Bird By Bird
Anne Lamott

Summary

Great practical advice about the process of writing

Rating: 5/5

Notes

Publication is not all it’s cracked up to be, but writing is

Good writing is about telling the truth

When you write, only focus on two or three feet ahead of you, not the end goal

‘Bird by bird buddy. Just take it bird by bird’

The only way to get anything written is to write really, really shitty first drafts

All good writing begins w/ terrible first efforts

First draft = get it down. Second draft = fix it up, 3rd draft = fine tune it

Awareness is learning to keep yourself company

Nothing is more important than a likeable narrator

Let characters dictate the direction of the plot

Think about writing as of you’re telling a dream: it must be vivid and continuous

Writing a short story - ABDCE: action, background, development, climax, ending

You have to believe in what you are saying, or nothing will drive your work

Write about the things most important to you

Listen to your inner voice. Trust it

• Listen to your broccoli and your broccoli will tell you how to eat it

Call around. People love to tell you about everything they know

Ask for feedback from trusted confidants

If you don’t know how to write a story, pretend it’s a letter

When you cannot get any work done, live as if you were dying

Sometimes write only for someone you love

Write to expose the unexposed. Talk about the little monster inside of you

If you’re not enough before the gold medal, you’ll never be enough with it

Write from a place of insight, simplicity and real caring about the truth

Write straight into the emotional centre of things, towards vulnerability

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