A Comparison Between Shitty First Drafts and Seven Ways High School Prepares You
A Comparison Between Shitty First Drafts and Seven Ways High School Prepares You
Written communication is one of the most convenient ways to express thoughts and opinions with limited interference. Various authors use writing to connect with their audience and target a specific audience based on the content they intend to share. The writing process can be complex, especially when delivering a sensitive message or discussing a controversial topic. In some instances, important information may be left out during the writing process. Shitty First Drafts and Seven Ways High School Prepares You for Failure discuss various considerations that can be made in the writing process to deliver clear content and avoid forgetting important information.
In Shitty First Drafts, Anne Lamott discusses the importance of writing drafts based on her own experience. She argues that all good writers write drafts to develop clarity on what they want to write about. She adds that writers should consider beginning the writing process by writing the first draft and continuing to make improvements in the second and third drafts until they are satisfied with their written content. Lamott also criticizes people’s perceptions of great writers. She argues that many people’s perceptions of how writers develop their content differ from reality because most people assume that writers write what they want to communicate to their audience in one sitting (Lamott 1). She also narrates how writing drafts helped her develop clear reviews and what she learned from the experience.
In Seven Ways High School Prepares You for Failure, Kelsey Diaz offers a different perspective on the writing process based on what she experienced when writing college assignments. Diaz argues that rough drafts are important in improving the written content (Diaz 708). Diaz then explains what college students should avoid when writing college papers. She begins by describing the format of college papers and cautions her audience against exceeding five paragraphs in their essays. She then discusses how college students can write objectively, how to cite the resources used to find the information presented in the paper, and how to verify results.
The two articles use an informal tone to connect with the readers and make the content more enjoyable for the audience. The authors in the two articles also directly address their audience and use examples to explain their arguments. However, there are various differences that distinguish the two articles. One of the differences is the audience. The audience for Seven Ways High School Prepares You for Failure is students preparing to join college or those who have recently joined college. Conversely, the audience for Shitty First Drafts is individuals who have limited experience in writing and those who assume that a writer can write a great story without creating a draft to guide their thoughts.
The second difference is the purpose of the essay. Lamott’s purpose is to convince the audience that writing requires planning and continuously improving content. On the other hand, Diaz’s purpose is to inform college students of the Dos and Don’ts they should consider when writing college papers. The third difference is the subject. On the one hand, Lamott talks about the importance of drafts in the writing process. On the other hand, Diaz discusses the rules college students must follow to deliver quality college papers. The two articles also have a different writing style. Lamott’s writing style includes narrating her experience in using drafts to create written content. Contrariwise, Diaz’s writing style does not include sharing any personal experiences.
Works Cited
Diaz, Kelsey. “Seven Ways High School Prepares You for Failure.” Writing about Writing: A College Reader, AMAC Accessibility Solutions, 2018.
Lamott, Anne. “Shitty First Drafts.” Language Awareness: Readings for College Writers, Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005.