Journal Three Response

I think that Lamott’s idea of a shitty first draft is absolutely brilliant. I know personally, the importance of writing down my thoughts immediately after something happens is crucial to form a good end product. In writing down pure thoughts and ideas soon after an event or happening, I feel the author is able to obtain a more raw, natural aspect to their writing. It ensures a genuine response to some sort of prompt. Later, this hastily written recounting can be shaped and formed into a well-written paper, or beautifully drafted story. I value a first draft very much so because it allows for the subconscious to speak; writing down a stream of consciousness can be a very powerful thing.

Lamott’s idea relates to my recent draft of my memoir in that immediately after the event that is being written about in my memoir occurred, I literally went home and wrote it down. I wrote it down, detailing every little thing I could recall about the day not because I was planning on forming a paper out of my notes, but because I didn’t want to forget what had happened. Upon receiving the assignment to write a memoir, I realized that there is no better day to write about than the one I chose. I was able to refer back to my notes to include complete descriptions and accurate details about everything that had happened. I think these details make the paper so much stronger and add exponential emotional appeal.

Writing my first draft for my personal memoir was critical to its eventual end product. I was able to throw together my thoughts and was able to see what would work and what seemed awkward or difficult to follow and understand. Having a peer read my potential memoir also was very helpful because it allowed me to get an outsider’s point of view as opposed to my own. I feel once you read your own paper a certain amount of times; you become inept at properly editing it because you are just too familiarized with your own words. Writing a shitty first draft is helpful in so many ways but I think its greatest advantage is just providing the opportunity to get your thoughts down on paper, where they can be properly analyzed and categorized.

Overall Lamott’s theory of writing a shitty first drafts is a great idea. I think it’s ridiculous that anyone could think that a writer could produce a masterpiece in one sitting. A first draft is not only imperative to a strong final draft, but it is also healthy for the writer. The act of just simply writing down thoughts and not worrying about sentence structure, or word choice is something everyone should experience at some point.

Journal Two Response: "My Addicted Son"

In reading David Sheff's "My Addicted Son" I learned a great deal about writing a powerful memoir that contains numerous elements that appeals towards an audience. Sheff's article was extremely powerful and moving, containing exponential amounts of pathos, an emotional appeal, which allowed for an easy feeling of empathy to encumber its reader. Sheff detailed his son’s battle with multiple drugs and addictions throughout his article, often including the grisly details and descriptions that go along with any addiction. Sheff did not sugarcoat the topic or make it any easier to take in and understand, which I believe added to the article's commanding message.

This story is extremely relevenat to today’s society in that addiction is all around us, everyday. So many celebrities are glorified in magazines and articles for their drug addictions and attempts at rehabilitation. Ask anyone and I guarantee they know someone, somehow that is currently battling or has battled an addiction in the past. Addiction is ruthless and apathetic and will stop at nothing to destroy a person from the inside out. Addiction is universal and it is for this reason that the audience of this article is everybody. Every person knows addiction, whether they themselves are the addict, struggling daily to overcome incredible temptations, or if the reader is the observer: the person that is stuck, helplessly watching another struggle with an internal battle raging inside, leading to their own self-inflicted demise.

The point of David Sheff’s story is to illustrate addiction, in its most raw and gruesome state. However, Sheff’s story carries a deeper meaning. Sheff not only portrays his son’s addiction but also details his own involvement with the disease. The author never gave up on his son and continued to reach out and provide help and support when the opportunity arose and that is the true underlying meaning of this article. Sure, addiction of any kind can tear a person apart. It can ruin a person’s life, destroy dreams and even become fatal. However, the deeper meaning of Sheff’s article strongly resounds past the debilitating affects of addiction described: it can be overcome. Through patience and dedication to his son’s wellbeing, Sheff aided in his son’s hopefully long lasting recovery. The article proves an addict often needs support from others to overcome their disease and Sheff illustrates how to go about offering that support.

Overall, the article was very powerful and moving. It was well written and the author leaves his audience on a hopeful note, one that leaves you with chills but also leaves a smile across your face. He leaves the audience with an optimistic quote and a chance for a better tomorrow for all addicts.