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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
Why did I not read this book sooner? So many pages I'd like to bookmark to come back to when I need to hear that. Not as good as King's On Writing, but this hits me in a similar way.
medium-paced
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
A humorous and relatable peek into the mind of a writer. While many parts speak to the author’s traditional publishing journey, there is plenty of wisdom that applies to indie authors as well. Ms. Lamott’s style is enjoyable, like having coffee with a friend, and her engaging stories had me finishing the book in a matter of days.
A great read for anyone, on any part, of their writing journey!
A great read for anyone, on any part, of their writing journey!
There are many books on writing out there that act as little lanterns of glowing hope (and help) to aspiring writers (seasoned, new, young, old, ad infinitum) who are ultimately trying to find the path that'll lead them towards becoming better at the craft (and let's be honest...get published and validated!)
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is certainly not the first, nor will be the last book written on the art of writing, but it seems clear for now, that the book is staking its claim as more than just a lantern guiding a way forward--for many would say Lamott's book is a whole damn lighthouse.
Now that I've read this cover to cover I understand why some people love this book and why some say Lamott makes writing sound like passing a kidney stone. I fall somewhere in the middle between these two.
Doris Lessing's advice on how to read books is coming to mind...
There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops, picking up books that attract you, reading only those, dropping them when they bore you, skipping the parts that drag-and never, never reading anything because you feel you ought, or because it is part of a trend or a movement.
I don't think I'll ever read Bird by Bird from cover to cover again (too many books to read and get writing!) but I'm sure I'll go back and read certain chapters. I'm glad my aunt gifted this book to me over the summer and I'm glad I took the time to read this book.
*Side Note: I'm reading "Becoming a Writer" by Dorothea Brande (published in 1934) and wish I had found this book BEFORE reading Bird by Bird. Brande's book gets to the crux that plagues so many writers from the start...fears that "genius can't be taught" and confronts and shines light on the fact that every writer really should see themselves as "two" not a singular "one". I'm enjoying her focus on the conscious and unconscious aspects of ourselves and how they can either tag-team or work against one another. I highly recommend this book to my fellow writers out there...I'm glad to have stumbled across it.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is certainly not the first, nor will be the last book written on the art of writing, but it seems clear for now, that the book is staking its claim as more than just a lantern guiding a way forward--for many would say Lamott's book is a whole damn lighthouse.
Now that I've read this cover to cover I understand why some people love this book and why some say Lamott makes writing sound like passing a kidney stone. I fall somewhere in the middle between these two.
Doris Lessing's advice on how to read books is coming to mind...
There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops, picking up books that attract you, reading only those, dropping them when they bore you, skipping the parts that drag-and never, never reading anything because you feel you ought, or because it is part of a trend or a movement.
I don't think I'll ever read Bird by Bird from cover to cover again (too many books to read and get writing!) but I'm sure I'll go back and read certain chapters. I'm glad my aunt gifted this book to me over the summer and I'm glad I took the time to read this book.
*Side Note: I'm reading "Becoming a Writer" by Dorothea Brande (published in 1934) and wish I had found this book BEFORE reading Bird by Bird. Brande's book gets to the crux that plagues so many writers from the start...fears that "genius can't be taught" and confronts and shines light on the fact that every writer really should see themselves as "two" not a singular "one". I'm enjoying her focus on the conscious and unconscious aspects of ourselves and how they can either tag-team or work against one another. I highly recommend this book to my fellow writers out there...I'm glad to have stumbled across it.
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Full of wisdom, be sure to have a notepad handy to jot down all the quotes which will inspire you so you can post them above your desk or tattoo them on your skin.
Love her or not, Anne Lamott is definitely a character and definitely has her own voice. This is my second read of Bird by Bird in an effort to gear up to edit my NaNoWriMo novel from November. This book has good stuff in it. If you're looking for straight-up writing advice, you're not going to be happy because there are a lot of anecdotes surrounding it. Think of it as Anne being your buddy over some coffee. She's going to tell you you'll be okay, while you have to reassure her that she's still okay.
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced