Julie Boutwell-Peterson (University of Kentucky)
juli@****.com (Log-in to reveal)
What is it about fragmented writing that seems so appropriate to the rendering of today's world? Answers abound: the short attention spans created by the Information Age, the ubiquitous mental assault of clickbait and advertising, and the calamitous news cycle that keeps any of us from thinking straight. But are there other reasons that writers such as Maggie Nelson and Jenny Offill have found so much success with their works of fragmentation? How does fragmented writing (that often blends fact, fiction, and memoir) speak to the philosophical issues and human longings of the 21st century? Does the form have a unique way of meeting the ideas of our century? This Special Session welcomes creative work (of any genre) that employs a fragmented writing style. Work that pulls from science, psychology, philosophy, literature, and/or memoir is especially welcome. By July 20, please submit the first three pages of your work, a brief bio, and any A/V or scheduling requests. Contributors will be asked to read from their work (maximum of 8 pages) as well as discuss the purpose and merits (and perhaps drawbacks) of fragmentation in creative work.