Recently I began yet another read-through of Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. I don’t actually remember buying this book; it seems like it’s never not been sitting on my bookshelf. I am certain I have read it cover to cover more than any other book I have ever picked up.
I reviewed this book a few years ago, and had many negative things to say about it. In fact, I believe I subtitled my previous critique, “after several reads, not the page turner it used to be.” Yikes. I have since had a change of heart.
To be perfectly honest, I was {and still am, actually} bothered by the excessive referencing to spirituality. Now, this might work for some, but I found it, well, annoying and presumptuous.
And perhaps that’s unfair; she is just going with what she knows and in all likelihood most readers have been indoctrinated into the same cultural assumptions and barely noticed the numerous allusions.
It stood out to me starkly on past reads, although now I block it out and roll my eyes and accept that while it’s not my thing, it works for some.
At any rate, Bird by Bird is still filled with innumerable gems of writing wisdom, as well as personal anecdotes all writers will appreciate.
Contents
Feeling Like a Writer
The introduction is the longest section of the book {roughly 20 pages} and also the most rambling. She manages to touch on everything from quaint if not disturbing stories from her own childhood, to submitting work to agents, to teaching her own students, to the complex turmoil inside a writer’s brain.
Somehow, however, it works. And at the end of that section, you start to feel like maybe you can do this, too. That maybe all the experiences of your life have led you to this point. You begin to believe that you really are, in fact, a writer.
And I think this conveys the essence of the book: everyone has a story to tell. Sometimes we just need a little encouragement along the way—reassurance that our story is worthy and granting us “permission” to explore it.
Shitty First Drafts
I would be very surprised to find an aspiring writer anywhere who does not have at least some vague knowledge of Anne’s concept of terrible first drafts.
This quintessential piece of writing advice has likely prevented more wannabe writers from throwing in the towel than anything else.
Even the most breathtakingly eloquent prose likely started as a very, very bad first attempt. The important part is getting the words down. You can always go back and edit them, but if you don’t let yourself start somewhere you’ll never get anywhere.
The section also includes one of my favorite quotes from the book, which I think perfectly sums up the writing life:
Very few writers really know what they are doing until they’ve done it. {p. 22}
Practical and Specific
The majority of the book is organized into concise chapters, each dealing with a distinct aspect of the writing process. She literally guides the reader through each component bird by bird.
The sections flow well as she has organized them, but I see no reason why you couldn’t read them out of order. She addresses many points specifically related to fiction writing: character development, set design, dialogue. However, as someone who primarily writes non-fiction, I found these sections to be invaluable as well.
I also appreciate that she doesn’t just give you rules to follow without context. Each chapter has a very personal, concrete example of something that she has personally worked through in her own writing. {And the stories she shares are very entertaining as well.}
Closing Thoughts
The final section—which, like the first, is a bit longer than the rest—does a good job of pulling everything together into a satisfying send off. It is {appropriately} titled The Last Class, and that is exactly the feeling it conveys.
At the end of Bird by Bird, you will want to set it aside and get writing—exactly the way a good book on writing should make you feel.
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