Yesterday,
was,
kind of quiet,
at the bookstore,
but,
honestly,
bookstores tend,
to be.
I was roaming,
around the shelves,
looking at what,
I have,
and why,
some of them,
aren’t selling.
So,
rooting around,
my dictionary,
grammar,
foreign language,
style guide,
section,
happened upon,
this writing guide,
Bird by Bird,
by Anne Lamott.
It’s been there,
a while.
I thought I would,
check it out.
Some books sell,
themselves,
some books,
wait for,
their reader/buyer,
and some,
you have to nudge,
into someones,
hands.
This book,
should have sold,
ages ago,
a lot of wannabe,
writers,
frequent,
used bookstores,
this is a good guide,
cheap,
and in more,
than adequate,
condition.
When I acquired it,
I figured it would,
go,
fast,
but,
a year or so,
later,
it’s still on the shelf.
The reason I believe,
it hasn’t sold is,
the title,
people must,
think it,
a missplaced,
ornithology guide,
in fact it is,
a delightful,
practical,
book,
on writing.
Not, one of those,
how to become,
the next Stephen King,
James Patterson,
or assorted other,
bestselling millionaire,
but, how to write,
really write,
everyday,
eek out a living,
be happy,
and,
miserable,
doing what,
you must do,
write.
Filled with,
memories,
and observations,
on life,
and the creative,
process,
a gem,
maybe,
it hasn’t sold,
because,
it was waiting,
for me to read it,
first,
or,
last:-)
Lamott has,
an easy going,
and,
quirky,
funny style.
She speaks to me:-)
From page fifteen,
on the reasons it is important,
to write,
not just be published,
Because for some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.
Nice huh?
Sometimes,
a book,
waits patiently,
for you,
to pick it up,
to need it.
When you’re ready,
when you are,
there.
Maybe,
not just books,
🙂
Later girls,
BB
BB: you have found a wonderful book, and what Annie says about books is so true: I have 6 bookcases full of books all of them wonderful and loved and I want to divest of them, but can’t. I have spent four days now trying to find books to give to the Diabetes association — who’ll sell them to Value Village, but no matter… my progress is quite dismal. And I have yet to be able to take books to a shop to sell them. So…I write instead.
Personally, I’m glad you write, you have a gift:-)
I love Bird by Bird! Great find, BB…, too bad students who say that they want to write, rarely follow AL’s advice…
So, I’m the last to find out…again:-) what a delightful book.
Your comment makes me smile:-) I wrote this so long ago but I admit it stands up. You are a joy, truly.