Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott was originally published in 1994. Many of Lamott’s books have been on the New York Times bestsellers list, which qualifies her to offer advice about how to write. She also taught at writing conferences and at UC Davis, received a Guggenheim Fellowship, and was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. Bird by Bird is a combination of memoir, self-help book, and writing manual. Lamott offers advice about The Practical Craft of Writing; Mindfulness as a Tool for Writing and Life; and Writing as a Comfort to the Self and Others. A 1999 documentary about Lamott made by Freida Mock includes Bird by Bird in its title.

This guide cites the Anchor Books paperback edition.

Summary

Bird by Bird aims to offer in book form some of the lessons Anne Lamott teaches in her creative writing classes and workshops. The book combines stories from Lamott’s life as a writer with practical advice about writing, generally focusing on fiction. She discusses how writing and reading can improve your quality of life and the lives of others, even if your work is never published. She walks the reader through the different stages of a writing project, providing humor alongside her advice.

Lamott begins the book by discussing her father’s life as a writer, along with his advice. The title, Bird by Bird, is a quote from him. When Lamott’s brother struggled with writing a report on birds, their father suggested he work on the project in small chunks, going through it “bird by bird,” or writing about one bird at a time. Lamott describes how she initially disliked the fact that her father worked as a writer, but eventually followed the same career path.

She began telling humorous stories about the events of her life, then writing those stories down. Her father’s death from brain cancer inspired her first novel, which she sent to her father’s literary agent. After having some success as a writer, Lamott began teaching creative writing. However, she wanted to reach people beyond the groups she worked with at writing conferences and in academia, so she created Bird by Bird.

In Part 1, Lamott offers advice on how to approach a writing project. She suggests starting with small writing prompts, or assignments. These short assignments are like looking through a one-inch picture frame and writing only what is inside of it. She encourages the reader to write messy rough drafts, allowing imagination and memory to take over, before editing them. Writing does not have to be perfect on the first attempt.

She recommends allowing your work to develop organically, rather than using outlines, and structuring it after you have produced a flawed first draft. Scenes and characters will develop slowly like Polaroid pictures. It takes writing many unusable words to find the focus of your story. Plot forms naturally as characters interact with one another and can then be reshaped in revision. Lamott favors dialogue, rather than description, for character development.

In Part 2, she emphasizes the importance of details and recommends being mindful of the world around you—present in the current moment—to find inspiration. Writers should strive to present the truth and be driven by their moral positions. Self-doubt, like perfectionism, can interfere with accessing your intuition. Being kind to yourself and avoiding jealousy can help you be more creative.

In Part 3, Lamott suggests taking notes and using those notes as writing prompts. Doing research, like calling professionals in a field and reading books about a topic, can improve your writing. A good writing group and/or writing partner can help with editing your writing. If you experience writer’s block, you can try writing your fiction in the form of a letter. Keeping up a regular writing practice, such as writing 300 words a day, is crucial.

In Part 4, Lamott offers reasons to write, looking beyond external incentives like publication and awards. Writing can be a gift both to the writer and to the reader. Lamott describes writing books about her father and her friend Pammy as they were dying, showing how the books comforted both her dying loved ones and herself. Writing is a good way to process grief and other emotions, as well as to offer solace to readers. Lamott also reminds writers to find their own voice.

Many of Lamott’s students are interested in being published. However, she argues, publication does not guarantee fame or fortune. It can be a step in the path of working full time as a writer, but it can also create anxiety and stress.

In the final section of the book, Lamott summarizes her main points. She emphasizes the importance of writing “shitty first drafts,” of writing every day, and of focusing only on the task in front of you at any given moment so as not to become overwhelmed by the size of the overall project. In the end, she emphasizes how writing can help you become a better reader, appreciate the world around you, and feel less isolated.