Will’s review of Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life > Likes and Comments
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No doubt, as I've said before one of the best books on writing I've ever read. Her chapter on the "shitty first draft" was an eye opener for me and hilariously funny but also specifically instructive. She's attained a considerable status as a good writer in recent years and I keep meaning to read more.
And you say you 'I can definitely produce a review, not always a good review, but at least one that is not completely embarrassing'? Buddy, if you ever decide to write a book, consider at least one book sold cos I'm buying it. Loved your review and want to now read this book because of your beautiful review. You write very well, period.
Thank you for this outstanding review.
I have read this book a couple of times and will probably read it again. I have also recommended it to friends and loaned it to two who did read it and later thanked me.
I think it is a great book for aspiring writers, but it is also a handy guide to life. When I am faced with any task that at first glance seems overwhelming, I remember her father's advice to her brother on how to approach such a problem: do it "bird by bird." It works.
This is definitely a top-of-the-heap item on writing
Puja wrote: "And you say you 'I can definitely produce a review, not always a good review, but at least one that is not completely embarrassing'? Buddy, if you ever decide to write a book, consider at least one..."
Thanks, Puja. Maybe if I think of it as a VERY LARGE review….
Writing is like sex; you don’t have to wait until you’re an expert to begin doing it.
So don’t keep dreaming – keep writing. You, my friend, can do this.
Great review I'm a big fan of Anne Lamott
Lynda wrote: "Writing is like sex; you don’t have to wait until you’re an expert to begin doing it.
So don’t keep dreaming – keep writing. You, my friend, can do this."
Thanks, Lynda. We will see.
I am a kid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nicholas Vosberg wrote: "I am a kid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!..."
I'm happy for you
Great review of a great book! As Sam said: "It's the f*cking keys!"
A great review Will, and I loved the E.L. Doctorow quote! It's the sort of thing you hear and want to trust, but are not really sure that you can....
A thousand good lucks with your efforts. You have certainly got the art of doing reviews 100% nailed.
After I reread your review, again today, and after reading many of your reviews here at Goodreads, I think you've managed to turn off "Radio KCUF" and are listening to your muse on high gain. You have amazing writing talent, Will, a real gift. There's a book in you.
Nice review. A tip for your future in writing, please use more paragraphs. Large blocks of text are hard on the concentration of the reader.
Also about encouragement, everyone when using the English language uses the same 26 characters and a handful of punctuation, plus the space key. Not really a lot to inspire one, but there you go. We all recycle, re-use words that others created, phrases and ideas. Rarely do we invent a new turn of phrase or a new word entirely.
So what's stopping you? Recycle away, just don't plagiarize. Arg, recycle without copying. So difficult, but so fun is the creative process.
A lovely review Will and I'm sorry that I missed seeing it at the time. I actually had a comment in my feed this morning from Gisela on Steve's review. Well one thing led to another and then I saw your five star rating and was quite inspired by what you wrote. The book is thus ordered!
A book is definitely inside you! The question is when?
I am 100% convinced I have to read this book. Thanks to your review.
Thanks, Akanxa. It will definitely be worth your time.
Great review of a timeless book. I will be keeping an eye on the other book recommendations of the reviewers on this page. Lamott is not just a writter, but an artist in the purest sense of the word.
Thank you for such a thoughtful and thought provoking review.
About 5 years ago, Anne Lamott spoke at our local community college. I made sure to sit near the front: she has an informal manner and was very patient with a variety of questions in her time here in Troy!
Clearly she knows of what she speaks, and is comfortable communicating that knowledge.
I've already read her book. It was good. Now I want to read yours, Will, with hopes that it'll soar higher than any boid Ann or anybody else can imagine! (No pressure, though, right?)
I love your reviews Will! You consistently tell me things I didn't know, make me chuckle, and add books to a list I hope to read through at some point. I hope you keep them coming for years to come. :)
Your review of Ann Lemott's Bird by Bird is excellent. Not all can become writers, though all are having the ambition, the degree of which may differ from person to person. You have narrated your ambition of becoming a writer in a practical way with a tinge of slight humour. We all have a feeling that we have taken a leaf from someone though initially we might have felt proud of being 'creative'. We are picking up good words, idioms, metaphors from the books we read and from the speeches we listen to in our daily life. We then add our flavour a bit and choose our style to produce our effects, whether writing or reviewing. Everyone would certainly get that flavour and style when one is serious about the task.
Hemingway, Mark Twain, E.L. Doctorow, Ann Lemott, Will Byrnes are no exceptions, exception being , of course, Adam, as he was believed to be the the first human sent to the Earth by God. No chance of copying!
NB: I have picked up 'tamp down' and ' kick it up a notch' from your review. I was impressed with your final sentence
"Maybe those will be all you need to finally take that step away from the nest and let your creativity take flight".
Eat instructions for writing I ever read. Funniest memorable chapter?
“Shitty first drafts”.
Laura wrote: "I love your reviews Will! You consistently tell me things I didn't know, make me chuckle, and add books to a list I hope to read through at some point. I hope you keep them coming for years to come..."
Awww, thanks, Laura. Much appreciated.
Kanagarajan wrote: "Your review of Ann Lemott's Bird by Bird is excellent. Not all can become writers, though all are having the ambition, the degree of which may differ from person to person. You have narrated your a..."
Every writer stands on the shoulders of those who came before.
cameron wrote: "Eat instructions for writing I ever read. Funniest memorable chapter?
“Shitty first drafts”."
Isn't that redundant?
I'm usually loathe to read books on writing, largely because I have probably heard an awful lot of it before, and partially because any time I spend reading about writing is time I'm spending not writing.Of course, this doesn't stop me from reading the occasional article about writing, since I know I need to keep working at an understanding of the craft. But a whole book is a hard-sell for me. You might have sold me. I might have to give this one a look.
I will be interested to see what you think if you get around to it.
Your review certainly does justice to one of my favourite books on writing. I've read it a few times over the years and always find it encouraging. And funny and - as you put it - eminently quotable. Have you read The Getaway Car by Anna Patchett? I reread it often as well.
I have not read the Patchett book. Looks interesting.
Excellent review Will. I appreciate hearing your personal writing experiences. I admire your determination to write in spite of the your valid fears/apprehension towards the daunting, soul-sucking task. You've inspired me to give this book on writing a try. Stephen King's memoir on the craft gave me mixed feelings and resulted in an indefinite hiatus from books on writing. I recently found this comic book I made in 4th grade and remembered how much I loved creating worlds and characters that had the courage and self confidence annndd mutated gene that comes with benign powers (whether figurative or literal) that I lacked. This book might be the impetus I need to rekindle the joy I felt in my youth.
Honestly, I would totally sign a petition for reading subway cars where sudden bursts of emotion are not frowned upon. The bain of my existence is that most people in my life don't read for pleasure. As the A train leaves my neighborhood and goes to Manhattan, it's nice to see more people read. I wonder if they, like me, are suppressing the emotions their text elicits.
I wonder if they, like me, are suppressing the emotions their text elicits.
Or enjoying rich internal lives
Nice review, Will. BbB and the Stephen King book are the best! Now, as for your hoped for writing projects, just start scribbling!!
Wonderful, Will! I'm glad I've been able to enjoy all your practice pieces here, if that's what they end up being. Maybe you could start with a blog while you take us through your process.
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Feb 06, 2015 12:20AM
No doubt, as I've said before one of the best books on writing I've ever read. Her chapter on the "shitty first draft" was an eye opener for me and hilariously funny but also specifically instructive. She's attained a considerable status as a good writer in recent years and I keep meaning to read more.
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And you say you 'I can definitely produce a review, not always a good review, but at least one that is not completely embarrassing'? Buddy, if you ever decide to write a book, consider at least one book sold cos I'm buying it. Loved your review and want to now read this book because of your beautiful review. You write very well, period.
Thank you for this outstanding review.I have read this book a couple of times and will probably read it again. I have also recommended it to friends and loaned it to two who did read it and later thanked me.
I think it is a great book for aspiring writers, but it is also a handy guide to life. When I am faced with any task that at first glance seems overwhelming, I remember her father's advice to her brother on how to approach such a problem: do it "bird by bird." It works.
This is definitely a top-of-the-heap item on writing
Puja wrote: "And you say you 'I can definitely produce a review, not always a good review, but at least one that is not completely embarrassing'? Buddy, if you ever decide to write a book, consider at least one..."Thanks, Puja. Maybe if I think of it as a VERY LARGE review….
Writing is like sex; you don’t have to wait until you’re an expert to begin doing it.So don’t keep dreaming – keep writing. You, my friend, can do this.
Great review I'm a big fan of Anne Lamott
Lynda wrote: "Writing is like sex; you don’t have to wait until you’re an expert to begin doing it.So don’t keep dreaming – keep writing. You, my friend, can do this."
Thanks, Lynda. We will see.
I am a kid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nicholas Vosberg wrote: "I am a kid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!..."I'm happy for you
Great review of a great book! As Sam said: "It's the f*cking keys!"
A great review Will, and I loved the E.L. Doctorow quote! It's the sort of thing you hear and want to trust, but are not really sure that you can....A thousand good lucks with your efforts. You have certainly got the art of doing reviews 100% nailed.
After I reread your review, again today, and after reading many of your reviews here at Goodreads, I think you've managed to turn off "Radio KCUF" and are listening to your muse on high gain. You have amazing writing talent, Will, a real gift. There's a book in you.
What a beautiful and personal review, Will, thank you.
I have to read this one, it's already on my TBR, heard lots of great things about it. (I'm writing my first novel, am at the 5-year mark....)
I have to read this one, it's already on my TBR, heard lots of great things about it. (I'm writing my first novel, am at the 5-year mark....)
Nice review. A tip for your future in writing, please use more paragraphs. Large blocks of text are hard on the concentration of the reader.Also about encouragement, everyone when using the English language uses the same 26 characters and a handful of punctuation, plus the space key. Not really a lot to inspire one, but there you go. We all recycle, re-use words that others created, phrases and ideas. Rarely do we invent a new turn of phrase or a new word entirely.
So what's stopping you? Recycle away, just don't plagiarize. Arg, recycle without copying. So difficult, but so fun is the creative process.
A lovely review Will and I'm sorry that I missed seeing it at the time. I actually had a comment in my feed this morning from Gisela on Steve's review. Well one thing led to another and then I saw your five star rating and was quite inspired by what you wrote. The book is thus ordered!A book is definitely inside you! The question is when?
I am 100% convinced I have to read this book. Thanks to your review.
Thanks, Akanxa. It will definitely be worth your time.
Great review of a timeless book. I will be keeping an eye on the other book recommendations of the reviewers on this page. Lamott is not just a writter, but an artist in the purest sense of the word.Thank you for such a thoughtful and thought provoking review.
About 5 years ago, Anne Lamott spoke at our local community college. I made sure to sit near the front: she has an informal manner and was very patient with a variety of questions in her time here in Troy!
Clearly she knows of what she speaks, and is comfortable communicating that knowledge.
I've already read her book. It was good. Now I want to read yours, Will, with hopes that it'll soar higher than any boid Ann or anybody else can imagine! (No pressure, though, right?)
I love your reviews Will! You consistently tell me things I didn't know, make me chuckle, and add books to a list I hope to read through at some point. I hope you keep them coming for years to come. :)
Your review of Ann Lemott's Bird by Bird is excellent. Not all can become writers, though all are having the ambition, the degree of which may differ from person to person. You have narrated your ambition of becoming a writer in a practical way with a tinge of slight humour. We all have a feeling that we have taken a leaf from someone though initially we might have felt proud of being 'creative'. We are picking up good words, idioms, metaphors from the books we read and from the speeches we listen to in our daily life. We then add our flavour a bit and choose our style to produce our effects, whether writing or reviewing. Everyone would certainly get that flavour and style when one is serious about the task.Hemingway, Mark Twain, E.L. Doctorow, Ann Lemott, Will Byrnes are no exceptions, exception being , of course, Adam, as he was believed to be the the first human sent to the Earth by God. No chance of copying!
NB: I have picked up 'tamp down' and ' kick it up a notch' from your review. I was impressed with your final sentence
"Maybe those will be all you need to finally take that step away from the nest and let your creativity take flight".
Eat instructions for writing I ever read. Funniest memorable chapter?“Shitty first drafts”.
Laura wrote: "I love your reviews Will! You consistently tell me things I didn't know, make me chuckle, and add books to a list I hope to read through at some point. I hope you keep them coming for years to come..."Awww, thanks, Laura. Much appreciated.
Kanagarajan wrote: "Your review of Ann Lemott's Bird by Bird is excellent. Not all can become writers, though all are having the ambition, the degree of which may differ from person to person. You have narrated your a..."Every writer stands on the shoulders of those who came before.
cameron wrote: "Eat instructions for writing I ever read. Funniest memorable chapter?“Shitty first drafts”."
Isn't that redundant?
I'm usually loathe to read books on writing, largely because I have probably heard an awful lot of it before, and partially because any time I spend reading about writing is time I'm spending not writing.Of course, this doesn't stop me from reading the occasional article about writing, since I know I need to keep working at an understanding of the craft. But a whole book is a hard-sell for me. You might have sold me. I might have to give this one a look.
I will be interested to see what you think if you get around to it.
Your review certainly does justice to one of my favourite books on writing. I've read it a few times over the years and always find it encouraging. And funny and - as you put it - eminently quotable. Have you read The Getaway Car by Anna Patchett? I reread it often as well.
I have not read the Patchett book. Looks interesting.
Excellent review Will. I appreciate hearing your personal writing experiences. I admire your determination to write in spite of the your valid fears/apprehension towards the daunting, soul-sucking task. You've inspired me to give this book on writing a try. Stephen King's memoir on the craft gave me mixed feelings and resulted in an indefinite hiatus from books on writing. I recently found this comic book I made in 4th grade and remembered how much I loved creating worlds and characters that had the courage and self confidence annndd mutated gene that comes with benign powers (whether figurative or literal) that I lacked. This book might be the impetus I need to rekindle the joy I felt in my youth.Honestly, I would totally sign a petition for reading subway cars where sudden bursts of emotion are not frowned upon. The bain of my existence is that most people in my life don't read for pleasure. As the A train leaves my neighborhood and goes to Manhattan, it's nice to see more people read. I wonder if they, like me, are suppressing the emotions their text elicits.
I wonder if they, like me, are suppressing the emotions their text elicits.Or enjoying rich internal lives
Nice review, Will. BbB and the Stephen King book are the best! Now, as for your hoped for writing projects, just start scribbling!!
Wonderful, Will! I'm glad I've been able to enjoy all your practice pieces here, if that's what they end up being. Maybe you could start with a blog while you take us through your process.
