Bird by Bird. Book Review.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott was strongly recommended to me by a handful of experienced authors. And I can understand why.

Writing is a solitary process, which Lamott is all too familiar with. But she creates a community for the reader, someone who understands. She writes to the aspiring writer, those of us who spend hours by ourselves slaving away over something that, in all likelihood, will be nothing to everyone else. But the work matters and this book is part cheerleader, part support group, and part tips and tricks of the trade.

If you write, then you are a writer, and if you’re a writer you’re going to want this book on your nightstand to reference and reread once and awhile. While some of the references don’t age very well, the sentiments core understandings of the human/writer condition hold true.

Plus, it’s written in a tone that is easy to digest and relatable, versus the dry and unending textbook or, even worse, a book of writing prompts.