(2023-11-28) Publish First Write Later

WritingSlowly: Publish first, write later. Cesar Aira on the constant flight forward.

Argentinian author César Aira’s writing process is more about action than reflection.

I’ll just comment on David Kurnick’s claim in Public Books: “It is not in the least original to begin talking about César Aira’s work by recounting the technique that produces it. But it can’t be helped: Aira has made a discussion of his practice obligatory. To read him is less to evaluate a freestanding book, or a series of them, than to encounter one of the most extraordinary ongoing projects in contemporary literature.” ((2014-11-01) TheEssentialGratuitousnessOfCesarAira)

It’s as though through his writing Aira has found the basement in Buenos Aires that contains the entire universe in condensed form, the basement that features in Jorge Luis Borges’s 1945 story “The Aleph”.

But instead of taking the find seriously, Aira parodies it.

Or, perhaps instead of parodying “The Aleph”, he takes it completely seriously: Why not write about it, about all of it? What then?

Now here’s Marcelo Ballvé on Aira’s unique writing process: According to Aira, he never edits his own work, nor does he plan ahead of time how his novels will end, or even what twists and turns they will take in the next writing session. He is loyal to his idea that making art is above all a question of procedure

Why is procedure all-important? Because it is relevant beyond the individual creator. Anyone can use it. Aira’s procedure, which he has elucidated in essays and interviews, is what he calls el continuo, or la huida hacia adelante. These concepts might be translated into English as “the continuum,” and a “constant flight forward.” Editing is an abhorrent idea in the context of Aira’s continuum.

cf Publish Then Filter Then Package