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ramblr37's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Great writer, funny interesting stories, great tips on writing
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Drug use, Cursing, and Alcohol
singalana's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.25
Bird by Bird is a beautifully written book about writing. Even though it's originally written in the 1990s, the book doesn't feel dated in my opinion. Anne Lamott shares the wisdom she has accumulated over the years, and the book feels like a long conversation rather than a set of instructions. If you're looking for a gentle approach to writing and what it means to be a writer, this might be the book for you.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Child death, Chronic illness, Cancer, and Alcohol
lizgriffinwords's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.75
Part memoir, part guide to life as an author. This authentic and lively book runs the gamut of emotions from heart-wrenching to belly-laughter-inducing. While some of the author’s tips aren’t applicable for the modern digital era or for certain genres of publishing (literary fiction vs kid lit & YA), there is so much wisdom that any writer can benefit from.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Alcohol
prachidayal's review against another edition
funny
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
3.0
- Medium read (6 - 8 hours)
- This book was the complete opposite of concise. Lamott discussed omitting excess parts of your writing and building a strong foundation but evidently did not follow her own advice. Many of the anecdotes were irrelevant, drawn out, and random. The advice about discovering your characters was so flowery and generic which was very disappointing.
- I liked some of the metaphors to explain writing tips. As I mentioned, the advice regarding characters was frustrating, but some of her other tips were explained beautifully. The best advice she offered was about how to rewrite your manuscript to make it more cohesive by laying out all the pages. Also, I think the mention of her writers' group was a very good decision. Finally, I could appreciate some of the humor and vulnerability in the book. I appreciated Lamott sharing her experiences with jealousy, sadness, anger, etc.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol
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