Bird by Bird

Every time I start a new project, I run through all the reasons not to begin. Perfectionism is such an enemy to creativity.

Anne Lamott offers practical, hard-won advice on the creative process, getting over our self-imposed hurdles bird by bird (one by one). I resonated with her encouragement to compose a lousy first draft that we can then start to edit and refine. I’m so glad she challenged us to turn off the radio buzzing in our own heads.

We may not be able to see where our creative endeavors will lead, but Anne brings humor and humanity to… show more.

To play better tennis, watch Roger Federer; to be funny, tune in Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman, or Nancy Meyers; to deliver great mystery/suspense, read Lee Child; to write poetry that penetrates our hearts, read Mary Oliver or Maya Angelou. Our brains are wired for “mirroring” the neural activity that reflexively has us act like who we see or hear. 

Anne Lamott’s prose superbly (and seemingly) effortlessly paints word portraits of family, friends, circumstances, and (especially) herself that make us grin and laugh; feel mean, kindly or loving; chained or free; bemused or despondent. Wow! That’s literary range and brilliance. 

My… show more.

I recommend this book because I have found that creativity is on its own wavelength, and some days I have to work harder than others to find its harmonious rhythm. Some days the flow state is easy to glide on, and other days I find myself creating impractical methods to achieve the same results. This was until I discovered this book.

Lamont suggests breaking up the tasks into bite-size pieces and giving your whole self to the smaller tasks at hand. My confidence increases with each completed smaller task, and I end up having an enjoyable day.

I'm grateful Lamont… show more.

This is one of my favorite books on writing, and I re-read it this summer when I needed some inspiration to give me the kick in the pants I needed to finish a project I was working on. 

I feel like Lamott writes down all the things the rest of us are too afraid to say. She addresses things like self-doubt, procrastination, fear, and jealousy with such honesty and humor that it had me laughing out loud.

On top of this, she gives such wonderful advice on writing (giving yourself permission to write crummy first drafts is my favorite) that… show more.

Anne is the first one to tell you that writing is hard. And often, what you write as a first draft is terrible…and an essential step.

She helps take away the overwhelm by having you focus on one step at a time. It’s a lot easier to write knowing improving your work is part of the journey…vs expecting perfection at the onset. This is the essential writing book for new and experienced writers.

Each time I read it, I remind myself of something new and explore a new angle in my writing practice. This is a must-have for the creative… show more.

Bird by Bird is Anne Lamott's guide on how to achieve your dream of becoming a writer.

She offers sound advice and her personal perspective on how to improve your writing and, at the same time, enhance your life. Lamott effortlessly guides aspiring writers through conceptualizing what they want to say, writing a “shitty first draft,” and polishing off their work for publication. I read it every single year.  

Some writing books are about craft. Others are about the life of the writer. This influential and popular book brings those two modes together. 

No writer writes the perfect story, one perfect word at a time. In writing, perfect is the enemy of good. Since imperfection is necessary, it also becomes desirable.

Never be discouraged by early problems in a text. It is a cognitive distortion to think that “shitty first drafts” – to use Anne Lamott’s earthy term – make you a shitty writer. With experience, you will learn that such early writing is not sculpture, but clay, the… show more.

I and many other writers think of this book based on the title alone.

There is more to the book that the title, of course, but it is the clue to the meat of the book, which is, and I am paraphrasing: writing is hard to do, so take it one step at a time, sentence by sentence, word by word, bird by bird.

Lamott’s practical writing advice is filled with stories about writing. She is witty and funny and above all, practical. Because writing is difficult, she shines the light on that elephant in the writing room.

Part memoir… show more.

Lamott recalls when her ten-year-old brother put off a three-month project on birds until the night before it was due. She describes him as immobilized. Their father sagely advised, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”

Although these soothing words were indisputably not directed towards me, I cannot overstate how regularly they calm me in moments of thinly disguised hysteria. The metaphor is brilliant, plus I adore birds. Lamott frequently reminds the reader how quality writing requires—demands—full attention. So does deep reading. So does deep living. While this book is primarily about writing, it is equally about… show more.

No writer, whether aiming for publication or personal reflection, should be without this classic (and classically entertaining) guide that is guaranteed to inspire the writer to put her butt in the chair and to accept the truth that all first drafts are shitty. Honestly, Bird by Bird is one of the first ones that made me believe I could write. Anne Lamott also helped me learn to not take it all so seriously with her notion that we humans “are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are,” in contrast to sheep lice, who she says “do… show more.