The tone is off. There are no real highlights in the photo. If you'd increased the exposure, or increased the strength of the lighting you would have gotten far more contrast that would have made the photo more appealing, rather than dark and drab.
Something doesn't quite fit telling this story...maybe it's the pencil being back at the beginning of the sentence on the paper? The proper writing position of the hand? The lighting comes across as dark, emotive, broody (is that a word?). Perhaps if the pencil was broken and splintered with the hand nearby clenched in a fist? I'm wondering also about the area in the upper left. Haven't decided if it's right, wrong, or indifferent. All I know is I've noticed it and it pulls the eye out of the center of the frame.
All of the above is JMO of course. :D Best of luck to you in the challenge.
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