Write Cut Rewrite

 Write Cut Rewrite

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       June 13, 2024

 

Author  Dirk Van Hulle, Mark Nixon

Distributor:      New South Books
ISBN:                 9781851246182
Publisher:         Bodleian Library Press
Release Date:   May 2024  

Website:    https://newsouthbooks.com.au/books/write-cut-rewrite/ 

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The Bodleian Library is famous for its collection of manuscripts. It also contains drafts that have been discarded by authors or publishers.  The fact that the discarded pieces have not been expurgated shows that the authors have recognised that their final presentation would not have been achieved without these cuttings.  The author has explored many of the cuts with enticing titbits such as “Would we view the “Wind in the Willows” differently if its title remained as The Mole and the Water Rat? Some authors’ cuts were made against their will.

Various chapters tell us about Authors’ Cuts, Revising Censorship, Difficult Beginnings and Editor’s Cuts. Write Cut Rewrite mainly focusses on modern manuscripts although there are some references to ancient texts. The first deletions we see are those done on Pope’s, Essays on Criticism. The editor has outlined a paragraph in pencil and written “Nonsense” above it. Christina Rosetti’s poem “Portraits” had two verses, but between the first and second verse, a page was torn from her notebook.

Many examples of cuttings are shown in the poetry of W.H. Auden. He used a notebook to write his drafts and pages have been torn from this book. Examples of poetry, novels and Vestigial notes are shown here to have been reduced. James Joyce wrote down phrases or ideas in a notebook to be used for future writings. He then crossed out the ideas as he used them.

The conclusion of this beautifully illustrated and book shows us the necessity of cutting text, “As an essential part of a story.” The example is given of Alice Oswald who began all her writing with a drawing which gradually gave way to words. This is a scholarly, fascinating book to be studied, read, and browsed with intent and enjoyment.

Non Fiction