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In the book titled, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, she describes different techniques in how she goes about writing. Lamott mentions how much she procrastinates before writing drafts because sometimes panic sets in and also how her mind wanders at times. For example, she states that “I think about someone I’m really annoyed with, or some financial problem that is driving me crazy, and decide that I must resolve this before I get down to today’s work” (17). Although I do not write all that often, if I have a task at hand that is due in a timely fashion, I find that I too will procrastinate before getting to that task.
I actually have done so in this first assignment. Feeling uncertain on whether or not I am doing this correctly is a reason I believe why we may put something like this off. Another example of procrastination within this book is the story she tells about her brother putting off his bird project till the very last minute and how stressed out he became over it. It can be overwhelming and scary having a deadline. I think that is why we procrastinate. Hopefully along the way, one has the support of others to help them through it.
Her brother had his father supporting him by telling him to take it just one step at a time and he eventually will get it done. I also like how she talks about Perfectionism and how one might think it’s the proper way to write but it is quite the opposite. I have learned in this chapter, that it takes many drafts to make a good one. That just simply writing down any and many thoughts on a piece of paper can be a great outcome to your final draft and that many great writers are not perfectionists.