Oh, Revision.

There are different types of writers. The most common is the writer who does not write. This type of writer is one of the most annoying because they always want to talk to you about the the thing they’re “working on”. Equally annoying are the writers who write way the hell too much. These writers, when you meet them for the first time will say, “Oh I have published eight novels.” The word here to be weary of is “published” because it implies that writing has gone through the ringer of editors and publishers, when in fact the process likely just consisted of some zinfandel and setting up an Amazon account.

Then there are those of us somewhere in the middle. Being in the middle doesn’t make us less annoying, I just want to be clear about that. Of those of us in the middle, there are usually two kinds. Those for whom writing is a grueling and painful process which is followed by copious and responsible revision. Then there are those of us who are simply in love with the generative process of writing and for whom revision is like pulling teeth out through our nose. I am this last sort. This should be obvious because I write a whole goddamn blog just for the fun of it.

I’m not so daft as to think that I don’t need to revise. I most certainly do, I just don’t find any joy in it. Below is a small example of the worth of the revision process. The first one is just a piece of flash fiction I had to write for a class. The second is a “Lou Beach” revision, which is limited to 420 characters. There is some debate over whether a proper Lou Beach is supposed to be 420 including spaces or not, this one is not counting the spaces.

I’m not suggesting that either of these is particularly good, just that the revision is better.

DRAFT

The Other Legends of Orpheus

by james bezerra

In his later years, Orpheus eschewed the company of any woman, so thick yet somehow so querulously tender was the scar tissue which covered his heart like a thin purple rind. It is said that he invented pederasty. It is also said that it was he who first conceptualized the windowless van. It is said that he composed on his lyre the tune which all ice cream trucks now play and which draws the children from their homes. It is said that many of the enduring mysteries of our time could be solved by prying up the floorboards of his house at the end of Eurydice Street, which is not actually a street, but rather a lane. He has never voted, put out his recycling, or opened his door to trick-or-treaters, with whom his porch is very popular once a year.  

REVISION

The Other Legends of Orpheus

by james bezerra

Later, Orpheus eschewed the company of women; so thick yet querulously tender was the scar tissue of his heart; thin purple rind. It’s said he invented pederasty, the windowless van. That he composed the tune ice cream trucks play to draw out children. It’s said that many of the enduring mysteries of our time could be solved by prying up his floorboards. He’s never voted, put out the recycling, or opened his door to trick-or-treaters, but he’s watched them from his window, shapes receding in the dark.

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