I think I discovered this gem at the exact right time. It comes at a point when I am roughly 75% through my first draft and I alternately swing from writing doggedly on to throwing up my hands in despair at the large pile of dog faeces words I have created.
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Author: Anne Lamott
Genre: Nonfiction – Writing
Rating: 4/5
It is in the top five for every list of writing books I have seen and for good reason. Instead of trying to tell us how to write (remember for every writing rule, there is a classic work that has broken it), it attempts to explain how to live as a writer. She is unabashedly honest as she discusses writer’s block and jealousy, self-doubt and fear. This is the best writing book for stuck writers because she makes the job and the writer feel like they have value.
“…when you get serious, you will be dealing with the one thing you’ve been avoiding all along – your wounds.”
Once you start seeing the beauty and the terrible around you clearly, it is hard to ignore. She explains the need to find your voice and shows us how. When you hear the constant stream of negative self-talk and the voices telling you to keep quiet about this horrible moment or strength in the face of meanness, she argues for using this to fuel your writing.
“Don’t be afraid of your material or your past. Be afraid of wasting any more time obsessing about how you look and how people see you. Be afraid of not getting your writing done.”
She offers us snippets of her life to let us know that we are not alone, that she has felt the jitters of passing the story on to a first reader, that she has hugged herself while listening to a stream of ‘you’re not good enough’. She really gets it.
At any earlier point in my writing journey, I wouldn’t have completely understood the joy and value Lamott places on writing. She captures the futility of publishing, the wanting to create a little niche for yourself, the wanting to be heard, the selfish yet urgent desire for a legacy. She also touches on the peace writing brings and the desire to gift a piece of yourself to others.
The only reason I gave this a four star rating was that I would have liked a few more practical tips, like always taking a little index card. Lamott never leaves the house without one, in order to safeguard those conversations or rare perfect moments that you collect along the way.
This book is a must read for any writer, if only for the knowledge that the writers you know and love are on the same journey, just at a different point. It assures us that others wrestle with demons and feel just as deeply but keep on putting words down anyway.
Get it from Book Depository:
Further reading:
Read my review of Stephen King’s On Writing or my post on short story competitions open to international submissions.
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Hi, found you on swimmers 🙂
This is such a well-written review. This is so thoughtful and well put-together. You certainly know how to weave a review to make someone want to buy a book, and what a perfect audience to write for! Spot on!
Recently I have felt stuck with writing for my personal enjoyment and have started looking into books that could help inspire me again. I will add this to my reading list, thank you!
Thankyou for the kind words.
Please do and let me know what you think ☺
I will!
I found you on the swimmers thing, I am new to all this, I am writing a book, rather slowly, it hadn’t occurred to me that there were books out there to help writing a book, and to think that other people have similar unhelpful thoughts to me really does help to feel like I am not alone, Hooray!
Awesome! I’m so glad. From another rather slow writer!
Well written! I am definitely going to have to check this book out. 🙂
Great – I hope you love it as much as I did.
You write very well for your audience. It is also nice to feel your personality come through in your words. I do love to get a sense of the writer’s personality through their blog!
If you have moment and haven’t already, I would be grateful if you would check out my site also, leave a like or comment if you wish, and if it strikes you and you hit ‘follow’, then you will make my day!
Nicely written review
Thankyou very much. 🤗
I more of a reader but I will keep this one in mind if I ever decide to pursue a story of my own!
Thanks, yes keep it in mind.
Especially since I am watching the Drag Race finale, anything about finding your voice strikes a chord with me!
Thanks for reading Brandy!
Great review. Will be checking this one out.
Yay. Let me know if you enjoyed it as much as I did.
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This sounds like a lovely read! I think self-doubt can be one of the biggest hurdles in writing. It seems like this book acts rather like an encouraging friend, prompting writers to stop worrying and start writing!
Yes, exactly. Definitely a big hurdle. Thanks for stopping by.