--- title: "Life Beyond the Shitty First Draft: A Review of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott" description: No one should need motivation to read Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Your humanness is motivation enough. Kaitlin shares her thoughts. image: https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20Blog%20-%20image%20to%20post%20in%20Webflow%20on%20the%20blog%20itself%20-%202023-04-11T132723.693%20(1).png --- [Skip to the main content.](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/life-beyond-the-shitty-first-draft-a-review-of-bird-by-bird-by-anne-lamott#main-content) [![Untitled design (90)](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(90).png?width=500&height=500&name=Untitled%20design%20(90).png "Untitled design (90)")](http://hireawriter.us) [![Untitled design (90)](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(90).png?width=500&height=500&name=Untitled%20design%20(90).png "Untitled design (90)")](http://hireawriter.us) - [FOR BUSINESSES](https://www.hireawriter.us/for-businesses) - [SEO COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo-copywriting) - [SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/social-media-services) - [WEBSITE COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/website-copywriting) - [LEAD GEN COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/lead-generation-copywriting) - [MARKETING STRATEGY](https://www.hireawriter.us/marketing-strategy) - [FOR AGENCIES](https://www.hireawriter.us/agency-partnership) - [WHITE LABELED COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/white-labeled-copywriting) - [FRACTIONAL SEO LEADERSHIP](https://www.hireawriter.us/fractional-seo-leadership) - [TECHNICAL SEO](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-seo) - [TRAINING](https://www.hireawriter.us/training) - [ABOUT HAW](https://www.hireawriter.us/about) - [JOBS](https://www.hireawriter.us/hire-a-writer-jobs) - [LEARN](https://www.hireawriter.us/learn) - [LEARN SEO](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo) - [LEARN BUSINESS CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/business) - [LEARN SOCIAL MEDIA](https://www.hireawriter.us/social) - [LEARN STORYTELLING](https://www.hireawriter.us/storytelling) - [LEARN CREATIVE WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative) - [LEARN TECHNICAL WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-content) - [LEARN FREELANCE WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/freelance) - [CONTACT](https://www.hireawriter.us/contact) Search Toggle Menu Search Toggle Menu - [FOR BUSINESSES](https://www.hireawriter.us/for-businesses) - [SEO COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo-copywriting) - [SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/social-media-services) - [WEBSITE COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/website-copywriting) - [LEAD GEN COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/lead-generation-copywriting) - [MARKETING STRATEGY](https://www.hireawriter.us/marketing-strategy) - [FOR AGENCIES](https://www.hireawriter.us/agency-partnership) - [WHITE LABELED COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/white-labeled-copywriting) - [FRACTIONAL SEO LEADERSHIP](https://www.hireawriter.us/fractional-seo-leadership) - [TECHNICAL SEO](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-seo) - [TRAINING](https://www.hireawriter.us/training) - [ABOUT HAW](https://www.hireawriter.us/about) - [JOBS](https://www.hireawriter.us/hire-a-writer-jobs) - [LEARN](https://www.hireawriter.us/learn) - [LEARN SEO](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo) - [LEARN BUSINESS CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/business) - [LEARN SOCIAL MEDIA](https://www.hireawriter.us/social) - [LEARN STORYTELLING](https://www.hireawriter.us/storytelling) - [LEARN CREATIVE WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative) - [LEARN TECHNICAL WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-content) - [LEARN FREELANCE WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/freelance) - [CONTACT](https://www.hireawriter.us/contact) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Hireawriteronline) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/joywriteryouell/) [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/hireawriter/) [X](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/life-beyond-the-shitty-first-draft-a-review-of-bird-by-bird-by-anne-lamott#0) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8sZOTANgCCjtn29m4J0Z6A) [Medium](https://medium.com/hireawriter) [Tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@joyyouell) [Pinterest](https://www.pinterest.com/joyfromhireawriter/) 2 min read # Life Beyond the Shitty First Draft: A Review of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott [![Picture of Kaitlin Last](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-01-11T175132.067.png) Kaitlin Last](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/author/kaitlin-last) : Apr 11, 2023, 1:27:40 PM [Creative](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/tag/creative) [Freelance](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/tag/freelance) [Book](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/tag/book) ![Life Beyond the Shitty First Draft: A Review of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20Blog%20-%20image%20to%20post%20in%20Webflow%20on%20the%20blog%20itself%20-%202023-04-11T132723.693%20(1).png) "Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said. 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.'” They say to never judge a book by its cover, but I’ll admit, I always do. At first glance, the title led me to believe that it would be a very exact play-by-play of how to navigate life and writing. Alas! I was eager for someone to finally lay it all out for me–I’ve been fumbling along for quite some time now. *Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott* is both inspirational and totally soul-crushing. It’s painfully gruff, brutally honest, and yet, somehow, wildly encouraging. A printed paradox.  Ms. Lamott shares her successes and failures, the things that make her tick, and the way she witnesses the world. She often refers back to the students she has taught these lessons to, bringing her readers into that intimate space. The electric undercurrent of it all is that she encourages her students, and all writers, to *just do the damn thing.*  Put the words on the page. Be brave, be courageous, and tell the truth. Make mistakes. Scrap the whole thing. Start again. Get through the shitty first draft and craft something honest, with purpose, and leave nothing on the table. And always, *always* have someone to read your drafts.  As unapologetically as Anne presents the ugly, she offers sidesplitting humor, and slivers of encouragement alongside. Reading her words feels like a breakthrough when my inner monologue has decided I’m a terrible writer and I’d be better off as an alpaca farmer. It’s as though an old friend has come alongside me and given me a supportive shoulder hug. While gently shaking me, she says “it’s not *all* that bad, hang in there”. Anne, rather bluntly, addresses the mountains and craters that writers find themselves traversing throughout their careers. As a writer, I often find myself staring at blank pages willing the words to arrive, hoping that by a stroke of genius (or perhaps lightning), I’ll have a masterpiece written on the first go. I know otherwise now and feel much less alone. A sigh of relief.  She sternly reminds us that as writers, our passion is truly a laborious one. That we love a difficult thing, a moody, tempestuous thing, and that rarely does it come easily to anyone (who knew?). Writing requires that we stare our insecurities squarely in the eye, and swing anyways. For aspiring new writers and those with years of experience, *Bird by Bird* is an unapologetic reminder that writers must write. It does not matter why, whether it be for business or pleasure. We must write. Bird by bird. ‍ This is Kaitlin's take on our book club book last month: [hear Amy's perspective here](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/when-writing-is-hard-a-review-of-bird-by-bird-by-anne-lamott). - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![When Writing is Hard: A Review of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20Blog%20-%20image%20to%20post%20in%20Webflow%20on%20the%20blog%20itself%20-%202023-04-11T081846.651%20(1).png)](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/when-writing-is-hard-a-review-of-bird-by-bird-by-anne-lamott) 1 min read #### [When Writing is Hard: A Review of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/when-writing-is-hard-a-review-of-bird-by-bird-by-anne-lamott) ![Picture of Amy Williams](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/amy.png?width=30&name=amy.png) [Amy Williams](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/author/amy-williams) : Apr 11, 2023, 8:46:29 AM When I was 19 years old, I was standing in the foyer of my grandmother’s house when my dad called me over. He patted the seat next to him on the... 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[Creative](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/tag/creative) [Book](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/tag/book) [Writing](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/tag/writing) [Read More](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/7-books-about-creative-writing-every-aspiring-writer-should-read) [![Learn from Mistakes: Overlooking Banned Books in Writing](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/4-Mar-22-2024-11-58-52-1543-PM.png)](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/learn-from-mistakes-overlooking-banned-books-in-writing) 1 min read #### [Learn from Mistakes: Overlooking Banned Books in Writing](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/learn-from-mistakes-overlooking-banned-books-in-writing) ![Picture of Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png?width=30&name=HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png) [Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative/author/writing-team) : Mar 22, 2024, 8:00:01 PM Making mistakes is an integral part of the writing journey. Each misstep presents an opportunity to learn and grow. A lot of writers make one crucial... 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