The only thing I can say I liked about these first 15 pages is that Ann Patchett has truly captured how it feels to describe daily life. It is filled with imagery to the point of over saturation, allowing an invested reader to delve even further using the words to carry them along. However, this personally only leads me to a single question: What’s the point? I’ve read and re-read these first 15 pages over and over, and I can’t find a single concrete hook for me to throw myself onto. The writing jumps from present to past to present to future to present without any sort of segue, creating this jarring feeling that makes me think I’m just reading thoughts rather than a story, and that’s not a pleasant feeling to have. Why do you think it’s written this way? Why did you write it this way? I’m sure a professional can analyze this and extrapolate some kind of meaning, like you can for literally anything in life, but I don’t think there’s any explanation that I’ll genuinely buy. Of course, I’m always willing to be surprised.
About
Professor: Jessica Penner
Email: creative.writing.citytech@gmail.com
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. I’ll be available through Zoom and will send an invitation via email that you should keep all semester. Try to join my meeting at the start of the hour, not at the end—since I may be talking to other students or have another appointment after the hour is up. If those times don’t work with your schedule, we can schedule a different time. This means you’ll have to schedule an appointment in advance. I suggest you have multiple times in mind, since your schedule may not mesh with mine!
I definitely agree that the description Ann used is similar to our everyday lives. We see so much colors, actions taking place, different people and so much more without thinking much about it. Ann took imagery like that and made them the building blocks of her writing.