Annie Lamontt, author of Bird by Bird, offers a glimpse into a world many writers can relate to. In the chapter called “Shitty First Drafts”, she utilizes the writers she associates with as evidence to support that the writing process does not begin with an immaculate first draft (Lamont, 1994). This is the “fantasy of the uninitiated” (Lamont, 1994, p. 1). Strangers to the writing process may not understand that writing isn’t simply “writing”—it is a process. The uninitiated, in this case, are non-writers. Furthermore, she considers this a fantasy because it is not the reality shared between herself and the writers she knows (Lamont, 1994). This distinction is vital to the credibility of “Shitty First Drafts”, as it absolves her from being accused of being too hyperbolic. …show more content…
Following this sentence, Lamontt wrote, “The [first draft] would be so long and incoherent and hideous that for the rest of the day I’d obsess about getting creamed by a car before I could write a decent second draft” (Lamontt, 1994, p. 2). Again, I believe that she is not being hyperbolic; she adds voice the personal process she goes through after writing a first draft. While she does imply that “shitty” first drafts are part of the writing process, the thoughts that she grapples with are entirely her own. However, adding this anecdote could be a tool to relate to her
Anne Lamott’s writing process in “Shitty First Drafts” is messy. She initially writes down everything that she is thinking, and then she goes back and refines what she wrote. Lamott has writer's block because she panics about how good her writing is going to be. She resolves this by taking a break, sitting back down, and word vomiting onto her paper. Lamott later goes back to her draft, elaborates on good ideas in her writing, and then crosses out everything else.
Peet Anne Lamott is a famous writer who wrote the book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Her book contains not only her experiences as writer but also tips for developing writers. In her book Bird by Bird, she has a section titled: “Shitty First Drafts” in which she displays her own experiences along with uncovering a new technique for the readers. In this section, she writes about how the only way to write a good final draft is by writing a shitty first drafts, and her experiences related to it.
Some of the negative outlooks of writing
Among these 22 students, 19 were comfortable working with writing fellows, with an average of 2.2 meetings (Klotz and Reardon 111). Most of the students striving to get an A opted to meet with their writing fellows, whereby these meetings laid the foundation for their revision. 74% of the session notes entailed detailed feedback on the revision plan regarding making notable changes beyond proofreading. Most of them also worked with their work fellows in the writing process. Further analysis shows that about 15 (75%) of them asserted that their writing fellows were paramount in their writing process, and about 6 (30%) of them indicated how they had built supportive relationships with their writing fellows (Klotz and Reardon 112).
In his 2011 essay “How to Read Like a Writer,” author Mike Bunn provides useful tips and tools for college students, in the hopes that they will be better prepared to tackle the various kinds of essays and writing assignments that will be given to them throughout their college careers. Calling back to 1997 and his time spent as a college graduate working at the Palace Theater in London, Bunn introduces how he stumbled upon the titular technique through an anecdote about his time spent as a Red Coat on West End. One of the key things Bunn points out in this recollection is his realization that “all writing consists of a series of choices” (Bunn 72), which leads him down a path of discovering intricacies about the relation between reading and
Anne Lamott 's essay, “Shitty First Drafts” explains to its readers that all writers, even the best, can have “shitty first drafts.” The essay presents the proper writing process from the first draft to the final piece of work. Her essay is intended to encourage writers who are in need of direction when it comes to writing and to teach inexperienced writers ways to become more successful in writing. Anne Lamott uses her personal experiences to build credibility, figurative language to engage the reader and provides the reader with logical steps for the writing process. To build credibility on her processes success, Lamott uses her own personal experiences.
In the article “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lemott she discusses how every writer has difficulty putting their ideas on paper because writing should be seen as a process that even the best and famous writers follow. She also talks about how even the best writers don’t just come with ideas and just begin writing on paper and make it as their final draft. Lemott also points out the importance of being able to just write down every thought into the first draft regardless of the structure of the draft and how it makes it easier to start the second draft. After writing the second draft it makes the final draft a review of punctuation and grammar corrections. As a food reviewer she struggled putting her ideas together because she would start doubting
After reading the first chapter, writing with Style, from “Thinking Well”, by John R. Trimble, he made it seem as if he was writing about my writing when he explained a novice writer. Trimble explains how a novice writer would write by giving examples of how their style of writing looks like. For example, Trimble explains how new writers unconsciously write and how they are not aware of their egocentrism. He states what a novice would have to achieve objectivity, empathy, courtesy and social sensitivity in order for him to have a readable style. Trimble then discusses what makes a veteran writer and how their thinking process reflects their writing situation.
Writing a first draft is like giving a speech for the first time. The first time you write a piece of work or give a speech there always is lots of error. The part of “Shitty First Drafts” that I liked the most was when Lamott states that the first
The tone of his writing is slightly paranoid and he uses purely coincidental anecdotes to support his delusional ideas. For instance, Gary writes, “Although they didn’t say
Writing About Writing, A College Reader. Ed. Elizabeth Wardle and Doug Downs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 481-495.
Summarize Lamott's ideas about writing in this essay in 4 or more sentences. Lamott discussed her ideas about shitty first drafts. It is the first step that writers use in writing. She indicated how flawful and inappropriate the words that we are going to have but they have to start from something. Just to put their ideas in a paper.
Tawney Nodland – As I look back over the past semester of English Composition, I realize that I have grown as a writer. Not onlyhas my understanding of the writing process changed, my whole attitude towards composition has too. This composition course has made a significant impact on my learning experience and has given me tools to take forward into my future educational and professional goals. Throughout this course, I have discovered things about myself as a writer and know some of my strengths and weaknesses. I now feel more prepared for future writing assignments, whether for work or for school.
I am now able to see the areas in which I lack in but I also recognize my strengths as well. To become a precise writer, you have to take the initiatives that will help you do so. These initiatives consist of working on different academic genres, planning and organizing material, identifying purpose and audience and for revising intentionally. It is also includes reading different types of texts and learning how to understand a writer’s argument and respond to the ideas of others.
I continued to type; I added in unnecessary symbolism and metaphors to give the illusion of a well-written paper. I was making good time, I had almost a page and a half done already, but suddenly I stopped writing. “ What next?” I had a case of writer's block, and it was bad.