Shitty First Drafts

I related to Anne Lamott’s perspective on writing shitty first drafts. Honestly, I can be a perfectionist. Because of my perfectionist attitude, I strongly dislike doing shitty work. I believe it is due to the fact that it makes me feel shitty. Whenever I have a paper due for a class, I stare at my computer blankly for a long time until I actually start writing. Even if I have an idea, I will not put it down on my computer. Usually I do not put anything down because I feel like most of my ideas are stupid and I cannot communicate them well. Eventually I force myself to scribble whatever pops into my brain at the moment, because I realize that I need to start my work. Once I run with my ideas, I feel more confident. My writing gradually becomes neater and my sentences flow better. However, it has taken me a long time to realize the importance of writing shitty first drafts. Putting down all my unfiltered thoughts onto a document gives a special flair to my writing. It is almost therapeutic to erase all the garbage words and keep the creative bits and pieces. Additionally, seeing progress is an effective way to keep myself motivated to continue writing. If I am mentally piecing together what I want to convey to my readers, but I am not actively typing my composition, I feel disheartened. This is why I enjoy Lamott’s composition about shitty first drafts. She emphasizes how vital it is to allow yourself to write all the ideas in your head, even if they are not perfected.