Proper Apa Format

Full title of Your Paper Here

Name

Name of School

Abstract

Begin typing your abstract paragraph here. The paragraph should be 150-250 words. After typing in you abstract go up to the insert ribbon, click page break. Doing so will take you to the first body page of your paper.

Your Full Title of Paper Here Again

Hit tab key one time and begin typing the text of your paper. When you get to the end of a line do not hit the Enter or Return key. Instead allow the computer to conduct word wrapping. With word wrapping your computer will automatically adjust your sentences to the setting you have provided double spacing and one inch margins. At the end of a paragraph hit Enter one time to being a new paragraph.

Hit tab one time to indent and continue typing you next paragraph. Remember that in APA any source that you use in your paper must have an in-text citation. This in-text citation consists of the author's last name and year of publication in parentheses, like this (Snyder 2009). If the source you are using does not identify an author, then have a shortened version of the source title in place the authors name like this ("Sally Snyder "2009).

I feel Lamott chose the title "Shitty First Drafts" because no matter whom you are your first draft is not the one that is used. It is simply the first step in the writing process and it impresses on the fact that no one is perfect. I'm sure Stephen King made quite a few revisions before each of his books was published. I find her essay effective because I can relate to her. I tend to do the same thing when I write I start of as she describes writing "the child's draft" and every thought I have in my head I put on paper and then organize it later. This way I don't forget all the ideas I had in my head. I don't necessarily experience the "voices" in my head the way Lamott describes. For me it's more or less my inner voice speaking up and reminding me of past experiences that I can relate my writing to. Lamott, Ueland and Stafford all have a similar message in that nothing written is perfect the first time but it doesn't mean that it isn't worth writing and revising until it is "perfect". I think I could relate to all of these writers in some way. I believe we all have something to say and I also feel that if you want to succeed you also have to be willing to fail in order to.