In “Shitty First Drafts,” Lamott discusses the writing process. After reading this piece, think about how you approach writing assignments and write a few sentences describing this approach; for example, do you write several drafts? wait until the last minute? proofread carefully? Give honest details! Then, add what you would like to change or improve about your writing process.
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I most definitely write several drafts. I would do about 5 drafts until I finalize my writing. However, I don’t know if they even count as drafts because it’s more like brainstorming. I write freely while trying to piece all my ideas together. I struggle on making my drafts into my final. I just have so many ideas or sometimes none that It can be very hard on how to arrange it all. Depending on the assignment I will start at the beginning of the week that it is due or the day of. The times I do it the day of I always regret it. I always end up stressing myself when I would have just started writing a few days before it was due but I guess I do it to myself. Usually when it comes to proofreading I can not realize errors in my writing right away so I allow others to look over it and proofread it for me. I would love to improve being able to form my drafts into my final and proofread my own work.
When it comes to writing assignments, I kind of wing it. It’s not that I write anything and submit anything, but I trust myself once I’ve come up with the agenda. To elaborate, After reading the task and getting the prompt, I either make a mental or a separate note of what my writing should include. As I write or type, I go down the list as if it’s a checklist. So in hindsight, I don’t really make a draft. I personally feel like drafts are a waste of time. I’d rather type everything out and the fix it as I proofread. I feel like it also depends on the genre of writing. There are some writings that I can confidently type from the top of my head, and then there are some that I’d have to do some intense researching in order to complete. To change or improve my writing process, I think i’d have to lay aside any pride I have when it comes to my work. I’m very open to edits and corrections, but sometimes I find myself to confident about my piece. From now on I think it’ll be best for me to be open to other approaches when it comes to writing.
When I do a writing assignment, I like to understand what I am writing about in the first place. When I do get a general understanding of what I need to do, I just go straight ahead with my first draft, I write any thoughts that come up while writing and whatever is on the paper, I refine it, so it makes sense as well as add more details to make it longer, as well as meet the requirements set by the assignment. I also tend to do 1 to 2 drafts for me to read over it myself, fix any errors that I can find, and then send the first draft to a peer to see if I missed any mistakes. I usually pan the writing assignment over the few weeks before it is due, and then kind of do the finishing touches a day before it is due. I would hope to improve on my time management because sometimes I would do writing assignments like a day or so before it is due.