Blog #1- Shitty First Drafts

Reading “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott made me gain confidence in how this ENC 2135 course will help me grow as a writer. While looking over the syllabus, the importance of several different drafts became apparent. I can now see why Mat assigned this as our first Read and Remix Blog Post. This article supports the planning of this course; writing takes several drafts until it is considered even average. I also became aware of the fact that in the past, my writing has stayed in the child’s draft. I pour my thoughts down on a piece of paper as they come into my head, and leave it that way. I currently only write in one seating, not as a process. I feel confident that this course will teach me that with each draft, several different creative processes are involved to take those initial thoughts to the next level. Another observation I made while reading “Shitty First Drafts” is that writing is a process, and therefore cannot be rushed or neglected until the last minute. I will take that lesson with me throughout the course and will not succumb to procrastination. This article touches on the apparent “glamour” of a writer. Readers do not see the creative process and struggle that writers face, only the end result. When reading a book, readers do not see the sweat and tears that existed on that first rough draft as their eyes gaze over the Nobel Price Winner sticker gleaming at them on the front cover. After reading this article from an author with an inside perspective, it will open my mind next time I read a novel. I have a newfound respect for authors; I might even see some faint tears on those thought out pages and story lines. This is why writing is so important in this world, it offers insight on writers’ perspectives and helps expand reader’s knowledge.