Back in March, I read
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and enjoyed it. I read it slowly and highlighted it and put post-it notes in it and everything. Then, I put it right back on my bookshelf and wrote a little, but not much. Yesterday I started On Writing and I devoured it in one day. I folded the pages that had important things I wanted to remember. I didn't have time to get up and find post-its or a highlighter.. I just wanted to soak up everything he was saying without pausing. The books both cover the same topic, but for me they conveyed the message differently. Bird by Bird was methodical and felt very much like a writing class. On Writing gave me that feeling you get when you come home from college thinking you know everything and then your uncle says "If you like to write, just write.....why the hell did you need to go to school for that?". After that, you slap your forehead and say, "You're right Uncle Steve, ugh! I want my tuition refunded!"
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and actually started writing a story while I was in the midst of reading the book. The main rule is read a lot and write a lot if you want to improve your craft. I have been reading a lot, but have been a little too hesitant about my writing. Although it sounds
cliché, this book has inspired me to ditch fear and focus on the writing....focus on the story.
