Sounds of frustration filled my kitchen as my daughter worked on a poem for her first grade teacher. “Ugh, I should’ve used pencil,” she said. “I keep messing up.”My response? “Well then, you are a real writer. We never get it quite right on the first try.”One of my favorite writings about writing is by Anne Lamott: “Shitty First Drafts,” from her book Bird by Bird. The first time I read it, I couldn’t help but shout out loud – “Amen, sister!” – despite being alone in my office. Lamott’s take is that shi*ty first drafts are necessary precursors to good second drafts and brilliant third drafts.Here’s what happens when I try to circumvent the really crummy first draft:

1. Stare at blank screen.
2. Try to write lead. Delete.
3. Repeat Steps 1 & 2 at least twice.
4. Clean out closet.
5. Return to computer and stare at blank screen briefly before deciding to catch up on e-mails and phone calls.
6. Stare at blank screen briefly again before deciding I really need to order some new [books, shoes, groceries, etc].
7. Surmise that I’ve worked long enough and deserve a break.

It’s a time suck, and who among us has time to spare? So, I’ve learned to embrace writing as a process – more often than not, a messy process. What works for me is to get words on paper (or computer) without thinking about structure or language. Frankly, my first drafts look like rough notes, but it’s a critical step. In subsequent drafts, I organize my thoughts, choose the right words and create my lead.

I’m no Anne Lamott, but I typically end up with a piece of work that accomplishes my objective. And if I approach it the right way, the writing process is an invigorating exercise capped off with a well-earned sense of accomplishment.However, there is a downside to unblocking the writer’s block… my closet is a mess, my friends feel neglected because of unreturned e-mails and phone calls, and my shoes are far past retirement age. But if that’s the price I must pay, so be it.- Jennifer Medley, Communications Strategist and writer