In these twenty-nine pages (four chapters), Anne Lamott's wisdom continues, albeit repetitively (I haven't stumbled upon new advice yet). Unfortunately, I can't write with as much passion as I did while reflecting on the introduction, since there wasn't much that resonated with me.
First, she discusses the importance of thinking before you write. In a page or two, she recounts a multitude of things - rather unimportant things - that rush through her head before she actually begins typing her draft. All aspiring authors should allow themselves these few moments of freedom before the world of their writing captures and enslaves them, turning them into a writing zombie instead of a person. Everyone should allow the worries of the universe to engulf them for a couple of minutes. Then, so as not to grow lost in the void, they should take a deep breath and descend into reality once more. This is where the real writing begins, where fragments of genius begin to melt together like a delicious literary fondue.
...but maybe your first draft isn't very delicious. Perhaps you end up flunking your culinary class because your rich cheese dip turns out more like a bland, slimy, yellow...goo. A salty snot string of words. According to Lamott, that's okay! Not everyone can brew up literary masterpieces as soon as their fingers touch the keyboard. In fact, most don't achieve a satisfactory draft until their second or third revision - even then, a fourth or fifth may follow. (I'm editing my own book for the third time right now.) It is important for a writer to resist perfectionism, because if they focus on getting something absolutely precise, they will never finish their work.
I feel like I'm rambling now, and nothing about this post makes sense to me. So I'm going to stop; sorry if it's hard to follow.
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