Lamott’s book walks the line between a fiction craft book and memoir. The book comprises four main sections, “Writing,” “The Writing Frame of Mind,” “Help Along the Way,” and “Publication—and Other Reasons to Write.” Though the book is organized by writing tips, the heart of the book is in Lamott’s experience as a writer, friend, daughter, and mother. The primary benefit of this book is being able to see the applications of Lamott’s writing advice through her experiences she shares. She finds inspiration for her work in tragedy, humor, and the relationships she builds with other creatives primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York.
Lamott advocates for the creepier parts of the writing process, like eavesdropping and adding non-favorable details about people to avoid libel, while giving credit where it is due, citing the people in her life that helped her be a better writer. Writing is an isolating venture, one that is frequently plagued by negative feelings of self-doubt and isolation. Lamott comforts the reader, letting them know the horrible parts of writing are real and your feelings are valid. Though the tips Lamott gives may not make the entire process of writing easier, it makes being a writer feel easier, more communal, and authentic. After reading this book, I have new techniques I look forward to trying for my weak points—like ways to try turning a string of scenes into a cohesive plot and ways to combat writer’s block—and the reassurance that the difficulties I may feel as a writer are not mine alone.
