“Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott

My go-to planning strategy when it comes to writing an essay, usually involves me

looking at the rubric and checking to see what exactly has to be included. Then I open up a

google doc and create an outline. I make a heading for every part that has to be included in the

essay and then move on to answer each part. An example, if the essay wants me to talk about my

favorite childhood memory and then how that memory impacts me today, I'd answer those

separately. This way I know that when it comes to writing the said essay, each requirement is

definitely covered and everything else just involves adding in fluff and quotes. I did this exact

thing when it came to writing my first college paper during the summer semester. Granted, the

class was set up to where the majority of our assignments were a big aid in writing this paper.

Regardless, using this technique when planning out my paper made the writing process easier

and go by faster. Doing all of this is really what helps me get into my writing "zone". I already

know what I have to talk about, and how I want to do it, so mentally I'm already in the essay

headspace. Honestly, I didn't find any connections in Lamott's essay that can relate to any past

experiences of mine. "I'd write a lead paragraph that was a whole page, even though the entire

review could only be three pages long, and then I'd start writing up descriptions of the food, one

dish at a time..." (Lamott, 2005) Most of her essay talks about how she goes through rough drafts

of just word vomit on paper, but every time I have been forced to do a rough draft in the same

manner, I don't understand the point of it. To me, a final essay of mine, and a literal rough draft

have very little, if any, differences. Maybe I'd change the wording of a sentence if it makes no

sense or correct errors, but I've never changed my mind completely on what I'm writing about.