No one can become really educated without having pursued some study in which he took no interest- for it is a part of education to learn to interest ourselves in subjects for which we have no aptitude.
T. S. EliotRead
The longer I write, the more important I believe it is to write the first draft as fast as possible. In drafting, I push myself so I am at the edge of discomfort...Later, it will be time for consideration and reconsideration, slow, careful revision and editing. But on the first draft I have to achieve velocity, just as you do if you want the bike to balance.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of quickly producing a first draft without overthinking, allowing for creativity to flow.
In this quote, Donald Murray discusses the significance of writing the first draft swiftly to unleash creativity and ideas without the hindrance of self-doubt or excessive scrutiny. He asserts that pushing through discomfort and achieving a 'velocity' in writing is crucial to finding balance in the creative process, which can later be fine-tuned during the revision phase. This approach encourages writers to prioritize initial expression over perfection, fostering a more productive writing experience.
Themes
WritingFirst DraftCreativityRevisionVelocityDiscomfort
In practice
Example use cases
In a writing workshop, when discussing strategies for overcoming writer's block, I would share this quote to encourage participants to write freely.
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