The Joy of Revision

Seriously, this book is rekindling my enjoyment of revising drafts, and just in time.

We all know that one person who can produce a magical draft the first shot. And if you don’t, watch the recording practice of the artist Prince. The lyrics to Purple Rain were written on a napkin the night before recording. He completed all of the instrumental and vocal tracks in the studio in two days. It’s legendary.

But for us mortals, we revise. Our first drafts are more coal than sparkling diamonds. Which is okay because when you know the tools, revising has a thrill of its own. It’s like a sculptor making multiple passes.

With my new book releasing on 11.11, a non-fiction commentary on the 2016 film Arrival and the Exodus story, I thought it was a good idea to revisit the original version published as an article on the Symbolic World website to see if it needed revision.

It did. Desperately. I gulped the lump in my throat. The article was good but it wasn’t going to cut it for the book version - not even close. And I knew it. Panic was building like buzzing feedback in a guitar amplifier. Fortunately, I had a secret weapon, a book I started reading at just the right time to lower the distortion.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser is considered a classic for non-fiction writing. I’ve been recommended to read it from colleagues, authors, and monks. And I can see why. Here are a few gems from Zinsser that have sparked a joy of revising.

Clear thinking becomes clear writing.

Simplify, prune and strive for order. Be grateful for everything you throw away. Approach revision as a mechanical act (just do it).

And these pointed prompts cut to the core like a surgeon:

What am I trying to say? Have I said it? What fuzz needs to be cleared?

Reexamine each sentence you put on paper. Is every word doing new work? Can any thought be expressed with more economy? Is anything pompous or pretentious or faddish? Are you hanging on to something useless just because you think it’s beautiful?

Simplify.

I instituted these tools immediately. Now I am eager, giddy even, to revise the next section. It’s not the heavy lift that it once was. It’s even replacing some of those precious in-between minutes otherwise wasted doom scrolling social media. Zinsser tells us to approach revising as a mechanical act, which helps breaks beyond resistance and get started. In the flow, revising feels more like play, bumping up against the edges of going too far and not far enough, finding the “just right” and choosing to move to the next section.

Doing the work of revising is worth it. This new book is going to special. And with Colin Miller’s craftsmanship, it’s going to be a work of art.

I feel sorry for Prince and is one-take wonders. He missed out on the joys of revision.

A final thought: how do these writing lessons apply to life?

What if I approached life with the same joy of revision? What if I sliced unnecessary thoughts like bootless adverbs from my mind? Or simplified my daily tasks like ditching superfluous verbs for familiar, effective ones? Do I approach the pruning of repentance with the same joy of revision?

New Book releases 11.11

As I mentioned above, the deluxe edition of Arrival & Exodus releases exclusively to newsletter subscribers on November 11, 2024, at 11:11 am est. I’m skipping the Kickstarter campaigns and going straight to you, my faithful supporters. Be one of twelve to own the hand-crafted work of art.

I’m excited to share it with you. The themes of exile, veils, revelation, and redemption are expressed in the cover and each page.

The book coincides with another unveiling. I will be turning on paid subscriptions in Substack. For the last several years, this newsletter, podcasts, PDFs, and digital media has been free. I aim to continue to offer 95% of my content for free. But I am openning the option for you to support financially.

How it will work: The first 12 people to become foundational supporters will receieve Arrival & Exodus as a “thank you” gift. On 11.11 at 11:11 am est an email with a book order form and paid subscription link will be sent to everyone on the mailing list. For those interested in being one of twelve to own a copy of the hand-crafted book, complete the order form and become a foundational member. People who sign up to support monthly will receive a super discount code to the ebook and paperback versions. Subscribe with your email below so you don’t miss the email on Nov 11.

New Article and an Unboxing Video

I published the second article of the Arrival series, Arrival & the Universal Language, on the Symbolic World website. It was a fun one to write, especially the section teasing the introduction to a certain author of a book on language and genesis (wink, wink). I poasted a clean PDF and uploaded an ad-free audio version for my Substack people here.

A long-awaited special edition illustrated book arrived in the mail. Join me in unboxing Snow White and the Widow Queen by Jonathan Pageau. I share my first impressions, design review, and quick symbolic breakdown in this short video.

I appreciate your support on this journey,

Derek