You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
It's a classic for a reason.
Stephen King's writing book felt more focused. This is a little stream of conscious, but there's lots of interesting nuggets of advice.
Stephen King's writing book felt more focused. This is a little stream of conscious, but there's lots of interesting nuggets of advice.
I am by no means a writer but I am so glad I read this book about how to be a better writer. I laughed out loud, reflected on different stages of my life, and all in all enjoyed it. Anne Lamott was entertaining, dramatic, deep, honest. I hope to read more from this author
This was the third time I had attempted to read this book on writing. I had given up twice somewhere in the middle but this time I was determined to finish. There are some real gems in these chapters. I love the broccoli and the short assignments. These are great bits of encouragement for writers -- though there are a few others in this book. What I struggled most with is the assumption of writing fiction. It's one way to write but it's not the bulk of my writing. So I wasn't as interested in how to mask the characters but how to find the courage to tell my story without ruining myself or my family. Moreover, this book doesn't convince me that Anne is in love with this process (which I have to believe she is from other things I've read of hers). It's this that makes this a most troubling read for me. She doesn't convince me of her love of writing. I hear more of her frustration. And this is frustrating.
My favorite lesson from Bird By Bird is that the greatest reward from writing is not publication, fame, and fortune. The greatest reward is internal. Because to be a writer is to pay attention, to be aware of one’s life and the people in it. Writing is worth this reward, even if no one else reads it.
I've been reading Bird by Bird on and off for the last eight months, laughing a little, giving a few nods of agreement, getting a few inspirational kicks in the pants. Great instructions for book writing and life living.
Fantastic book. I recommend this to all my creative friends, whether you're interested in writing or not, it's a great read.
Ok, ok, so it's been about 3 months since I begn this book and because of school and work I have only just finished it. This has got to be one of the best books I have ever read and the fact that it's on writing is so intriguing because I am not normally interested by this genre. Anne Lamott is so sincere and funny and I got so many good tidbits about not only writing, but life in general. Highly recommend this book.
A nice discussion of writing as a career. I enjoyed her dry humor and well thought out advice. Most of her chapters made me want to put down the book and try writing something, which I think is a plus. My only concern was that it was ended kind of on a downward note. I say kind of because overall, it was talking about how great writing is for you. I just wish she hadn't brought up how hard it is to publish for the millionth time. Maybe that lesson is more important for aspiring writers who are more obsessed with getting things published than I am.
slow-paced
This one was tough. The writing advice and anecdotes were whimsical & solid, BUT the sheer number of fat-shaming “jokes” and asides were disappointing and depressing.