Patel 1

Twisha Patel

Professor Vazquez

ENC1101 Section 601

8 June 2021

“Shitty First Drafts”

In the essay “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott, she says that a writer can write

whatever comes to mind for the very first draft. Further, she declares to let go of the fears. One

should not think much and forget what the reader will judge or react to. She also mentions that

the first draft of some writers is very horrible, and it is tough for them to get to their thoughts.

Occasionally, it is good to write anything which comes to mind for the first draft. It is so because

when it is completed, one can figure out what does not belong in the first draft and then can

scratch the unwanted things off. This can lead to perfect second and third drafts. She talks about

different levels of writing in which the first draft can be written whatever one wants so that one

can furnish it and make a better second draft. The third draft should be perfect without any

mistakes.

This reading changed my perspective about revision and helped me change my way of

writing essays. Before reading this essay, I did not know different modification levels, and I

believed that the first draft should be perfect without any flaws. I used to write best at the first

go. For my significant project-1 (rough draft), I wrote whatever came to my mind and expressed

all my ideas. I included all the information and did not worry about sentence construction or

grammar. I just noted down all my thoughts. After that, when I received feedback from my peer

and made some necessary changes which he suggested. Making different levels of drafts is

undoubtedly beneficial as I welcome feedback which often helps me improve my writing. 

 Patel 2

Work Cited

Lamott, Anne. “Shitty First Drafts.” Writing about Writing, 4th ed., edited by Elizabeth

Wardle and Doug Downs, Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2019, pp. 88-91.

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