Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life - cover

Bird By Bird

Some Instructions on Writing and Life

By Anne Lamott

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About the book

When Anne Lamott's ten-year-old brother sat close to tears at the family cabin in Bolinas, with a bird report due the next day after three months to write it, their father told him to take it bird by bird. Lamott builds her guide to writing and to the writer's life on that advice. She moves from getting started and short assignments through character, plot and dialogue, then takes on false starts, writer's block, writing groups and publication. Her tone throughout is candid and frequently funny.

Tim Ferriss calls it one of his absolute favorites, gives copies to everyone and thinks startup founders would learn from it too. Ryan Holiday said that while it is ostensibly about writing, it is really about how to handle life's problems and temptations.

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This book has 4 recommendations

Ryan Holiday (Founder/Brass Check)

It was wonderful to read these two provocative books of essays by two incredibly wise and compassionate women. [...] Anne Lamott’s book is ostensibly about the art of writing, but really it too is about life and how to tackle the problems, temptations and opportunities life throws at us. Both will make you think and both made me a better person this year.

Kaci Lambe Kai (Writer, Photographer, Designer)

These three books were very inspirational and broke down their way of creating in a way that was genuine and honest while still making me feel like I could be a writer.

Benjamin Spall (Co-Author/My Morning Routine)

[Question: What five books would you recommend to youngsters interested in your professional path?]

Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott, [...]

Tim Ferriss (Author & Entrepreneur)

Bird by Bird is one of my absolute favorite books, and I gift it to everybody, which I should probably also give to startup founders, quite frankly. A lot of the lessons are the same. But you can get to your destination, even though you can only see 20 feet in front of you.

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Ryan Holiday, Kaci Lambe Kai, Benjamin Spall, Tim Ferriss

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