Blog #2 "Shitty First Drafts"

          In the essay, “Shitty First Drafts," Anne Lamott describes the writing process from her perspective.  She removes the illusion that a writer sits down and it all perfectly flows with their first draft.  Although, she generalizes all writers stating, "not one of them writes elegant first drafts.  All right, one of them does, but we don’t like her very much.”  It helps you as a reader take into consideration that the beautiful book you just finished was not written in a day.  It may have taken months and in some cases, years.  I was tickled to know I wasn’t the only writer who found only a few lines of greatness in my four-page paragraph. 

            Her explanation of it being difficult for even the best writers is very comforting.  It takes the mystery out of the process. She describes, “we all often feel like we are pulling teeth,” and how each writer has a different ritual they perform to get the process started.  She encourages the new writer to just allow what ever comes to mind out.  Put it on paper and do not judge it.  She calls it the “Child’s draft.”  Don’t try to make sense out of what comes to your mind just type or write.  Keep writing you may find the meat of your story on page 6 on the very last line you write.

            After reading this essay, I am left feeling lighter by my writing style.  I just wrote a blog the other day on my iPad and published it before I revised it.  My silly mistakes where there for all to see, just like a trail of underwear at the Laundromat leading directly to my car.  It’s all out there for the world to see!  Thank God for revision or they would all be Shitty First Drafts!