Hope Road

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott ****

Anne Lamott pulls no punches in this witty, down-to-earth writing guide. She gives clear and honest insight about the most basic and important elements of writing. Having taught many writing workshops, Lamott says that this book is “what I’ve learned along the way, what I pass along to each new batch of students. This is not like other writing books, some of which are terrific. It’s more personal, more like my classes. As of today, here is almost every single thing I know about writing” (xxxi).

The most helpful things for me were little pointers Lamott gives along the way, such as realizing that your first draft will be awful, writing for people you care about, and getting something down on paper. Also, her writing style itself is instructive. She demonstrates a quick, wry, conversational voice.

Disappointingly, there is a moderate amount of profanity, so I cannot recommend this book for everyone. Also, it would be far more helpful for the fiction writer than the nonfiction writer. There is a lot about dialogue, plot, characters, etc. If you’re a fiction writer looking for a little boost, and you can overlook some swearing, Bird by Bird might be the humorous, insightful encouragement you need.

Recommended age level: 17+.