Eng 100-11/ Blog# 4: Anne Lamott "Shitty First Draft"

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Danielle Rogers
Eng 100-11
Ms. Sanford
Blog #4: Anne Lamott
“Shitty First Draft”
9/9/11

Anne Lamott “Shitty First Draft”

            In the reading, Anne Lamott “Shitty First Draft”, in paragraph 4, Anne talks

about writing her “shitty” first draft by stating, “The first draft is the child’s draft, where you let

it all pour out.” (Pg 56)  Basically, all Anne is doing is free-writing, where she just write all her

thoughts down without organizing them.  This is the same method I use when I began my writing

process, and constructing my first draft.

            When constructing my first draft, I usually start my writing process by just free-writing,

 listing all my thoughts on the paper without putting them in any order.  Then, I will begin

brainstorming, where I will start putting a circle around the ideas I will be using.  Once I know

 what ideas I want to talk about in my paper, my thesis/main idea will come to play.  From there

I will begin constructing my first draft.

              Before I began my writing I think to myself, what will I write about, especially if I

don’t know anything about the topic, which mainly occurs when I am writing a research paper.

But when I am asked to construct a paper about a specific topic I can relate too or know a lot

about, than I will just began writing down all different types of thoughts pertaining to the topic. 

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After I have gathered all my thoughts my writing process began. 

            After I finish my writing I will proof-read it to see if there are any errors such as

grammar, punctuation, run-on sentences, and fragments.  Most of the time I might feel that my

essay is in tip- top shape, but I will give my paper to another individual to also proof-read my

 essay.  Once that person began reading over my essay, that person had found two errors, a

grammar error, and a punctuation error.  Other than that, I was told it was a great essay.  But to

watch out for those minor errors, because it will be a down fall for me if my professor or any

other writing instructor may have read it. 

            But whenever I start my first draft, it will be a “shitty” one, because I would just write

down all my thoughts without any type of organization.  I will just free-write without any

worries of having grammar, punctuation, run-ons, and/or fragment.  Whatever ideas I came up

with I just wrote them down, without connecting them together to form a complete paragraph.

            I enjoy the opportunity to be able to construct a “shitty” first draft, or as I should say,

 

free-writing, because it’s no right or wrong way. 

Eng 100-11/ Blog #3: Malcolm X's " A Homeade Education"

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Danielle Rogers

Eng 100-11

Ms. Sanford
    Blog #3: Malcolm X’s 

        “A  Homeade Education” 
                       9/9/11

Malcolm X’s “A Homeade Education

            “Yes, I made it!”  That’s what I yelled out as I walked across the stage at my ceremony; they had given me at Hernandez Transitional School.  The ceremony was a promotion for me to proceed into a 4 year high school.  This was the best time of my teenage years.  But of course, before my great accomplishment, came obstacles I encountered, trying to make it to the top.  I failed summer school, and I had to attend a transitional school, just to name a few.  But my turning point accrued when my mother signed me up for tutoring.  With all I encountered, I learned to accept everything as it comes the good, and the bad, because this is what shaped me into becoming a bright young woman.   

In the summer of 1999, I was in 8^th grade, when I faced my first obstacle in my pre-teen years.  I had to go to summer school, due to failing my IOWA Test in the Reading section, during the regular school year.  When summer school began, I was so upset with myself; I think I cried for a week and a half.  As the weeks went by, I began getting more involved in the activities, and studying sections. 

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But that didn’t help, because I failed the Reading section once again, by one point.  I was sad to here that I will have to attend a transitional school.  To me, that was a punishment because I didn’t know what to aspect.

            Now it’s the fall 1999, I had entered a new world, that’s how I felt at that time.  Attending Hernandez Transitional School was the most devastating time for me.  But as the months went on I grew to accept the fact that, I was placed in that transitional school, so I could get the help I needed to proceed on to high school.  I got the skills I needed to help me start to build me knowledge in reading.  I learned the concept of brainstorming, and free-writing to start writing an essay.  With those skills I finally passed the Reading section on the IOWA Test, and proceeded on to high school.    

But I couldn’t have accomplished any of those things without my mother signing me up for Tutoring in Reading.  My mother was the most influential person in my life, at the times I was going through the depression mode.   With her continuously telling me I can do it, motivated me to step up and try writing an essay, and reading books.   Not only did my mother sign me up to tutoring, but she brought me books, sat down with me, and helped me sound out words I didn’t know how to pronounce. 

The process I went through to help me learn how to read, and write essays, shaped me into a very bright young woman I am today.

Eng 100-11 Blog Assignment #1 Part II

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Danielle Rogers

Eng 100-11

Ms. Sanford

Blog #1-Part II

9/1/2011

My Main Focus in Reaching my Goals in this Class

            I come to this class with high expectations and determination about mastering the first

step toward becoming a great writer throughout my remaining semesters here at Roosevelt

University.  This process starts with participation and, most importantly, practice, as was stated

in class.  Lacking ability is a major concern.  Nothing is better than being comfortable with

what one has written.  I’m on a mission to build a great writing strategy to help me construct a

well developed paper.

            I’ve have struggled with my grammar throughout my years in school.  It’s like, I know

what I want to say, but it won’t come out on paper.  I begin more less free-writing instead of

focusing on one specific main idea and thesis.  I want to be more organized.

            What I am proud of is the fact that, after my mother signed me up for tutoring when I

was 16 years old, I  have learn to construct an essay without too much of a struggle,   

meaning I can be told to write an essay on a specific topic and know how to begin working to

achieve that goal.  In some cases, I might be told to construct a paper about myself.  With help

 from my tutor, Ms. Williams, I am very pleased to say that I have passed both of my English

courses (101 and 102) with fewer grammar errors that I would have made before I went to

tutoring.   

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            Once I refresh my mind by recalling the different techniques that I have learned,  

I will be able to start building a specific strategy for constructing my papers, and, my

writing will become more interesting and, most importantly, more suitable to share with others. 

My goal is to master the strategy of constructing a well developed paper by the end of this

writing course.