December 24, 2006

Bird by Bird

Serendipitiously, Laura had in her backpack my copy of Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. I remember it to be an entertaining and inspiring guide for writers the first time I read it over five years ago. Now I'm re-reading Bird by Bird as I embark on my time of joyful trial and write my first book. The most memorable phrase from the book is "shitty first drafts," one I use with relish to describe the first round of chapters that emerge from my computer. I'm not overly concerned with my dismal prose since I'm just trying to get all my thoughts down on paper. Now if I don't move quickly to fixing up the words into serviceable text as my first deadline approaches, the holiday relaxation will begin to wear thin! Posted by rdhyee at December 24, 2006 08:11 AM