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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
I have been eyeing this book for a while. I finally decided to read it and I am glad I did. I have been stagnant in my writing lately and have been feeling overwhelmed. This book gave me the little push I needed to get me going again. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of writing, is writing, or is down on themselves for not writing like they feel they should.
A pleasant read, if not a tremendously useful one. I am generally anti-craft books because they all tend to give the same advice you’ve heard before using different anecdotes or metaphors, and this falls in the same trap — it’s full of good reminders with few new lessons. Still, Lamott has an eager sense of humor that lands 9 times out of 10, and though it got a touch repetitive at the end, she is mostly concise. I appreciated her frankness and vulnerability even if I didn’t find the book entirely worthwhile.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Pleasant collection of essays about writing & life. Some very general about life, some very specific to writing (eg how to write characters). Depending on what you’re looking for, high chance some feel less relevant than others.
Joy to read her light, fun, thoughtful style.
Some Christian vibes but not pushy at all.
Joy to read her light, fun, thoughtful style.
Some Christian vibes but not pushy at all.
In this beautiful book of essays, Anne Lamott shares personal experiences about her life, and how she has overcome some of the obstacles she’s faced in her career as a writer. Lamott says, “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.” This quote totally inspired me because it helped me realize that by wanting everything to be perfect, I was actually holding myself back. The biggest takeaway for me was to approach writing, and life, in a step-by-step, bird-by-bird, day-by-day way.
“Sometimes, no matter how screwed up things seem, I feel like we're all at a wedding. But you can't just come out and say, We're at a wedding! Have some cake! You need to create a world into which we can enter, a world where we can see this. There was an old desert dog in a comic strip yesterday, sitting with his back against a cactus, writing a letter to his brother that said, "At night the sun goes down, and the stars come out; and then in the morning the sun comes up again. It's so exciting to live in the desert." That's the wedding, right? To participate requires self-discipline and trust and courage, because this business of becoming conscious, of being a writer, is ultimately about asking yourself, as my friend Dale puts it, How alive am I willing to be?”
I read this in high school for my senior English class. I loved it then but I’m sure I skimmed most of it and I wanted to revisit it. I’m so glad I did! If you need a laugh, or a word of encouragement in the midst of writing, or if you’re wondering if you should start writing again, or start at all, this is the book.
I read this in high school for my senior English class. I loved it then but I’m sure I skimmed most of it and I wanted to revisit it. I’m so glad I did! If you need a laugh, or a word of encouragement in the midst of writing, or if you’re wondering if you should start writing again, or start at all, this is the book.
if you're like me and secretly wish to see your name in print, read this book. She'll inspire you, intimidate you, but mostly make you realize why you have this knawing urge to put pen to paper, and gives you the tools to do so.
3.5 Stars
There were some really great points in this book and some parts that required skimming. Lamott's humor is my kind of humor but some of her personal stories seemed to be unnecessary to the sections where they were written. I have several pages marked because those pages hold wisdom I'll need to remember as I work. One of my biggest issues with her personal stories were that I wasn't clear about who the people involved were until a later story in the book. Overall a good book about the process of writing with a few great tips hidden throughout.
There were some really great points in this book and some parts that required skimming. Lamott's humor is my kind of humor but some of her personal stories seemed to be unnecessary to the sections where they were written. I have several pages marked because those pages hold wisdom I'll need to remember as I work. One of my biggest issues with her personal stories were that I wasn't clear about who the people involved were until a later story in the book. Overall a good book about the process of writing with a few great tips hidden throughout.
I am not a fiction writer and I have no intention of writing fiction, yet this book taught me a great deal about the writing process. Lamott pulls back the curtains and opening writes about the struggles writers often face. The humor and emotion of the book make it inviting and engaging, even the portions directly intended to help with writing fiction. Anyone looking to improve their writing and write more frequently should grab a copy of this book.
"Good writing is about telling the truth."
"Embrace really, really shitty first drafts. Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. Need to start somewhere."
"Your readers are going to catch you if you try to fake it."
"To be a good writer, you not only have to write a great deal but you have to care."
"We don't have time to waste not writing because we are afraid we won't be good enough at it."
"Good writing is about telling the truth."
"Embrace really, really shitty first drafts. Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. Need to start somewhere."
"Your readers are going to catch you if you try to fake it."
"To be a good writer, you not only have to write a great deal but you have to care."
"We don't have time to waste not writing because we are afraid we won't be good enough at it."
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced