Bird by Bird, A Book Review

Yesterday’s sunny weather beckoned me outside, and I found myself with pruning shears in hand, ready to tackle my yard cleanup.

As I approached a particularly huge and mostly dead willow, I felt overwhelmed and unsure how or where to start. That’s when a slightly tweaked version of a quote from Anne Lamott’s  Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life popped into my head. “Take it branch by branch, buddy.”

This book has been a favorite of mine since I won it at a writers’ conference. Created for fellow scribes but with a healthy dose of life observation and advice, I often open it up or am randomly inspired by it as I move through life.

My favorite chapter, “Shitty First Drafts,” lets us know that it’s okay to not get things right the first time. “Short Assignments” helps us break our huge projects down into manageable phases. And “How Do You Know When You’re Done” speaks to knowing when to keep working on something and when to let it go.

One willow branch led to more. My goal of clearing ¼ of the bush was exceeded.

Thank you Anne.

By Heidi Drake; All Rights Reserved @2020

By Heidi Drake; All Rights Reserved @2020