Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Bird by Bird

Anne Lamott

Cover of Bird by Bird
Bird by Bird
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Bird by Bird

Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Written byAnne Lamott

Anne Lamott's warm, funny guide to writing is just as much about life. The title comes from her father's advice to her brother, who was overwhelmed by a school report on birds: “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”

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  • Published1994
  • GenreCreativity
  • Key ideas5
  • Summary1 min read

Read it if you…

  • feel stuck creatively

The summary

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  1. 01Take it bird by bird

    Big tasks become possible when you break them into small pieces and do one at a time.

  2. 02Short assignments

    Focus on just one small scene or paragraph, rather than the whole book.

  3. 03Allow bad first drafts

    Everyone writes poor first drafts. Getting something down lets you make it better later.

  4. 04Perfectionism blocks you

    Trying to get it perfect keeps you stuck. Messiness is part of the process.

  5. 05Write for its own sake

    The joy of writing is in the doing, not in being published.

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Take it bird by bird

Big tasks become possible when you break them into small pieces and do one at a time. Pick one small way to put this into practice before tonight.

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“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”

— Anne Lamott

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