Description here.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but it was recommended to me by a creative writing major at my university so I thought I’d give it a read.
I am so glad that I did.
This is, unquestionably, the best book I’ve ever read on writing.
And, yes, that includes Stephen King’s On Writing.
In retrospect, it’s so strange that it’s a mere 237 pages because every inch of it is jam-packed with wisdom and personality.
The latter brings me to one of my favorite aspects of this book: It does not read like a manual.
It’s like you’re talking to your cool aunt from across the kitchen table. In fact, I wish Anne Lamott was my aunt. She’s hilarious and passionate without coming across as hammy or pretentious. I can tell she genuinely cares about helping writers improve in their craft.
She has made several of the mistakes she lists in the book (and sometimes continues to make them), so she knows what she’s talking about. She understands rejection, jealousy, and wanting to be successful.
Her honestly can be a bit discouraging, but hope is a theme that resonates consistently throughout the book.
If I still haven’t convinced you to read this, here are reasons you should:
- It’s hilarious.
- It’s honest
- It’s short
- It’s personal.
If you want to write, read this book!
The Crooked Pen 