Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Quotation of the Week: Anne Lamott

"Writing a first draft is very much like watching a Polaroid develop. You can't—and, in fact, you're not supposed to—know exactly what the picture is going to look like until it has finished developing. First you just point at what has your attention and take the picture."

—Anne Lamott
Source: Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (1994)

(For those who are too young to recall the significance of Polaroid photography, please click here.)

5 comments:

Theresa Milstein said...

I agree - that's a great analogy. In our digital age, that quote will be relevant to only the older among us.

Anonymous said...

This quote came at just the right time, since I'm about to finish the first (underdeveloped) draft of my memoir. Thanks, Erika!

Philip Graham said...

Excellent quote that I am (sigh) old enough to understand . . .

Lori Rader-Day said...

One of my favorite books. Thanks for the reminder I need to re-read it.

Lisa Romeo said...

Another great piece of advice from Ann Lamott and her fabulous Bird by Bird !
Glad you are feeling better, Erika.