(Photo by Jeremy Lishner on Unsplash) Hello friends— Writing with a small update of sorts. On Thursday, my story “Otto” appeared in the new issue of The Southeast Review. I think of the story as being about black subjectivity, but also about ambition and purpose. I wrote the story out of a growing frustration with the way we talk about black art in this country. This idea that when a black person makes art, somehow that art has to fit into our very boring discourses re: race and re: representation. When I was in my MFA program, sometimes I sometimes found myself sitting around a table with a group of people who would ask in ways subtle and less subtle basically
I was particularly struck by this line: "Because after a certain point, it didn’t matter what you did. The world had made its mind up about you."—and where it appears in the story, how it turns the narrative. Can't wait to receive your collection in June.
I just wanted to let you know how much I loved your story "Otto". You are somehow managing to say so much (truth) in this story, without making it big, if you know what I mean, and I like your writing style.
I am not a painter, but I am writing, and especially at the end, I could feel Otto so much when he tried to take the picture "into his hands and place it down upon a canvas"...and the whole following paragraph...I often feel the same with writing, the idea is there but it's so hard to put it into shape and form, distracted by all those questions in the head.
But your story actually motivated me, and I just wanted to thank you for this great read.
I was particularly struck by this line: "Because after a certain point, it didn’t matter what you did. The world had made its mind up about you."—and where it appears in the story, how it turns the narrative. Can't wait to receive your collection in June.
Hey Brandon,
I just wanted to let you know how much I loved your story "Otto". You are somehow managing to say so much (truth) in this story, without making it big, if you know what I mean, and I like your writing style.
I am not a painter, but I am writing, and especially at the end, I could feel Otto so much when he tried to take the picture "into his hands and place it down upon a canvas"...and the whole following paragraph...I often feel the same with writing, the idea is there but it's so hard to put it into shape and form, distracted by all those questions in the head.
But your story actually motivated me, and I just wanted to thank you for this great read.
All the best,
Zadora