In the reading “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott from Bird by Bird She argues for the need to let go of fears, and critical thoughts on your own writing and insists that writers should put down on paper whatever comes to their mind for their first drafts, regardless of what they might think about it or how it might be judged by the reader.
She explains how the first draft is a “shitty first draft. That might lead to clarity and sometimes brilliance in our second or third drafts.” In paragraph 1, Lamott explains ,how people’s perspective on how writers work is completely different to how they really work, she refers to this as “The fantasy of the uninitiated.” Referring to those inexperienced writers or non-writers as uninitiated portraying them with a rookie look, and describing what they think writing is about as a fantasy. He then explains how very few writers really know what they’re doing until they’ve done it.
She goes on talking about how writers sometimes have horrible starts to their first drafts and how hard it is for them to get their thoughts going and writing their ideas down. Anne said how no writer “sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. Not one of them writes elegant first drafts.” She even wrote about a writer she knows that sits down every morning and says to himself nicely, “it’s not like you don’t have a choice, because you do. You can either type or kill yourself” a bit harsh of an option if you ask me, but this is the perfect example to show that being a writer is tough although it might look like a piece of cake to people’s perspectives sometimes.
Anne explained how “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts, but you need to start somewhere.” Sometimes writing whatever comes to mind might be a good thing because when you’re done you can scratch off anything that you feel that doesn’t belong there and you get to perfect your writing for your second and third drafts without worrying about anyone reading that horrible first draft.
She explains how the first draft is a “shitty first draft. That might lead to clarity and sometimes brilliance in our second or third drafts.” In paragraph 1, Lamott explains ,how people’s perspective on how writers work is completely different to how they really work, she refers to this as “The fantasy of the uninitiated.” Referring to those inexperienced writers or non-writers as uninitiated portraying them with a rookie look, and describing what they think writing is about as a fantasy. He then explains how very few writers really know what they’re doing until they’ve done it.
She goes on talking about how writers sometimes have horrible starts to their first drafts and how hard it is for them to get their thoughts going and writing their ideas down. Anne said how no writer “sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. Not one of them writes elegant first drafts.” She even wrote about a writer she knows that sits down every morning and says to himself nicely, “it’s not like you don’t have a choice, because you do. You can either type or kill yourself” a bit harsh of an option if you ask me, but this is the perfect example to show that being a writer is tough although it might look like a piece of cake to people’s perspectives sometimes.
Anne explained how “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts, but you need to start somewhere.” Sometimes writing whatever comes to mind might be a good thing because when you’re done you can scratch off anything that you feel that doesn’t belong there and you get to perfect your writing for your second and third drafts without worrying about anyone reading that horrible first draft.