Monday, May 13, 2013

(2) Response to Taylor's Reportage (Week One)


Mi bambina,

I cannot fully express how proud I am of you and all the hard work and dedication. The improvement from the last workshop piece, Stateside, I read finals week and now…impressive. Extremely.

Foundationally, the language continues to peak. You have some really great imagery and language, here. I particularly love the phrases “pouring more Prosecco and starting conversations,” “a knuckle kiss,” and “a store that sells Barbie dolls to Tebro and home”—all of which I’m totally jealous.

A few revision suggestions, though (if you think of revisiting this draft in the future): (1) pick a particular site for the draft—one that makes sure to root the draft in a specific location or moment; (2) flesh out a subject (remember Hugo? Where is the trigger and in what way(s) will the triggering subject or “town” help propel the draft/provide it with more interesting tensions or binaries otherwise lost to familiarity?); and (3) characters: as of right now they are almost anonymous or flat, which is totally fine and normal for a first entry—however, for a revision, you would want to give definition to your characters (not necessarily all of them, per se, though), get your hands dirty and chisel them out.

On the whole, I think you’re doing wonderfully, of course. Keep it up, kid. You’re a rock-star! 

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