Do you feel like you could be a writer? Do you think that all you need to create some good stories is a little instruction? Would you like the advice that you receive to come packaged with understanding and humor? Do you wonder how the school lunches you ate when you were little reflected your life? Then Anne Lamott has created a book that revolves around you.
In her book, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Lamott goes over many difficulties encountered in a life of writing. She includes chapters such as ?Character? and ?Plot?. This may sound a little dry, but how could you go wrong with chapters named ?Shitty First Drafts?, ?School Lunches?, and ?How Do You Know When You?re Done?? scattered throughout? Even the chapters whose titles sound commonplace and old-hat are chock full of humor, comical life experiences, and especially great advice.
Lamott leads us on a writing journey, from not even being able to start writing right up to publication, and then beyond. What lies beyond publication? Well, there are terrible reviews, self-pity, festering jealousy, bitter resentment, and satisfaction. Ok, those feelings may not seem to go together, but she explains the stages that these feelings come in. The book gives you a feeling that writing is a bit like running: it hurts while you do it, but the rewards outweigh the pain.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a book containing some good advice about writing, but is sure that it will be boring, lifeless and hard to read. Even people who do not write are sure to appreciate the witty humor, humorous life stories, and helpful life advice found in Bird by Bird. These sometimes touching, always funny, never boring pages expose the truth, lies, horror, joy, habits, and mindsets found in a life as a writer.
