This is a graded discussion: 5 points possible due Oct 26, 2022Writing Process ListNo unread replies.2121 replies. Purpose of the Assignment: To identify what you learned from studying your own writin

Writing Process and Drafting

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Part A.

Questions

1. How does Lamott define "shitty first drafts"?

2. What are some of Lamott's suggestions for dealing with "shitty first drafts"?

Summary

"All writers, according to Lamott, grapple with what she terms 'shitty first drafts': preliminary and disorganized attempts at writing. These messy manuscripts though imperfect serve as indispensable starting points for the necessary process of revision; they are a way to get words onto the page." Lamott passionately exhorts her fellow scribes against harshly critiquing these initial offerings and to concentrate their efforts on refining them into polished final products: a call for transformational edits over condemnatory judgments.

Part B.

How does reading this article make you feel about writing and drafting?

This article, by normalizing the inherent messiness of initial drafts and acknowledging that even seasoned writers grapple with early-stage challenges, has assuaged my anxieties about the writing process. As a confessed perfectionist who frequently battles discouragement over her preliminary attempts at assignments before embarking on substantial revisions - this insight from Lamott is particularly encouraging to me. Understanding flawed initial drafts as an inherent part of the process, not a personal shortcoming; this awareness instills within me a sense of comfort towards imperfection it also fosters my willingness to persist through subsequent versions.

Almost comforting, her framing of first drafts as "shitty" relieves pressure; it's a strategy: call them not finished essays but rather, fragmentary works-in-progress. This terminology mitigates my inner critic and allows me to perceive these drafts merely as stepping stones. Lamott argues for this perspective not settling for subpar work but withholding self-judgment during the exploratory phase where we unearth our ideas (Lamott, 1994). Experimentation and freedom receive encouragement from this perspective: it allows thoughts to wander unrestrictedly until they gradually find their way back tightening up the structure and flow.

How does it change how you understand writing and drafting?

Lamott's article changes how I understand writing and drafting in a few key ways: "There is no such thing as good writing' in early drafts, she emphasizes, since 'we are just as inept or perhaps even more so' during these formative stages (Lamott, 1994)." This emphasis aids my acceptance of imperfect initial attempts; instead of expecting immediate polished work, I now understand the importance of this recognition "The only way us mortal writers can produce any written work is through the creation of messy initial phases, as Lamott emphasizes: 'the only way to get anything written down at all for us, is to write shitty first drafts'."

"Do not judge early drafts," she advises, "as you must not skip the first draft"; these flawed versions serve as necessary foundations to build upon. Lamott further suggests that one should "forgive oneself for the terrible first draft," emphasizing that allowing self-indulgence in writing garbage and subsequently editing it out is the key trick. This perspective of drafting liberates me; it allows me to concentrate on unencumbered initial exploration, not perfectionism. Lamott's insights into the process of writing, which emphasizes its iterative nature rather than a fixed product, have empowered me to approach drafting with reduced anxiety over initial high standards. This understanding allows for greater acceptance of the continual revisions inherent in this task.

Reference

Lamott, A. (1994). Shitty first drafts. Writing about writing: A college reader, 527-531.