Using a playful tone of voice that's lots of fun, Anne LaMott engagingly develops the idea of the writing process as a medium between people and their inner selves. With such a tasteful use of expletives that I've never seen in any other piece of literature, LaMott notes the irreplaceable value of a "shitty first draft". In her chapter on school lunches, LaMott demonstrates how the little people that emerge from free writing may very well end up being the ones that stand out to the author. She believes that "writing a first draft is very much like watching a Polaroid develop" (p. 39). Once you get going and let it all out on paper, no matter how unfocused or pin-pointedly focused you think your thoughts are, you'll be surprised at how the picture slowly turns out. Whether it gains in shape, color, purpose, or a few extra details, gathering one's thoughts on paper through that first draft is an essential part of the writing process as a passive activity; the writer must allow his/her mind to roam free if they want to get the most out of it.
In "Shitty First Drafts", the author reveals that it's okay to spout crap the first time around; it isn't so easy for anyone: "The right words and sentences just do not come pouring out like ticker tape most of the time" (p. 22). In fact, according to her chapter titled "Polaroids", you don't even really have to have an idea of how your paper will end up looking. When the "grayish green murk" begins to take shape, it will be clear to you just what you need to do.
A lot of the stuff that she says, like "Just get it all down on paper", might sound like common sense, but honestly I've always been so daunted by writing assignments that I've never even considered these tips. However, Anne LaMott's laidback tone of voice helps me relate. Also, the fact that she allows her voice to shine through her writing about writing exemplifies her own ideas put into practice.
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