Preview

Bird By Bird, By Anne Lamott

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
308 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Bird By Bird, By Anne Lamott
In the book titled, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, she describes different techniques in how she goes about writing. Lamott mentions how much she procrastinates before writing drafts because sometimes panic sets in and also how her mind wanders at times. For example, she states that “I think about someone I’m really annoyed with, or some financial problem that is driving me crazy, and decide that I must resolve this before I get down to today’s work” (17). Although I do not write all that often, if I have a task at hand that is due in a timely fashion, I find that I too will procrastinate before getting to that task. I actually have done so in this first assignment. Feeling uncertain on whether or not I am doing this correctly is a reason I believe

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In elementary and middle school, we were all taught to write first drafts before writing our final copies. Teachers would tell us it is important to take the time to write and organize our thoughts and ideas before writing a final copy. I would never complete this step. I was usually one of the students that would spend my time writing to just get the writing done. Then, I would look over it quickly and correct only few parts. My “first draft” would usually end up being my final draft. I have never enjoyed writing and have never really liked my own writing. My writing was never the one talked about by teachers or ever given a good grade. I would never bother fixing my first draft because I never thought I could make it into a good quality paper. Lamott describes a brilliant writer sitting down and writing a polished piece of work in one sitting and then goes on to explain how that never happens. I found that really comforting because that is how I imagined many people writing. Now I know that is usually not how it happens. This made me realize that good writing just takes time. Some people might be better writers than others, but the way Lamott describes writing makes it seem that anyone can become good writer. I just need to take the time to write out my ideas to form an awful first draft that can later be revised into a “terrific” final…

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Unit 1 P1 Portfolio

    • 8089 Words
    • 33 Pages

    Like me, many students believe that procrastinating and writing a one-draft paper is the best way to approach a writing assignment; however, research claims this method has numerous negative effects on the individual. Therefore, other students and I should learn to begin their writing process in advance in order to avoid the feelings of fatigue, guilt, and anxiety after turning in an important…

    • 8089 Words
    • 33 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Shitty First Drafts,” a selection from Bird by Bird (1994), Anne Lamott claims that in order to write effectively it is necessary to just get a first draft written down, no matter how crappy it may be. She does this by disproving the assumption that great authors just sit down and magically spit out an amazing piece of work and by sharing her own experience writing awful first drafts. Ms. Lamott, an accomplished author, shared her experiences in order to demonstrate how all readers need to write that abhorrent first draft. She is writing to other, less-experienced writers to reassure them, and to help them become better writers.…

    • 304 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The author starts the story off by talking about who Betty Marie Tallchief was. Betty was a young girl born in Oklahoma in 1925. Her and her parents were Indian and were from the Osage tribe. Betty didn’t get too much respect in her school from other students just because she was an Indian. They teased her even more for liking ballet. Betty loved ballet and wrapped almost all of her life around it.…

    • 363 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the article, “Shitty First Drafts”, Anne Lamott discusses the topic of writing what inspires the brain for a first draft is a valuable approach to compose a paper. Anne confesses specialized writers even await a response for a hint at writing their next scoop. However, when the writer has first attempt to begin writing perfection they experience dread and edginess. This is what the writers need to write the best they can. In order to wind up with great second drafts and phenomenal third drafts, fruitful authors should upchuck out their thoughts on paper. Stated by Anne, the first draft is called the “Childs draft” a mess of words only for one’s eyes. Subsequent to backpedaling and modifying the first draft, start to structure and adjust…

    • 174 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Cynthia Rylant’s short story, “Papa's Parrot,” the main character, a 12-year-old boy named Harry Tillian who can't seem to spare the time to visit his papa at the family candy store during the afternoons. I firmly believe that the message in this story is to always appreciate the people around you before it's too late.…

    • 429 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sara Yoest Pederson wrote an article titled “The Family of a Different Feather”. The article deals with the touchy issue of same-sex parents and how to explain that some children have two moms or two dads instead of one of each. Children are curious about things like this but their curiosity does not always last very long. Sara Pederson used a well written children’s book to explain this to her child and suggests that parents do the same. Pederson goes on to say in the article that our society has judged some children’s books as “most challenged and inappropriate material for its age group”. Some of this is based on the “forbidden” same-sex parenting.…

    • 641 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett, is a short story that is a representation of the life within Maine. Jewett demonstrates the conflict Sylvia; a newly rural child faces when given the choice of pleasing the man she is attracted to or being faithful to the love she has for nature. Sylvia who knows the location of the White Heron; a unique bird, has to decided whether to place the love she has for nature above pleasing a hunter with the intention of stuffing the bird and adding it to his collection. In Jewett’s short story there are both dynamic and static characters. Sylvia’s grandmother is an example of a static character; she does not evolve.…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    11.03 Monologue

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages

    I had 4 memoirs left to write for the following day and annoyed with myself I began to spill words onto Microsoft word compromising the quality of my work to simply get it done. Never had I felt so abashed by my procrastination. Maybe it was because this time was different. This time I didn’t even know I was procrastinating. Humans are creatures of habit however, and that’s why I find this experience to be somewhat comical.…

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    “Riding the Elephants” by Barbara Kingsolver is a short story describing going to Nepal in 2016. Barbara goes to Nepal as part of her job to interview the lowest caste women, who are known as the “Untouchable Women.” When she is finished, she explores the inside world of the village and explores the Chitwan Reserve, full of Asian creatures. A park ranger invites her for a border patrol, on an elephant. By the end of the story, she feels at peace with the decisions she has made and feels secure in herself.…

    • 288 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shitty First Draft

    • 315 Words
    • 2 Pages

    During the writing process, one first has to get his or her thoughts on paper. This paper is known as the first draft. When writing a first draft, the writer tends to wonder whether it is more important to get all of his thoughts down than it is to write it well. There is more than enough time to revise your paper so that it is concise and well-structured. Since thoughts come and go, it is important to get them down on paper as quickly as possible. According to Anne Lamott, the author of Shitty First Drafts, the process of writing a first draft is not rapturous. She states that the “only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts.” She later states that what a character says is not overly important…

    • 315 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Shitty First Drafts

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In the essay “Shitty First Drafts”, Anne Lamott describes the process of writing first drafts. She addresses the many steps she goes through to come up with her final “polished” works. First, Lamott starts off with a brief summary of what she believes in, she also gives a short description of her thoughts and personal life. Lamott then addresses to what I believe is her thesis and is finally ready to talk about her “Shitty” first drafts. At first she writes what she calls a “child’s draft” which is her first 5 pages of just brainstorming. In this “child’s draft” of just visions and some what nonsense, she does this in thought that no one is going to see this first draft anyway so she gives herself the ability to write anything that comes to mind. However, as a writer she is always nervous that someone will get a hold of her first draft before she is able to revise it. She gives distinct visuals of her process, “It was almost just typing, just making my fingers move. And the writing would be terrible.” After crossing out lines and phrases that she could live without, she would continue on to rewriting a second draft.…

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bird By Bird Analysis

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages

    As illustrated by Anne Lamott, author of Bird by Bird, first drafts are not meant to be perfect, but merely to begin the writing process and generate ideas that can later be perfected. Lamott attempts to eliminate the common perceptions of the writing process, emphasizing the need for accepting flaws of an initial draft.…

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A Modest Proposal Essay

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Recently, Daniel Joseph tweeted “ Perhaps the greatest thief of time, and life, is procrastination”, this shows just what can happen if we allow laziness to dictate how we procrastinate. We need to figure out how to utilize the adrenaline we get from putting something off until the last hour, that rush when you wake up the morning it's due and have no other option than to succeed. Some might see that it’s ironic that the best way to brainstorm is to not take action at all, but think of it this way. Why force meaningless words on a blank piece of paper when you can wait for inspiration to come that will spur powerful sentences that convey what you truly wanted to express? Artists don't sit in front of a blank canvas until an idea manifests itself into a painting, they allow the idea to come natural, and in order to master the art of procrastination this part is essential. It boils down to being able to use your weakness to your greatest advantage, and I know just as well as anyone that this approach has its pros and cons. Putting things off simply just is relaxing the brain, and when you allow for your brain to relax when it isn't, it puts you in a…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Patricia Cornwell, a famous writer, once said, that “I believe the root of all evil is the abuse of power”. To receive power in one’s life, they bring out strong emotions, such as fear or guilt to persuade the person to obey their commands. But, these people are simply exercising their power, and only have a relationship with them asymmetrically. The person will authority has the ability to limit the choices of another, and uses physically or psychologically pain only to pursue their goal. A person can rightfully deserve power, or obtain power by acting savagely. Either way, having authority in society can force people to act inhuman, and make people suffer dramatically. Similarly, in the article “Simulated prison in ‘71 Showed a Fine Line…

    • 1870 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays