Annotated Bibliography and Research Proposal

Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and

Life. Anchor Books, 1995.

Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing

life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a

humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the

chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer

advice on everything from plot development to jealousy,

from perfectionism to struggling with one's own internal

critic.

In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to

be both productive and fun. Lamott offers sane advice for

those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main

project seems to be offering the reader a reality check

regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one's own

imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical

handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is

indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-

earth humor, and its encouraging approach.

Chapters in this text could easily be included in the

curriculum for a writing class. Several of the chapters in Part

1 address the writing process and would serve to generate

discussion on students' own drafting and revising processes.

Some of the writing exercises would also be appropriate for

generating classroom writing exercises. Students should find

Lamott's style both engaging and enjoyable.

MLA Formatted Citation

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source say?”

ASSESSMENT “What does the

source do?”

REFLECTION “Why is this

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