Shitty First Drafts
Anne Lamott (1995)
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 in your 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. Anne Lamott suggests that writing a first draft is important for freeing your thoughts, even if the draft is not perfect and no one will see it. Anne explains the purpose of a first draft and how to structure your way through revisions.
Why I Reject the Idea of Shitty First Drafts
Renee Long’s
In the reading “Why I Reject the Idea of Shitty First Drafts” Renee Long gave a talk about a different perspective on “shitty first drafts”. She suggested that we should not be too harsh on ourselves and instead, replace the word “shitty” with “seed draft”. According to her, we should never refer to our drafts as “shitty” because even if they are just our initial thoughts, we are still planting an idea and making an effort in our writing that eventually grow into something gorgeous. She uses various examples to demonstrate that writing is a process that starts with just planting an idea and drafting it along the way to achieve the desired result. Eventually, the writing process will become smoother, and things will come together.
RETHINKING THE SHITTY FIRST DRAFT
by George Dila
In the article “Rethinking the shitty first draft” George Dila expresses her dislike for shitty written drafts by using an example of construction. She explains that in construction, it’s easier to redo the cement work if something goes wrong, rather than trying to fix it later after the cement has hardened. While this may be true for construction work, it’s difficult to apply the same principle to writing. Many of us tend to write poorly at first and revise our work multiple times until it becomes better.
WRITER’S BLOCK IS EASILY PREVENTABLE
Michaela Ramirez
According to “Writer’s block is easily preventable” by Michaela Ramirez, When experiencing writer’s block, taking measures such as avoiding the rubric, taking breaks, and engaging in calming activities can help prevent its effects.
DIVERSIFY YOUR OUTLINES
Christopher Morales
The article “Diversity your outlines” by Christopher Morales argues that the writing process is more significant than the final written product itself. It is believed that if one follows the writing process, the resulting product will speak for itself. Teachers often provide a specific outline for students to follow, but in reality, most students do not use it until the completion of the writing assignment. You using your methods to structure your thoughts while writing can help you improve your writing skills.
Professor Chris’ friend has a specific way of working on assignments. He likes to create a detailed drawing outline before he begins writing. This helps him map out his ideas, concepts, and avenues for his writing, resulting in less room for interpretation. However, this approach can also provide more structure to the assignment. It is important to consider the specific assignment and the individual’s writing process when deciding whether or not to use a drawing outline.”
To sum up, the five articles teach us that we need to find a balance and a method that works for us when it comes to writing and organizing our thoughts. Often, we are given a specific structure to follow without really considering if it’s the best fit for our writing. As a piece of advice, I would suggest that you experiment and find what works best for you when it comes to writing.
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