 I recently finished reading Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott, which I had heard about a long time ago from Tim Ferriss. It reminded me of other books about writing I had read like The War of Art, Do the Work, and Daily Rituals. Anne's book is beautifully written and poignant; it made me sad, and it made me laugh out loud many times. Of course it had to do with writing, but it was much deeper than that and was philosophical about life in general in many places, which I appreciated. The advice in the book is useful for all writers and all humans. Below are my main notes and takeaways. Writing is capturing truth of world
Getting started Write down all of childhood memories and gifts and birthdays and awkward moments Short assignments Look through one inch picture frame and just write down that piece of the puzzle Describe bird by bird Shitty first drafts Childlike pouring out of content First Down draft to write down Second Up draft to fix it up Third Demo draft to check it all Perfectionism Muscles cramp and limit us School lunches Write down about school lunches Contents of lunch reveal insides of your family Polaroids First draft is like watching a Polaroid develop Never know what picture will come out Character Emerges as it develops What is each person’s acre growing What do they do inside What would they do if they only had 6 months to live. Would they keep flossing? Lies to eventually tell the truth Don’t think you know more about your characters than they do Plot Dream must be vivid and continuous Setup, buildup, payoff There must be movement Climax will reveal itself to you over time Action, background, people, climax, ending Dialogue Sound your words Listen to how people really talk Observe and store away Be able to identify each character by words they say and they all can’t sound like you You’re just the typist. A good typist listens. Set design Every room is a memory and reflection of who we are These rooms are future ruins False starts Discovering something from characters and story Plot treatment Write down what happens in various scenes in lots of detail How do you know when you’re done You just do Go over something so many times and then something inside you says to move on to the next thing Part 2 writing frame of mind Looking around Writing is observing Need compassion for others Feeling of oneness with others Moral point of view Need to care about what you’re writing Broccoli Listen to your broccoli and it will tell you how to eat it Radio station kfkd Endless monkey chatter in brain Self aggrandizing Self criticism Quiet your head Notice the station is on Prayer to quiet the voice Small ritual Slow conscious breathing to ground you in silence Align yourself with the river of the story Jealousy Money brings more problems Part 3 help along the way Index cards Notes and lists See everything as material Write down all thoughts Index cards can prompt short assignments to get you writing Calling around Learn from others Call and ask questions to learn new things or words Writing groups Good for feedback Creative writing class or conference Someone to read your drafts Honest feedback good Criticism hard to take Respect and encouragement during feedback not crushing the other person Letters Tell your or character’s history in a letter Write to your children about your own childhood or about their childhood Picture your children later reading your story Writer’s block Write something everyday Live as if dying Be present Fill yourself up on observations Commit to finishing sections of stories daily Make commitment to the characters in your story Spend time outdoors Resign as controller of your fate Life is like a recycling center You can offer your own sensibilities Everything you need is within you Do your 300 words then go for a walk Part 4 publication and other reasons to write Writing a present Writing something for someone else to read as a gift Learning from your kids Write for those you love and respect Finding your voice Emulating others is just a temporary prop Truth of your experience can only come out in your voice Giving Writing is giving Publication Not that glamorous Reviews tough The real payoff is the writing itself Satisfaction from daily work World can’t give you serenity. It comes from inside. It also can’t take it away. Part 5 the last class Write about childhood Wrote toward vulnerability and emotion Be afraid of not getting your witting done Change character details from reality to prevent libel
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