Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you.
Short Summary :
“Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” is Anne Lamott’s beloved guide on writing and creativity, published in 1994. The book’s peculiar title comes from a family anecdote: Lamott’s ten-year-old brother was overwhelmed by a school report on birds due the next day after months of procrastination. Their father put an arm around him and said, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird” – an approach that became Lamott’s metaphor for tackling life’s overwhelming tasks.
Unlike technical writing manuals, Lamott’s book is a deeply personal, often hilarious collection of essays that blend writing advice with life wisdom. Her voice is unique – simultaneously self-deprecating, profound, neurotic, and spiritual – creating what feels like an intimate conversation with a brilliantly funny friend who happens to be an accomplished writer.
The book divides roughly into sections on writing process, the writing life, and publication. In the opening chapters, Lamott introduces her fundamental tools: “shitty first drafts,” her liberating concept that all good writing begins with terrible first attempts; “short assignments,” focusing on manageable chunks rather than intimidating wholes; and “one-inch picture frames,” her metaphor for limiting your vision to what you can handle in the moment.
Lamott’s advice on character development is particularly strong, encouraging writers to know their characters intimately – from childhood memories to the contents of their purses or wallets. She presents plots as naturally emerging from well-developed characters placed in difficult situations: “Put a lot of trouble into the character’s path.”
Throughout, Lamott candidly shares her personal struggles with jealousy, perfectionism, and self-doubt – what she memorably calls “the rats in the attic of your brain.” She discusses writing groups, the value of trusted readers, and how to separate the helpful feedback from the harmful.
Spirituality threads through the book, with Lamott viewing writing as almost a sacred calling requiring faith and surrender. She advocates cultivating awareness by “learning to pay attention” and advises writers to listen for the “still, small voice” that guides authentic work.
The section on publication offers sobering reality checks about the writing business. Lamott warns against expecting external validation to heal internal wounds: “Publication is not all it’s cracked up to be. But writing is.”
What distinguishes “Bird by Bird” is Lamott’s raw honesty about her own failings and neuroses. She describes her “jealousy index cards” where she records moments of creative envy, her battles with alcoholism, and her struggles as a single mother. This vulnerability creates a profound sense of connection while conveying her central message: writing well requires telling the truth, especially the uncomfortable truths.
The book closes with reflections on why we write at all, celebrating writing as a way to make sense of life, to connect with others, and to find meaning. In one of her most quoted passages, Lamott explains: “For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world.”
“Bird by Bird” endures because it addresses not just the craft of writing but the courage required to face the blank page – and by extension, to face life itself with honesty, humor, and compassion.