Bird by Bird
"Writing a first draft is very much like watching a Polaroid develop."
— Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird (1994)
Introduction
| Bird by Bird | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Full title | Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life |
| Author | Anne Lamott |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Authorship; Writing; Creativity |
| Genre | Nonfiction; Writing guide; Memoir |
| Publisher | Anchor Books |
Publication date | 1 September 1995 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover, paperback); e-book; audiobook |
| Pages | 256 |
| ISBN | 978-0-385-48001-7 |
| Goodreads rating | 4.2/5 (as of 8 November 2025) |
| Website | penguinrandomhouse.com |
Chapter summary
This outline follows the Anchor Books paperback edition (1995, ISBN 978-0-385-48001-7); first edition published by Pantheon Books (1994, ISBN 978-0-679-43520-4).[1][2][3]
I – Writing
🚀 1 – Getting started.
🎯 2 – Short assignments.
🧻 3 – Shitty first drafts.
🎛️ 4 – Perfectionism.
🥪 5 – School lunches.
📸 6 – Polaroids.
👤 7 – Character.
🧭 8 – Plot.
💬 9 – Dialogue.
🏗️ 10 – Set design.
🔁 11 – False starts.
🧾 12 – Plot treatment.
✅ 13 – How do you know when you're done?.
II – The writing frame of mind
👀 14 – Looking around.
⚖️ 15 – The moral point of view.
🥦 16 – Broccoli.
📻 17 – Radio Station KFKD.
😒 18 – Jealousy.
III – Help along the way
🗂️ 19 – Index cards.
☎️ 20 – Calling around.
🤝 21 – Writing groups.
👓 22 – Someone to read your drafts.
💌 23 – Letters.
🧱 24 – Writer's block.
IV – Publication, and other reasons to write
🎁 25 – Writing a present.
🎙️ 26 – Finding your voice.
🤲 27 – Giving.
📰 28 – Publication.
V – The last class
🎓 29 – The last class.
Related content & more
YouTube videos
CapSach articles
References
- ↑ "Bird by bird : some instructions on writing and life (First Anchor books ed., contents)". WorldCat. OCLC. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ↑ "Bird by bird : some instructions on writing and life (1st ed., bibliographic record)". WorldCat. OCLC. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ↑ "Publisher description for Bird by bird : some instructions on writing and life". Library of Congress. Library of Congress. Retrieved 8 November 2025.