Rebecca Graf's Blog, page 3
April 8, 2020
Start a Book Club!
Have you ever been part of a book club? It could be virtual or real. It could be in your church, your family group, a school group, or at the local library. Not in one currently? Why not start a book club?
A book club does not have to be a set number of people. There can be two people or ten. You don't want to alone, you also don't want such a large crowd that quality discussion can't be had.
Once you have determined who will be in the club, consider how often you would meet. Most book clubs meet once a month. I have a club with one other person who is an extremely slow reader. We wait to schedule a meeting until she has finished reading. Develop your schedule based on who attends and their limitations.
Where should you meet? Again, this can depend greatly on who attends and how many attend. For my group of two, we choose different restaurants for breakfast. A friend of mine is in a larger group in which they rotate to each member's houses. Take advantage of weather and meet in a park during a warm, summer day.
Now to the topic of which books to read. Most clubs I've heard of or participated in had each member choose a book. In my group, we take turns. In my friend's club, whoever is hosting that month gets to choose the book. Just make sure all are in agreement on what type of books are read.
Do the club virtually or in person, but enjoy talking about books with someone.
Read more at https://medium.com/@rebeccagraf_63084...
A book club does not have to be a set number of people. There can be two people or ten. You don't want to alone, you also don't want such a large crowd that quality discussion can't be had.
Once you have determined who will be in the club, consider how often you would meet. Most book clubs meet once a month. I have a club with one other person who is an extremely slow reader. We wait to schedule a meeting until she has finished reading. Develop your schedule based on who attends and their limitations.
Where should you meet? Again, this can depend greatly on who attends and how many attend. For my group of two, we choose different restaurants for breakfast. A friend of mine is in a larger group in which they rotate to each member's houses. Take advantage of weather and meet in a park during a warm, summer day.
Now to the topic of which books to read. Most clubs I've heard of or participated in had each member choose a book. In my group, we take turns. In my friend's club, whoever is hosting that month gets to choose the book. Just make sure all are in agreement on what type of books are read.
Do the club virtually or in person, but enjoy talking about books with someone.
Read more at https://medium.com/@rebeccagraf_63084...
February 23, 2020
Character Backstories
Every character has a backstory. Even if the writer doesn't reveal it, the backstory is there. These backstories are valuable in developing a character and understanding them.
I was in the process of writing a romance story. It is called The Cost of Second Chances and can be found on Wattpad - https://www.wattpad.com/story/2092232.... Someone reading as I was working on the first draft asked sevreral questions about Marcus and how he met Hannah. The more questions she asked, the more I realized I had to dive into that backstory. That resulted in Pure Obsession - https://www.wattpad.com/story/2092236....
Then that had me wondering even more about the evil Marcus. That led to a short story -
https://writerrebeccagraf.com/writing....
Backstories are important.
Backstories are fun.
If you are a writer, enjoy exploring the backstory. If you are a reader, enjoy them. Learn the depths of a character and watch them become even more alive.
I was in the process of writing a romance story. It is called The Cost of Second Chances and can be found on Wattpad - https://www.wattpad.com/story/2092232.... Someone reading as I was working on the first draft asked sevreral questions about Marcus and how he met Hannah. The more questions she asked, the more I realized I had to dive into that backstory. That resulted in Pure Obsession - https://www.wattpad.com/story/2092236....
Then that had me wondering even more about the evil Marcus. That led to a short story -
https://writerrebeccagraf.com/writing....
Backstories are important.
Backstories are fun.
If you are a writer, enjoy exploring the backstory. If you are a reader, enjoy them. Learn the depths of a character and watch them become even more alive.
February 21, 2020
Verbose Usage
We are in a society where most people don't talk. Yet many think they need to be verbose to be good especially as a writer. It is all about the number of words you use. People are fixated on that number. Why do we have to be so verbose?
I was editing a novel that was exceedingly long and wordy. I suggested that she cut out a few words in this one scene to smooth it out and tighten the flow. The author was horrified. She said she had to have a certain number of words to be seen as a good writer. What?????
I always fall back on Edgar Allan Poe. He wrote short stories that were vibrant and legendary. He didn't have to write 100,000 words to be good. He accomplished that in a fraction of the amount.
We can get too wordy. How can we fix it? (https://medium.com/writers-guild/fixi...) What are your opinions?
I was editing a novel that was exceedingly long and wordy. I suggested that she cut out a few words in this one scene to smooth it out and tighten the flow. The author was horrified. She said she had to have a certain number of words to be seen as a good writer. What?????
I always fall back on Edgar Allan Poe. He wrote short stories that were vibrant and legendary. He didn't have to write 100,000 words to be good. He accomplished that in a fraction of the amount.
We can get too wordy. How can we fix it? (https://medium.com/writers-guild/fixi...) What are your opinions?
February 20, 2020
Value of Facebook Page for Authors
Is having a Facebook page of any value to an author? There can be good arguments for and against the Facebook page, but I think having one is much better than not having one. Let me explain.
If I want to know more about an author, I will go to their website or my preferred social media outlet. If I can't find what I am looking for, the author will eventually fade from my mind. That's not what the author really wants. They want to be remembered and followed.
Some people think that Facebook is a dying entity. The truth is that Facebook will be around for a very long time. Too many people love it and learned social media from the site. It is the go to social media site. Yes, others are growing and getting stronger, but that doesn't mean there can only be one.
A Facebook page is a great way to direct others to the author's website. It is an avenue for Facebook users. The same can be said about other social media platforms. Don't ignore Facebook.
Read more at - https://curiosityneverkilledthewriter...
If I want to know more about an author, I will go to their website or my preferred social media outlet. If I can't find what I am looking for, the author will eventually fade from my mind. That's not what the author really wants. They want to be remembered and followed.
Some people think that Facebook is a dying entity. The truth is that Facebook will be around for a very long time. Too many people love it and learned social media from the site. It is the go to social media site. Yes, others are growing and getting stronger, but that doesn't mean there can only be one.
A Facebook page is a great way to direct others to the author's website. It is an avenue for Facebook users. The same can be said about other social media platforms. Don't ignore Facebook.
Read more at - https://curiosityneverkilledthewriter...
February 18, 2020
Why Don't We Communicate More?
Communication is so important, but few really try to communicate effectively. Don't beleive me? Look at your family communications. Look at work. Communication is failing everywhere. Why don't we communicate more?
You might say we do because we text, email, and talk all the time online. In a technical sense, that is communication. But communication is more than that. Through communication we get to know one another. Otherwise, there are too many assumptions floating around.
I have discovered that most people don't know me as well as they think they do. They don't commuicate with me to learn who I really am. Simple communication can teach us all a lot.
If you want to read further on this, check out my article here - https://medium.com/@rebeccagraf_63084...
You might say we do because we text, email, and talk all the time online. In a technical sense, that is communication. But communication is more than that. Through communication we get to know one another. Otherwise, there are too many assumptions floating around.
I have discovered that most people don't know me as well as they think they do. They don't commuicate with me to learn who I really am. Simple communication can teach us all a lot.
If you want to read further on this, check out my article here - https://medium.com/@rebeccagraf_63084...
January 22, 2020
The Story Behind the Short Story Henrietta
Family stories can be so inspiring when it comes to writing. I have used stories from my family for scenes in many of my novels and in most of my short stories. An example is one called Henrietta. (https://writerrebeccagraf.com/writing...)
This was a short story based on something that happened long before I was born. My mother told me that my brother was frantically searching the house for something but wouldn't tell her what. Finally, she got it out of him that he had snuck in a mouse from school and it was missing. Oh, and the mouse was pregnant.
My mother hated animals in the house. Every now and then, she allowed sick ones in but that was all. Nothing more. But a mouse????
That was terrifying to my mother. Rodents were not meant to be pets in her eyes. So to know that there was a pregnant white mouse in her house was horrifying to her. My brother laughed when the story was told. My mother pretended to be still mad all those decades later.
As I was raised without my siblings around and considered my life pretty boring, I loved to hear the stories of when my siblings were young. To me, it was fun. To my mother, not so much. So I wrote a short story on it.
Now that I have raised my children, I can understand the horror my mother felt and put it in the story. But I also feel the excitement of the child at having snuck the mouse in.
I hope you get a chance to read my short story, and I hope you enjoy it.
This was a short story based on something that happened long before I was born. My mother told me that my brother was frantically searching the house for something but wouldn't tell her what. Finally, she got it out of him that he had snuck in a mouse from school and it was missing. Oh, and the mouse was pregnant.
My mother hated animals in the house. Every now and then, she allowed sick ones in but that was all. Nothing more. But a mouse????
That was terrifying to my mother. Rodents were not meant to be pets in her eyes. So to know that there was a pregnant white mouse in her house was horrifying to her. My brother laughed when the story was told. My mother pretended to be still mad all those decades later.
As I was raised without my siblings around and considered my life pretty boring, I loved to hear the stories of when my siblings were young. To me, it was fun. To my mother, not so much. So I wrote a short story on it.
Now that I have raised my children, I can understand the horror my mother felt and put it in the story. But I also feel the excitement of the child at having snuck the mouse in.
I hope you get a chance to read my short story, and I hope you enjoy it.
January 4, 2020
When Authors Refuse to Get Personal
Getting personal is very imporant when it comes to authors. I don't mean knowing all the intimate details of one's life. That crosses line in getting personal. I'm talking not keeping keeping yourself at a distance where readers can talk to you.
There is a very famous romance author who I love to read. Well, I used to. On facebook, I reached out to send her a message about how much I loved her books. I heard nothing back. Okay. Then I read where she never responds to the messages from fans. She wants to keep her life separate.
The author refused to get personal. By doing so, she eventually lost me as a reader. She refused to connect with readers. I didn't want to know about her morning routine. I just wanted to tell her that I thought her writing was amazing. I was ignored. That turned me off toward her.
Not everyone reacts in such a way. But not letting your readers reach you will drive them away eventually. Readers want to know that they can touch something real from their world of fantasy.
Another famous mystery writer took time to send my daugther, a big fan, a letter and a free, signed book. Every now and then, he answers her messages. That makes him appear even bigger in our eyes. The result? We read more and more of his books. We promote his work. We do some of his marketing for him because he was willing to get personal.
Again, readers don't need to know TMI details. But don't put up too many walls and keep the readers at a such a distance.
For further reading:
https://writingcooperative.com/author...
There is a very famous romance author who I love to read. Well, I used to. On facebook, I reached out to send her a message about how much I loved her books. I heard nothing back. Okay. Then I read where she never responds to the messages from fans. She wants to keep her life separate.
The author refused to get personal. By doing so, she eventually lost me as a reader. She refused to connect with readers. I didn't want to know about her morning routine. I just wanted to tell her that I thought her writing was amazing. I was ignored. That turned me off toward her.
Not everyone reacts in such a way. But not letting your readers reach you will drive them away eventually. Readers want to know that they can touch something real from their world of fantasy.
Another famous mystery writer took time to send my daugther, a big fan, a letter and a free, signed book. Every now and then, he answers her messages. That makes him appear even bigger in our eyes. The result? We read more and more of his books. We promote his work. We do some of his marketing for him because he was willing to get personal.
Again, readers don't need to know TMI details. But don't put up too many walls and keep the readers at a such a distance.
For further reading:
https://writingcooperative.com/author...
December 28, 2019
Three Things I Can't Live Without
Narrowing down the three things I can't live without is hard. It sounds easy, but it isn't. This task will really make you think.
In deciding my three, I assumed God would be the first one. This is not a materialistic one, and the original task was to narrow down to three things and three beings. So, I've noted God, but I'll now look more at actual items.
Here are my three things I can't live without:
- Books
- Pen/Paper
- Crochet/Knitting
You thought I'd say things like running watter, microwaves, and the internet. These are great to have around, and I do miss them when I don't have them. Yet I can live without them. I have for short periods of time. Plus, I grew up without two of them and the other one once in a while. It can be done. It's these three I would feel the worst over not having.
Books are my life. I've been reading since I could look at picture books. If I was told I could never have access to a book again, I would be completely devestated. It would depress me.
Pen and paper is important because I love to write. Even if no one ever liked anything I wrote, I'd still write because it is therapeutic for me. It is a sanity release. Without it, I think I would suffer mentally.
My crochet and knitting is also therapeutic for me. Plus, these crafts can produce very useful items such as blankets and clothing. It is a creative outlet that produces things we all can use.
I would go crazy without these three things. That being said, I'm going to go finish a chapter in one of my stories and start my blanket.
In deciding my three, I assumed God would be the first one. This is not a materialistic one, and the original task was to narrow down to three things and three beings. So, I've noted God, but I'll now look more at actual items.
Here are my three things I can't live without:
- Books
- Pen/Paper
- Crochet/Knitting
You thought I'd say things like running watter, microwaves, and the internet. These are great to have around, and I do miss them when I don't have them. Yet I can live without them. I have for short periods of time. Plus, I grew up without two of them and the other one once in a while. It can be done. It's these three I would feel the worst over not having.
Books are my life. I've been reading since I could look at picture books. If I was told I could never have access to a book again, I would be completely devestated. It would depress me.
Pen and paper is important because I love to write. Even if no one ever liked anything I wrote, I'd still write because it is therapeutic for me. It is a sanity release. Without it, I think I would suffer mentally.
My crochet and knitting is also therapeutic for me. Plus, these crafts can produce very useful items such as blankets and clothing. It is a creative outlet that produces things we all can use.
I would go crazy without these three things. That being said, I'm going to go finish a chapter in one of my stories and start my blanket.
December 27, 2019
Literary Bucket List
Have you heard of a bucket list? It is a list of things to do before you die. It can be traveling to see exotic sites, doing things you only dreamed of, or learning new things. Have you considered having a ltierary bucket list?
This can be a fun list to create for any booklover. The question then becomes what to put on that list.
Have you read all the great classics?
Have you read the books on the NYT Bestseller lsit?
What books would you put on your bucket list?
I would look up the top 100 classics in literature and put them on my list. Then I would look at all the NYT bestsellers and read them. This might only get me through the next year or two. That means I need to increase my list.
From here, I would add books from reading challenges. That would be a list of translated books, books by Canadian authors, and so forth. Have you ever participated in any reading challenges? They are so much fun, especially if you are doing it with others. Just type "reading challenges" in your search engine and explore them.
Make a literary bucket list for yourself. How many books would you start your list with? Add to the list as you discover new books you'd love to read. And above all, have fun.
If you put your literary bucket list online, share with us.
This can be a fun list to create for any booklover. The question then becomes what to put on that list.
Have you read all the great classics?
Have you read the books on the NYT Bestseller lsit?
What books would you put on your bucket list?
I would look up the top 100 classics in literature and put them on my list. Then I would look at all the NYT bestsellers and read them. This might only get me through the next year or two. That means I need to increase my list.
From here, I would add books from reading challenges. That would be a list of translated books, books by Canadian authors, and so forth. Have you ever participated in any reading challenges? They are so much fun, especially if you are doing it with others. Just type "reading challenges" in your search engine and explore them.
Make a literary bucket list for yourself. How many books would you start your list with? Add to the list as you discover new books you'd love to read. And above all, have fun.
If you put your literary bucket list online, share with us.
November 20, 2019
Read Books on the Places You Travel To
In the last few years, my husband and I have begun to travel a bit. We finally can afford it, and the kids are making lives of their own. They are spreading their wings in different areas of the country. That has opened the door for us to go to new places: Charleston, Newport, Houston, and Sedona. There is a reader's opportunity here that I have missed over the years. Never again.
After our visit to Charleston, SC., I read a book set there. I recognized some of the place names. I wish I had read the book before I had gone to Charleston. That got me to thinking. Why not read books that I'm plannign on traveling to? It will give me ideas of the place and give me a connection to it. Who knows! I might discover new places to visit through the books.
These books can be fiction or non-fiction. It really doesn't matter. Before we went out to Las Vegas and Sedona, I got books on the hsitory of the areas. I learned so much and didn't quite feel so lost.
Next year, we are heading to Newport, RI. I've already got a list of books set in the area to purchase a few months before we go. There is a couple of biographies and a few murder mysteries as well as one romance.
Have you thought of reading books set in where you will visit? You might discover new historical sites or even restuarants to visit. Yes, some fiction books have fictional locations, but can still be fun to read.
What places would you be reading about?
After our visit to Charleston, SC., I read a book set there. I recognized some of the place names. I wish I had read the book before I had gone to Charleston. That got me to thinking. Why not read books that I'm plannign on traveling to? It will give me ideas of the place and give me a connection to it. Who knows! I might discover new places to visit through the books.
These books can be fiction or non-fiction. It really doesn't matter. Before we went out to Las Vegas and Sedona, I got books on the hsitory of the areas. I learned so much and didn't quite feel so lost.
Next year, we are heading to Newport, RI. I've already got a list of books set in the area to purchase a few months before we go. There is a couple of biographies and a few murder mysteries as well as one romance.
Have you thought of reading books set in where you will visit? You might discover new historical sites or even restuarants to visit. Yes, some fiction books have fictional locations, but can still be fun to read.
What places would you be reading about?
