Who knew reading about writing could be so fun? One of the things that sets Anne Lamott's classic writing guide, Bird by Bird, apart from other books on the subject is the honest, down-to-earth, humorous manner in which she conveys both the joys and frustrations of the writing life. I love how Lamott recounts her experiences with such raw honesty and self-deprecating humor, while at the same time, relaying valuable advice that is both relevant and useful. The other thing I love about this book is that Lamott's writing is very accessible — she doesn't use flowery, abstract language or wax philosophical about the writing process in ways that make it feel like she is talking down to us. Rather, it feels like a conversation between friends trading writing advice and telling funny stories about various writing experiences.
Those who've followed my reviews for awhile probably know that I've finally started on the novel writing project that I've been putting off for years. As part of my "homework" for this project, I've been trying to read as many books on writing as I can, from writing manuals to memoirs and everything in between. Many of the books on the subject are relatively cut and dry, and while I usually end up with a few pages of notes, much of the content is largely repetitive, with very little that I feel I can actually apply to my own writing process. Reading Lamott's book was a completely different experience for me — not only did I take pages and pages of notes, I also found a lot of the advice hugely applicable.
One example of how I've been able to apply Lamott's advice: Each time I sit down to write, I'm often struck with "the tremendous sense of being overwhelmed" that Lamott describes in this book and if I'm being honest, there have been moments where I've felt like giving up. Despite the fact that I already have a plot summary and a loose outline of the story's major scenes, I still feel that the task at hand — having to fill in all the details in a way that flows and make sense — is tremendously daunting. It's during these moments that I usually sit back, take a deep breath, and remind myself of Lamott's advice to "just take it bird by bird" (which, for me, is scene by scene). I then proceed to utilize her short assignment method of "writing down as much as you can see through a one-inch picture frame" and focus on nothing else at that moment except writing out that one scene. Continuing to apply this method, I eventually start to accumulate random scenes, which I intend to piece together at the very end.
Another example: I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my own writing. The novel project notwithstanding, in everything I write — be it emails, reviews, even personal notes that no one is going to see but myself — I'm obsessed with making sure every sentence I put down is perfectly constructed, that I'm using the exact words I need to use to convey the meaning I want to get across, that there is not a single mistake with spelling, grammar, sentence structure, etc. And when a mistake is found, I tend to beat myself up over it but worst of all, it puts me on edge so that the next time I sit down to write something, I end up paying more attention to HOW I'm writing rather than WHAT I'm writing. As a result, as much as I love to write, it can be a very draining process for me. In her book, Lamott talks about perfectionism as well as terrible first drafts and knowing what type of writer I am, these sections resonated with me especially deeply. As it pertains to writing, Lamott likens perfectionism to clearing up clutter, wanting "desperately not to leave so much mess to clean up" later, but all it does is "ruin your writing, blocking inventiveness and playfulness and life force." She encourages us to leave messes be because "we need to make messes in order to find out who we are and why we are here — and by extension, what we're supposed to be writing." Related to this, another piece of advice that I found especially useful and resonant is this: "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something — anything — down on paper. A friend of mine says that the first draft is the down draft— you just get it down. The second draft is the up draft — you fix it up. You try to say what you have to say more accurately. And the third draft is the dental draft, where you check every tooth, to see if it's loose or cramped or decayed, or even, God help us, healthy."
After reading this book, I now understand why it is on nearly every recommended list as a "must-read" for writers. I of course, absolutely agree — this is an indispensable read for writers of all stripes, a writing bible of sorts, but more importantly, it is one of those books that I plan to re-read whenever I feel discouraged or uninspired in my writing. Definitely a wonderful book and a necessary addition to every writer's bookshelf!
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