A Letter to Ms. Lamott

Ms. Lamott-

I couldn’t help but relate to all your fears and anxieties about writing. It is definitely a difficult process, and I know that I find it most hard to start typing away when I really have no idea where or how to begin. Much like you, my mind begins to wander after a few minutes of frustration, and once I come back to task and stare at the blank word document, I curse myself for wasting time. Hoping it doesn’t become a habit, I start worrying about how long it’s going to take to write, and if in fact I can write anything interesting at all. More time gets wasted; it’s a hideous cycle.

With that said, I really found your concept of the “shitty first drafts” helpful. I had never thought to just write down what I was thinking, as I am usually so concerned with the formatting and organization of essays. With a bad first draft, however, there is no worry about mistakes and errors. There is only room for improvement, and through editing your writing could be made into one of your best works yet.

I also agreed with your suggestion at having an honest and reliable source read your writing. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes is the best thing for your writing, for they see things you, as the writer, do not. This way you can see how your audience may respond and you can tweak something just write to get the reaction you wanted in the first place.

While I also agreed with your idea of the “one-inch picture frame” and writing “bird by bird”, I also think it’s important to have bigger goals in mind so that your writing can work to this point. If every paragraph were written like a short story, you would never get anywhere. Everything would be an over-dramaticized version of itself. Sometimes, things need to be short and to the point so that the real focus is on what matters, not what really doesn’t.

I truly enjoyed your article. It was a pleasure to read and I will certainly put your suggestions to work in future writing assignments.

Thanks,

Lauren Caccamo