website.
A year or so ago, I was talking with an author who was complaining how she could not get any readers. I asked for her website address so I could get a look at her work and give her some ideas. She told me she didn't have a website. She only used a Facebook page.
Why is that so bad? for a couple of reasons.
One - No website makes people think of a scam. Yes, scammers use websites, but no website at all is sketchy. Using free social media is good, but it shows that you are willing to invest in an actual website.
Two - Not everyone has Facebook. I know a lot of people who do not use this social media venue. That means a lot of potential readers are excluded.
Authors who don't have a website are shooting themselves in the foot. They are limiting their own success. There are many sites that offer low cost website setup that will help you gain trust in potential readers and broaden your exposure. Ask other authors which sites they use and their opinions of them. Just don't ignore the importance of having one.
For more readign - https://medium.com/swlh/authors-shoul...
A year or so ago, I was talking with an author who was complaining how she could not get any readers. I asked for her website address so I could get a look at her work and give her some ideas. She told me she didn't have a website. She only used a Facebook page.
Why is that so bad? for a couple of reasons.
One - No website makes people think of a scam. Yes, scammers use websites, but no website at all is sketchy. Using free social media is good, but it shows that you are willing to invest in an actual website.
Two - Not everyone has Facebook. I know a lot of people who do not use this social media venue. That means a lot of potential readers are excluded.
Authors who don't have a website are shooting themselves in the foot. They are limiting their own success. There are many sites that offer low cost website setup that will help you gain trust in potential readers and broaden your exposure. Ask other authors which sites they use and their opinions of them. Just don't ignore the importance of having one.
For more readign - https://medium.com/swlh/authors-shoul...
July 2, 2020
How An Author Takes Notes
A writer typically takes notes for their writing. It might phrases, or it could be complete essays in length. Each person decides their own style. But I've discovered that most authors have a persistent method to notetaking.
Anything becomes a tool for notetaking to an avid author. It could be their hand or arm, a napkin, or even the edges of a newspaper. an author will use anything to get an idea down on paper before they forget it.
In today's world, technology can be useful. An idea hits you. More than likely, you have your phone with you or a laptop/tablet. It is easy to save your ideas on your electronic device. Just push a button and speak into it or type your own version of shorthand.
Note taking is vital for most authors as ideas and inspiration can strike anywhere. They have to use whatever is at hand to keep the creative juices flowing.
What unique ways have you taken notes?
Read more - https://hobbylark.com/writing/Make-No...
Anything becomes a tool for notetaking to an avid author. It could be their hand or arm, a napkin, or even the edges of a newspaper. an author will use anything to get an idea down on paper before they forget it.
In today's world, technology can be useful. An idea hits you. More than likely, you have your phone with you or a laptop/tablet. It is easy to save your ideas on your electronic device. Just push a button and speak into it or type your own version of shorthand.
Note taking is vital for most authors as ideas and inspiration can strike anywhere. They have to use whatever is at hand to keep the creative juices flowing.
What unique ways have you taken notes?
Read more - https://hobbylark.com/writing/Make-No...
June 14, 2020
Are the Classics Seen as Uninteresting Today?
How often do the classical pieces of literature fly off the shelf? They are still bought, but nowhere near the comparison of the more contemporary books that are popular. Why is that?
Talked About Too Much
We all hear about the classical pieces of literature. They are talked about in other books, in movies, and in our everyday speech. We hear about them all the time. Maybe too much.
Why read these books since we seem to know all about them? They are so much in our lives, That could be why the masses don't rush to them, especially since they were forced us when we were younger.
Not Popular Styles
Think about how these classics are written. They have a language and style that is different from the books produced today. That makes them harder to read and less interesting.
Think of the modern reader. If the words are phrased in ways that make it difficult to read, a reader will pass on it.
Bad Reputation
Because the classics were pushed on us in school, we don't like them. And who is to blame us? The language. The force. We don't even want to hear the books mentioned.
No wonder that the classics are seen as uninteresting today. We have made them so over the years.
What do you think?
https://medium.com/@rebeccagraf_63084...
Talked About Too Much
We all hear about the classical pieces of literature. They are talked about in other books, in movies, and in our everyday speech. We hear about them all the time. Maybe too much.
Why read these books since we seem to know all about them? They are so much in our lives, That could be why the masses don't rush to them, especially since they were forced us when we were younger.
Not Popular Styles
Think about how these classics are written. They have a language and style that is different from the books produced today. That makes them harder to read and less interesting.
Think of the modern reader. If the words are phrased in ways that make it difficult to read, a reader will pass on it.
Bad Reputation
Because the classics were pushed on us in school, we don't like them. And who is to blame us? The language. The force. We don't even want to hear the books mentioned.
No wonder that the classics are seen as uninteresting today. We have made them so over the years.
What do you think?
https://medium.com/@rebeccagraf_63084...
June 8, 2020
Not Following the Writing Crowd
Crowds are everywhere. They are based on popularity. People follow others they think will help them find their own place. What does that mean? Those who are following are wanting to find the same success as those before them. The problem is that with so many in that crowd, no one person can be picked out.
Success is Standing Out
If you are among people who look just like you, how can I spot you? How can you stand out? If you are doing what everyone else is doing, you melt into the crowd and just become one of them.
Success is standing out to potential readers. Don't look like the other writers, including the bestsellers. Be yourself.
Be Yourself
Don't try to be like others. Again, you want to stand out. Be yourself. There is only one you.
Do you have a warped sense of humor? Then use it in your blog posts, your tweets, and even your writing. Show your true self and let others see how different you are.
I can be a little sarcastic at times. I've had people say I can be pretty funny, but I tend to hide all that when I write or interact online. Since I decided to be myself, I've found more followers.
Don't be like all the other writers. Be yourself.
https://medium.com/@rebeccagraf_63084...
Success is Standing Out
If you are among people who look just like you, how can I spot you? How can you stand out? If you are doing what everyone else is doing, you melt into the crowd and just become one of them.
Success is standing out to potential readers. Don't look like the other writers, including the bestsellers. Be yourself.
Be Yourself
Don't try to be like others. Again, you want to stand out. Be yourself. There is only one you.
Do you have a warped sense of humor? Then use it in your blog posts, your tweets, and even your writing. Show your true self and let others see how different you are.
I can be a little sarcastic at times. I've had people say I can be pretty funny, but I tend to hide all that when I write or interact online. Since I decided to be myself, I've found more followers.
Don't be like all the other writers. Be yourself.
https://medium.com/@rebeccagraf_63084...
