Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

A terrific book... whether you are an aspiring or established writer, or not a writer at all, but someone who is interested in the human -ness of life. The phrase 'authenticity of feelings' springs to mind when I read Ann LaMott's Bird by Bird. Not New Age, not preachy or high brow, just honest advice about writing and living a purposeful life that is worth its weight in gold. Some poignant and sad moments but it's also very funny!

"1. PLACE YOURSELF IN THE BACKGROUND. Write in a way that draws the reader's attention to the sense and substance of the writing, rather than to the mood and temper of the author. If the writing is solid and good, the mood and temper of the writer will eventually be revealed and not at the expense of the work. Therefore, the first piece of advice is this: to achieve style, begin by affecting none - that is, place yourself in the background...." - Strunk and White: The Elements of Style.

It seems every page in Bird by Bird is a gaggle of I-I-I-I, frequently seasoned with "me" and "my" - overwhelming egocentricity - SELF indulgence.

Her use of expletives is not attractive, nor welcome. The occasional cuss word has it's proper place, least of all as turgid gimmickry.

I accept minority review status, and take my leave wondering what audience positrons see that I do not. Beauty in eyes of the beholder, perhaps.

I seek voices of masters. For me, Bird by Bird flew the coop.

Recommended: The Art of Dramatic Writing - by Lajos Egri; Becoming A Writer - by Dorthea Brande; Stein on Writing - by Sol Stein; More than Cool Reason: A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor - by George Lakoff; Story - by Robert McKee; and, anything you can get your hands on by Joseph Campbell.

I purchased this book on a whim and found my soul. Seriously. It's that good. I have dreamed of writing for many years and this book gave me the strength to move beyond just dreaming. Anne teaches you to value and respect the process without focusing on the end result. She also validates every fear that a writer has ever confronted, making it seem that I'm not quite as crazy as I thought. I read this book every couple of months just to remind myself that it's worth it, even if I never get published. Thank you, Anne Lamott, for saving my sanity!

This is the only text book that I've actually enjoyed. I picked it up last night to skim it and I ended up reading the first 7 chapters. It's a pretty thin book, but if you need to learn how to write, you should really pick this up and give it a try it's really REALLY good. I literally laughed out loud at one part and everything the author talks about when it comes to starting to write really is true. I highly encourage anyone who has even the fleeting desire to write to pick it up.

Excellent book!

I love love LOVE this book! So much so that it's a "keeper". Anne Lamott makes you want to write. While reading this book you feel like you can be a writer, even if haven't written a word previously. She made me laugh out loud numerous times, and the advice she gives has a real, crystal clear ring of truth. Anyone who loves to read and dreams of writing will want to read this book.