Comment Wall
Storybook here. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions/Thought Dump for my Own Benefit
Why are "Mother" and "Child" capitalized?
Frequently Asked Questions/Thought Dump for my Own Benefit
Why are "Mother" and "Child" capitalized?
- This is mostly a stylistic choice. I noticed that a lot of stories with animal characters have their names capitalized (i.e. Jackal, Bear) and I like the way it looks. The other function of capitalizing them is that it allows me to effectively use proper nouns to refer to the characters without having to choose specific names, which would inevitably convey something about the setting (time period, region of the world). I want to leave the setting as generic as possible.
Why is sexuality not explicitly mentioned?
- I want to use this storybook to normalize LGBT identity. This storybook is set in a fantasy world in which characters don't need to come out as LGBT or name their sexuality. I hope to give the impression that my characters' choice of partner is completely neutral and accepted by the other characters.
Hi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteIt was so much fun to read through the beginnings of your storybook project website. In my opinion, you are truly off to a great start. The image that you chose on your first page is truly beautiful. I love the rainbow set in front of the majestic mountains in the background. I also love how your title directs the reader to consider things from other perspectives. I think your whole topic idea is wonderful and it gets people to consider perspectives that they otherwise would not. I can’t wait to see how you take existing stories and fit them to your theme. Your introduction had me very intrigued and left me wanting to keep reading more. This is definitely a good sign. You masterfully engage your audience. At first, I did not understand the book shelf image, but it all made sense after reading your intro. Great work.
-Andy
Hi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteYour introduction was very cute, and I love your detailed description of the book. This writing is what I expect to come out of a book I would read!! Also, I love the rainbow in the dark background. I am not sure if that was a symbol or not, but to me, it seems like a light coming out of dark. I also like how your page directs us to other links, like in the beginning with the "other side" and "happy endings". It was interesting to read more about certain stuff. The author's note at the end really clears things up and introduces the story! I like how all your pictures relate to your story (or that's how I interpreted it). What I am wondering is what kind of stories or folktales are you focused on? Also, what made you want to do LGBTQ+ stories? Is there a special story behind that? I think this is a special storybook, considering all the events going on today in society. Can't wait to read more!
Hi Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI picked to read your story as I really liked the concept of your storybook. I think it would be great to read more stories that are inclusive! I liked the cover photo you used for your storybook it conveys the theme but also gives it a softer feel. I like the set up of your story having a mother tell her son these stories from a storybook. I do wish you had maybe given the mother and/or the son a little bit more character. Since they're going to be the storytellers for your book it would be nice to get to know them better. I like the kind of author's note you added at the end of the introduction. That really gave a glimpse into the story which sets up we should expect in the rest of your stories. I'm excited to see how the storybook progresses and am eager to see how you change the original stories! Can't wait to see where this goes!
Hi Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI picked your storybook from the class page because I was curious about how you would incorporate the LGBTQ+ perspective. I must say you did a wonderful job. From the images (banner, site layout, setting, etc.). A lot of the stories we read are considered classics, but I think with any art form, it must evolve with the culture to be relatable and to continue to be appreciated. Your first story was so beautiful. I particularly liked the empowerment of women being in a position not normally granted to them (rescuers) and how Moonlight had the option to choose her suitor. A lot of stories make the girl saved end up with the guy who saved her. Why can't these guys save the girl not out of love/possession, but because it is the right thing to do? Why is a girl obligated to stay with someone who saves her? I have heard about women being able to save themselves, but never really thought about women saving other women or why women always have to end up with their rescuer until your story. I think these kinds of stories also help to raise these kinds of questions which is good.
Some ideas for the future might be to utilize the second and third-person perspective more. It might help distinguish between the Mother and Child part from the story part. Honestly, I felt your story was easy to follow and interesting as it is. These are just some ideas to help challenge yourself as a writer (I find challenges make the class more worthwhile) and avoid getting bored since there will be plenty more stories to write. Anyway, I really loved the story and your Storybook and look forward to more!
Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI loved the concept for your storybook! The introduction was beautifully written, and I think it was a nice touch to frame it as a mother reading fairytales to a child but then break away and introduce the premise of your storybook in more depth. I thought it was an engaging introduction that wonderfully sets the reader up for the stories to come.
In your first story, I really enjoyed the fact that Moonlight was given more agency than in the original story. Choosing the suitor for herself made the ending feel even happier, because she was able to live happily ever after with a spouse that she truly loved, rather than the spouse that someone else decided was best for her. I also really appreciate the language used throughout the story- the same sex relationship wasn’t unnecessarily emphasized, but instead it was normalized. You told a story of bravery and love, where the main characters who fall in love happen to be women.
-Kate
Natalie,
ReplyDeleteYour introduction and first story, "Brave, Wise, or Clever," have already sucked me in. I love your idea of the other side. I think it is so unique to recreate fairytales with an LGBTQ take. I think it would be great if some children's books and movies started to include people of the LGBTQ community. I think children seeing a character that was similar to the kid and also help people be more accepting of those in the community.
I had never heard that fairy tale before so I thought it was cool to hear it for the first time with your theme's take on it. I thought it was really well written and a fun read. I kept going and going not realizing how fast I read it through. I also like how you had Moonlight choose her own suitor instead of having her father choose him for her.
Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your introduction and the first story in your storybook. I found it interesting that you chose to do LGBTQ+ themed stories as I enjoy the idea of seeing myself within a fairy tale. I also was pleased to see the daughter in the story pick her suitor. I feel as though Moonlight's sexuality was very visable due to the fact that all three of the possible suitors were female. I also feel that by presenting three female suitors you provided an emphesis on her sexuality. I do not mind the emphasis that I felt but if you wanted to make it a little less prominent you also could have done a mixed gender group of three. Overall I truly enjoyed the story and look forward to future stories from you. I also look forward to possibly seeing two men fall in love in one of your stories. Thank you for showing representation of a minority group in our culture today. I hope to accomplish having many LGBT stories on my blog and on my portfolio for this class.
Hi Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI really like the way that you framed your storybook, within a children's bedtime story. I'm not very familiar with LGBTQ+ stories in children's literature, so I think it's super neat that you framed it that way. I like that you allowed Moonlight to choose her own suitor. It put a modern take on an old story. The tradition of arranged marriage is very fascinating! One thing that was weird to me was the fact that the king of this fantasy land went out personally to go find a suitor for his daughter rather than having the suitors brought to him. It seemed sort of inconsistent with the idea of royalty. One thing you could look at is the formatting of the story. You could look at separating the paragraphs differently or separating the dialogue within the story to make it easier to look at. I look forward to reading the rest of your stories!
Hey Natalie,
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome theme for your portfolio! I liked the gender-neutral approach you took on the story from Twenty Two Goblins. On top of it being the useful social device that it is, it seems to be a great exercise in exploring the literature that you read. Your Brave, Wise, or Clever story is a clear example of this. It is pretty interesting to me- though not surprising- that all of the characters could be scene in this light and the story not change at all. The fact that these are all told from The Mother to The Child just goes to show the utility in rewriting these stories under this application. I am a huge fan of the use of "a story within a story" concept. I think it allows for a space for so many more characters and themes. It truly is writing two stories (or more!) in one, while still being contained within one story. Awesome job here. I am looking forward to seeing what else you do with the site.
Hey Natalie! I really enjoyed your theming of your story portfolio! I was relatively ignorant, coming from a very conservative background in the suburbs, and one of the greatest joys of college has been meeting new people and getting to understand, empathize, and support them, so this project honestly feels like the epitome of that experience for me! I love your framing of the storybook, like within a children's bedtime story. It is such a unique and fun way of telling a story that means something and I really like that. In a way, it reminds me of an inclusive, useful social device version of The Princess Bride. I am really liking your theming of the storybook as well, because that really helps create an atmosphere in which the story can take place in a seamless and cool way. The writing in your introduction was really well done and instantly sucked me in and made me feel invested into the story. It was really engaging and well done, and I really cannot wait to read more of your stories so that I can learn more and enjoy reading some original and thoughtful stories.
ReplyDeleteHello, Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI really like your Storybook so far! It never occurred to me to swap out male protagonists for female ones. I have, however, wondered what it would be like to have a hero save a character of the same sex and have them end up together. I commend you for actually going through with this even though it may be a point of contention for some! I also really like how you did not flat out state that Moonlight’s father was looking for a specific gender in his quest to find a suitable suitor for his daughter.
I am wondering if the whole Storybook is going to be told as a bedtime story. I am also curious as to why you decided to capitalize “child” and “mother” when you refer to them in the story. I am sure that you must have had specific intentions when you did so. Overall, I am very impressed with your story!
Hi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I just want to say thank you so much for writing this. Representation matters, and it is really heartwarming to read these stories. I wish I had had this idea! We need more lgbtq stories.
I read the Twenty-Two Goblins story so I was familiar with the original story of Moonlight. Your version is much better. The way the original story spoke about women bothered me, even though I know that's just how things were when it was written. I really appreciate you making it obvious that the the choice was undeniably the girl's. Furthermore, as a woman who likes women, I really enjoyed the happy ending. I am 100% here for strong women and women loving women. Thank you!
I also loved Macaq and Iraluq. I am not familiar with the original story, but I'm glad you gave them a happy ending. I also really liked how the family was so accepting of their love. You made it seem natural and normal, as it should be. Thank you (I can't say this enough).
I do have one question: Why is Mother and Child capitalized?
Hi Natalie!
ReplyDeleteThis is such an incredible idea for a Storybook. I can't wait to read more of your stories and see how you incorporate this idea into your story each week. I am so impressed with your first story. I can see how much time and effort went into making it great. And it definitely paid off! I love that you were able to incorporate the LGBTQ+ element into this story without outright implicitly stating it. I think it definitely adds a sense of normalcy. I am looking forward to see how you do this week after week. Are you planning on always having this "no-outward mention" approach or do you plan on making any of the other stories about this topic only? I think either way would make for a great story. Personally, I love what you did with this story and the way you subtly incorporated it but also think it would be cool if you decided to make more stories outwardly about the topic. Either way I can't wait to see the amazing things you do with your stories the rest of this semester. Great job!
Hey Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying what you're writing! I'm happy to see another person working to try to "demasculinize" a lot of classic stories from throughout the world, both in how you make gender not just neutral, but irrelevant without being sidelined, as well as the smooth integration of non-heterosexual protagonists. Even aside from that, I think you've written some excellent bed-time stories. The rewrite of Macaq and Iraluq's ending made it seem much more homely and sweet than the original, while changing very little with the actual ending. My one piece of feedback on that would be to maybe try to introduce the ladder or its supernatural status a bit more smoothly and earlier, to make the jump to the conclusion less of a gap.
I really like the atmosphere of your storybook! It really makes me feel like a kid again, being read a bedtime story. I'll definitely have to check back in again later this semester!
Hi Natalie!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time seeing your storybook and I love how well you've integrated the theme into your site! It really feels like a comprehensive collection of stories and I love the overarching theme of the mother reading these stories to her child from "The Other Side" storybook.
Your first story is very short and sweet, and I think that works perfectly for your storybook since bedtime tales normally aren't too long, and everyone loves a happy ending. I can't really think of anything to say to help you improve, since the what you've done so far has already accomplished what you set out to do in a creative and interesting way.
Maybe one way to add a little interest to your website would be to change the header image for each story? I like that you've used the rainbow as an overarching theme, but possibly even just a different image of a rainbow for each page would help vary the layout of your website and give the reader something new to look at.
I'm looking forward to reading more of your stories!
Hi Natalie,
DeleteI really enjoyed your second story and enjoyed the positive spin you placed on it. I really enjoyed how you made your characters relatable and how you kept them together throughout the story. I enjoyed how the ending was the characters spending an eternity together. I relate so much to this story. I have always dreamed that I would spend an eternity with someone who I fell in love with and so this story really hit home for me. I also enjoyed your development of the characters in the story.
This is great storytelling and the stories captivate hearts by providing the reader with a reason to care about the characters. I had to wonder about how the family felt when they lost both of the characters in this story. Perhaps you could expand on the family throughout the story. I enjoyed the story either way. I also really enjoy your ability to demonstrate that being LGBT is normal and look forward to seeing what you come up with next. Keep writing and I will keep reading.
Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI love the way that you were able to portray a positive, healthy relationship in a supportive community in your story! I also really enjoyed the care that you took to include and preserve cultural elements of the original story. I also read the Frequently Asked Questions section of your comment wall, and I thought you made some really good points about the Mother and Child characters! I wanted to let you know that you’re definitely doing a great job giving the impression that your characters’ choice of partner is neutral and accepted, because that’s exactly how it came across in both of the stories that I read in your storybook. Your author’s notes are always so thoughtful and informative, and I love reading more about the original context of the stories. I’m honestly not sure that I would recommend any changes. When my storybook grows up, I want it to be like your storybook!
-Kate
Hello there, Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI think your project is wonderful in so many ways! The website is designed well, the idea of a bedtime story is super creative and the LGBTQ focus is so awesome. You have established a platform to provide insight to those who need to be educated in a light hearted, less abrasive way. People are always more likely to listen when they don't feel lectured or lower than that of the speaker, and I think these stories are an excellent way to support and exemplify pro-love ideals. The story of Moonlight and her capture is very well written and completely defied some of my expectations. After reading so many old stories from the Mahabharata and Ramayana with outdated male/female roles, I was expected a bunch of men to save Moonlight and she would have to pick one of them. Another possible expectation for this situation is that her father would have told her who she was going to marry and arranged the marriage. This story was so refreshing and reminds me of another story, that I actually wrote, in which I reversed the gender roles of the original story! As you have probably guessed, I am from the Indian Epics class, rather than the Myth-Folklore class. This was my first experience reading stories from your class but I certainly started off with a strong one! I very much look forward to seeing any additions to your project, as well as reading the projects of your classmates!
Hi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI was drawn to your project because of your LGBTQ focus. What a creative and interesting perspective to incorporate in your project, I love it! I think this is such a great idea in so many ways. I really like the fact that you are able to educate in a light hearted way, I think that's super important when you really want people to listen and not just blow over what you have to say. I really enjoyed your gender-neutral approach in Twenty Two Goblins. I think that's an awesome way to use that approach. You're writing is done so well and I appreciate your attention to detail. . I am very eager to continue reading your work and getting to know you better! Good luck with the rest of the semester!
Hey, Natalie!
ReplyDeleteYou have done such a fantastic job on this storybook! I read your introduction and first story and was completely blown away by your smooth, beautiful writing style! There were no typos and no awkward wording--everything was just seamless and a pleasure to read. I also love how the frame of the stories is a mother reading to her child--the picture you have on the introduction page really sets the mood for the reader: a comfy, cozy bedroom at night with a great book on one's lap! Your first story was extremely well-written and engaging and, while I have never read the original, it seems from your author's note that you managed to make this story your own while still maintaining the original plot. I really appreciate how you are incorporating LGBTQ+ characters into these stories in a normal, casual manner--you did a fantastic job at doing this! Great work and I am excited to read the rest of your stories!
Hi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI am back and wow, you have three stories now! I like the explanations you have on the Comment Wall because that for one clears things up and just explains where you are coming from with your writing choices.
I really like the first story because it emphasizes the independence of women in picking their suitor. It is not the classic love story, which makes it so memorable. One thing I would suggest would be to space your paragraphs more and maybe have some dialogue with in the dialogue. I want to hear all about Moonlight's own thoughts during this process.
The second story is so cute. This is amazing!! I like how you chose to change the ending so that it was that they would be together eternally. One thing I just now thought of would be maybe to have some feedback from the child. It seems like he is just bored of all of these stories. Does the child like these or what? I can't wait to read more of these cute love stories!
ReplyDeleteHey there Natalie!
This was a very interesting and different theme for your portfolio. I have never really heard of a portfolio story that took the approach of being gender neutral like you did in the story from twenty goblins. On top of this, your portfolio is very organized and easy for the reader to navigate. In all of your stories you did a great job at grabbing the reader’s attention and really captivating them throughout the story. You did a really great job with each of the reading notes, since I had never read the stories before, these notes really allowed me to see where you were coming from with your creation of the different stories. I really liked the images that you chose to use for each story, I think each of them almost told a little bit of the story themselves and really had a key part in each story.
Hi again Natalie.
ReplyDeleteI really love your project so I am happy to have this chance to check back in. Your design is simple but it works well to convey the right feeling for your project. I like the rainbow and the calm color scheme. Thanks for answering my question of why Mother and Child are capitalized. That makes a lot of sense and it adds uniqueness to your writing. One stylistic element that you could improve is the font of the text. It's kind of small and hard to read. I think it might be a good idea to make it a little bigger.
I love your whole project and I am really enjoying the way you write about same-sex couples. Keep up the good work!
The Moose is a cute addition. I like how you don't assign gender roles and have women doing heavy work instead of "women's work." And obviously I am here for lesbian couples. Lets go lesbians!
https://youtu.be/0pwCK2pOF0o
Hi Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI've read your stories before but loved them so much that I wanted to pop back in and see what else you had added. I read your new story "The Moose" and absolutely loved it. Once again, I love that you incorporate ideas subtly and without bringing too much attention to them. It is great to see so many stories have better representation of what our real world looks like. This new story especially I really enjoyed. I love that you were able to break down gender stereotypes in such a short and simple tale. It goes to show how easily we as a society could make these changes if we all banded together and worked towards it. I absolutely love your stories and the entire idea of your storybook. I hope to check back in again soon!
Hi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI started keeping a long with your storybook at the beginning and have not been disappointed! Your attention to detail is fantastic. You haven't lost sight of your mission or your quality of story telling. I feel like you have a lot of talent. It is hard to not lose quality of storytelling when trying to promote a mission. It takes discipline to keep it subtle but with a truly meaningful message. Its hard not to get lost in such a powerful message but you don't. Keep up the good work!
Hi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to come back to this storybook. I love your concept and the introduction really left what the stories were going to be up to the imagination. I really like the stories you have chosen. They are all diverse in their depictions of LGBT+ relationships and I really like that. I also like that you don't focus on a coming out story. Instead, you depict the stories in such a way that their sexuality is not an important plot point in the story, it's something easily accepted by the rest of your characters. I also like that you chose a diverse set of relationships in your storytelling: an old timey suitor type story, a friends to lovers, and an established relationship. I love you depiction of each of the stories your mom is telling to her child, but I wish there was some more emphasis given to their personalities. Compared to the storybook stories they seem underdeveloped. If that is a style choice you're making for your storybook then I totally understand, but I think it would be fun to know more about them.
Hey Natalie,
ReplyDeleteWow, I am truly amazed with your creativity and writing skills. I often times think that I write stories without as much inspiration as I should. I can clearly tell how much you care about the subject and it shows in your writing. I was hooked initially from the introduction but this storybook continually gets better throughout. I think that you did a fantastic job of keeping the stories gender neutral as well. As far as layout goes, sometimes simple is better. I think this is a perfect example of this so great job on that. I also think that your author's notes provide fantastic in sight on the stories and also describe them very well. For someone like me who has not read those stories, it really helps to understand the context so that I can see your thought process in retelling them. Continue to do what you are doing and I look forward to checking back before the semester is over. Finish strong and have a great rest of the semester.
Hey Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI am very pleased with the gender bending within your last story. It draws great attention to gender nonbinary individuals and their experiences. it is amazing to see these stories come to life. I also enjoyed reading all of your stories for your storybook as they gave me hope that LGBTQ+ people are able to have happy endings as well as straight people.
Thank you for providing a positive and uplifting version of the LGBTQ+ community this semester I hope you enjoy the last readings of the semester. Good luck
Shaun
Hello again Natalie!
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading your story about Macaq and Iraluq and absolutely loved it--I read the original story in, I believe, the Native American marriage stories unit and loved the story then. But I must say that I actually prefer your version, not only because you depict a happy and healthy gay couple who have the support of their community, but also because the lovers have a much happier ending than one eternally chasing the other. I like how this story is meant to explain the sun and moon cycles and like the image of a ladder going up into the sky. As always, your writing style is perfect and I have nothing to say as far as criticism goes. Your writing style is clear and engaging and I always enjoy reading your work! Great work on this and I look forward to seeing what your storybook project looks like in the end!
Hi Natalie your storybook has definitely been interesting and has been very fun to read I am so glad that I got to see myself within these stories and I hope that your writing will continue I also wish you good luck with your further studies while we are at OU. I enjoyed reading all of your stories and I also would love to meet you someday in person and have some great communication about the LGBTQ+ community I feel like over this semester I got to know your personallity and I also look forward to reading more work possibly on your blog. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI have been following your project for a while now. I am a big fan. I am so glad that you decided to do this for your project. LGBTQ representation matters and we don't see enough of it in this world. If little kids had gay characters in their bedtime stories, maybe homophobia would not be running rampant across the globe. I think it would be a great idea for you to write and publish a book doing just that: writing bedtime stories with lgbtq characters. You could retell myths, or just write original stories. I bet it would be a hit!
Your project has been so uplifting and I am inspired every time I check in and read a new story. You are a good writer and I am so grateful to you for including this representation in your work.
Thank you for this!
Wishing you the best,
Ann