Home / Quotes / Quote by Anne Lamott

Quote by Anne Lamott

“I took notes on the people around me, in my town, in my family, in my memory. I took notes on my own state of mind, my grandiosity, the low self-esteem. I wrote down the funny stuff I overheard. I learned to be like a ship's rat, veined ears trembling, and I learned to scribble it all down.”

Quote by Anne Lamott

Book:Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Work

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

This book provides a comprehensive look into the craft of writing, combining practical exercises and personal stories to inspire and instruct readers on the challenges and joys of creative expression. The author shares her experiences and wisdom, offering guidance on overcoming writer's block, structuring narratives, and developing a writing routine. The book also delves into the author's personal journey, illustrating how writing can be a source of both solace and fulfillment in life. more

Author

Anne Lamott is an American novelist born on April 10, 1954. Her works are known for their humor, directness, and profound emotional depth, primarily exploring themes of family, faith, and self-discovery. more

You May Also Like

“I think Republicans really need to be disciplined, to stay focused on sustained economic growth.”

Thinking Needs Growth Economic Republican Focused Economic Growth Stay Focused

Author:Jeb Bush

“Novels ought to have hope; at least, American novels ought to have hope. French novels don't need to. We mostly win wars, they lose them. Of course, they did hide more Jews than many other countries, and this is a form of winning.”

Needs War Country Form Courses Winning Loses Novel Ought Jew Other Countries Having Hope

Book:Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Source: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

“Over and over I feel as if my characters know who they are, and what happens to them, and where they have been and where they will go, and what they are capable of doing, but they need me to write it down for them because their handwriting is so bad.”

Ifs Knows Needs Feels Writing Has Beens Character Happens Capable Handwriting

Author:Anne Lamott

“If you are a writer, or want to be a writer, this is how you spend your days--listening, observing, storing things away, making your isolation pay off. You take home all you've taken in, all that you've overheard, and you turn it into gold. (Or at least you try.)”

Ifs Want Trying Home Turns Pay Taken Listening Gold Isolation Observing

Book:Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Source: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

“When what we see catches us off guard, and when we write it as realistically and openly as possible, it offers hope. You look around and say, Wow, there's that same mockingbird; there's that woman in the red hat again. The woman in the red hat is about hope because she's in it up to her neck, too, yet every day she puts on that crazy red hat and walks to town.”

Writing Looks Walks Crazy Offers Red Towns Necks Hats Wow Mockingbird Red Hat

Book:Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Source: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

“I used to think that paired opposites were a given, that love was the opposite of hate, right the opposite of wrong. But now I think we sometimes buy into these concepts because it is so much easier to embrace absolutes than to suffer reality. I don't think anything is the opposite of love. Reality is unforgivingly complex.”

Thinking Sometimes Reality Used Suffering Hate Given Easier Concepts Opposites Absolutes Embrace Complexes

Book:Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Source: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

“Most people's intuitions are drowned out by folk sayings. We have a moment of real feeling or insight, and then we come up with a folk saying that captures the insight in a kind of wash. The intuition may be real and ripe, fresh with possibilities, but the folk saying is guaranteed to be a cliche, stale and self-contained.”

Source: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

“Writing is about hypnotizing yourself into believing in yourself, getting some work done, then unhypnotizing yourself and going over the material coldly.”

Writing Believe Done Materials Believe In Yourself Work Done

Author:Anne Lamott

“I don't think you have time to waste not writing because you are afraid you won't be good at it.”

Thinking Writing Waste Be Good

Author:Anne Lamott

“If we can believe in the Gnostic gospel of Thomas, old Uncle Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is inside you, what you bring forth will save you. If you don't bring forth what is inside you, what you bring forth can destroy you.”

Ifs Believe Said Jesus Uncles

Book:Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Source: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life