Analysis Of Anne Lamott's Article 'Shitty First Drafts'

Mya Meyers
Mrs. Sallie Butler
ENGL111
20 June 2023
The Most Well Written Article
The article “Shitty First Drafts” is written by Anne Lamott, as she shares her personal experience and knowledge on the highly complex processes of writing, giving emphasis to the importance of utilizing and accepting the fact that first drafts are not going to be perfect. Throughout the text, Lamott uses several rhetorical choices to talk with her audience, which includes the use of logos, pathos, and ethos. These devices help shape this article into the single best and most well written source as talking directly with her audience allows her to maintain a constant and open connection.
The ethos is a rhetorical device, most often defined and used as the appeal

Logos is a very prominent rhetorical device in Lamott's argument as she is presenting several amounts of reasoning within her writing. Lamott explains that writing a first draft is allowing “childlike” expression without judgment. (1) She argues that the first draft may serve as a platform for the drafts that follow, and in turn, this allows for the refinement of ideas to occur. As Lamott describes the writing process, she also states that “if the kid wants to get into really sentimental, weepy, emotional territory, you let him.” (1) Through this she can emphasize the logicality of writing the way that you personally want to write. She further emphasizes this by stating that writers should simply “get it all out on paper” and just dump their ideas. (1) Through this combination of claims Lamott makes regarding the writing process, she can clearly depict the importance of getting all of your ideas out in the open, as it will increase developmental progress as a writer academically, professionally, and even personally. With the use of logos, Lamott can advise writers to prioritize the process of writing, rather than the result, further resulting in a sense of full individual progression and

Pathos is very common Lamott's writing as she creates an empathetic tone by describing the struggles and doubts that writers face. Lamott mentions the several feelings of frustration, even going as far as to say she was worried about “getting creamed by a car” before she was able to “write a decent second draft” (2) that will arise during the process of writing, consequently, she emphasizes that even the most successful writers will experience those challenges. Through this, Lamott can invoke empathy, as she understands how frustrating the writing process may possibly be. She even emphasized another personal appointment, as she explained how she would “just make her fingers move” but the “writing would be terrible.” (1) Lamott’s detailed account of this allows her to stand with the writers, when they feel that their work might be of the same level she was previously at. Furthermore, as Lamott says this and develops her connection with beginning writers who may feel discouraged or maybe even feel overwhelmed, by offering them positive reinforcement and words of encouragement. Lamott’s word choice also has a direct impact on the pathos she portrays in her article, simply by beginning with the title “Shitty First Drafts”. Her word choice is reminiscent to that of a normal friend, and this level of