Fiction Scribe

Welcome again to another Bird by Bird discussion. Last week we discussed “Short Assignments�. This week we’re reviewing “Shitty First Drafts� and “Perfectionism�.

The reality of ‘shitty first drafts’ is something I think needs to be told to every writer, as early as possible. The sooner you realize no one sits down and writes (without revision) what you sit down and read in book form, the sooner you’ll be less overwhelmed by the whole writing process. As Lamott says, “The first draft is the child’s draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later.�

When you realize that the first draft isn’t going to be perfect – likely not anywhere near perfect – then you can get everything down and let it out without the usual roadblocks or voices.

I like how Lamott freely admits what many of us probably do but wouldn’t want to admit – talk to all the imaginary people floating around in our minds. I’m exactly the same way. If a possibility enters my mind, I’m automatically thinking of possible reactions from people and possible conversations I would have with those people, who may or may not exist depending on what enters my mind.

As Lamott says, the first draft should be about letting these imaginary people and voices do whatever they want. Strangely enough, it’s in this chaos of things you know, in the back of your mind, your characters wouldn’t say but go ahead and say anyway. It’s in the chaos that you find the strange, muddy diamonds that move on to the second draft.

“Perfectionism� is a section I was dreading a little, to be honest, as I can sometimes be a perfectionist.

My dread grew upon reading the first sentence: “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people.�

However, Lamott is completely right. Perfectionism is a huge voice that has definite power to keep you from writing the aforementioned shitty first draft. Perfection is a suffocation device that goes against what it is to creatively write. Not having it may mean more editing in the end, but it also means never settling for something that you think is “as good as it gets�.

She took this section in a way I didn’t expect but greatly appreciated. She suggests perfectionism is caused by past hurts. We become perfectionists because we are afraid of getting hurt again and want to avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately, one of those costs could be good writing from you.

I’m glad I chose to review these sections together because they are so closely related. Shitty first drafts are the foundations to good stories, and perfectionism can kill these drafts. I enjoyed both sections and realized I needed a bit of reminding on both subjects.

What did you think of these sections? Is there anything I didn’t mention that you’d like to talk about?

*For next week, read “Character� and “Plot�