Feathers Of Wisdom: Unveiling The 20 Best Bird By Bird Quotes

Words possess a unique power, capable of captivating hearts, stirring emotions, and inspiring greatness.

In the realm of writing, where creativity takes flight. The beauty of language intertwines with the courage to share one’s voice.

Among the vast array of literary treasures, the concept of “bird by bird” resonates profoundly.

This evocative phrase was popularized by the acclaimed writer Anne Lamott. They serve as a metaphor for approaching life and writing with patience, perseverance, and attention to detail.

In this exploration of 20 quotes from Bird by Bird. We start on a journey to uncover the wisdom and inspiration they hold.

Talking into the depths of creativity, mindfulness, vulnerability, and the transformative power of embracing the writing process.

What Does Bird by Bird Mean?

Unveiling the origin and meaning of the “Bird by Bird” concept. It emerged from Anne Lamott’s book “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.”

Lamott shares an insightful childhood anecdote in which her brother faced the overwhelming task of writing a report on birds. Paralyzed by the enormity of the assignment, he didn’t know where to begin.

Their father’s simple yet profound advice—”Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird”—served as a transformative metaphor. It encouraged her brother to break down the overwhelming task into smaller, manageable parts.

This concept of taking small steps resonates with writers and creatives. Emphasizing the importance of focusing on immediate tasks rather than getting overwhelmed by the whole project.

In the “bird by bird” approach, writers can find solace in incremental progress. And gain the confidence to conquer even the most daunting writing endeavors.

Bird By Bird Quotes, by Anne Lamott

1. “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” – Anne Lamott“
2. Writing can be a pretty desperate endeavor because it is about some of our deepest needs: our need to be visible, to be heard, our need to make sense of our lives, to wake up and grow and belong.” – Anne Lamott
3. “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” – Anne Lamott
4. “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.” – Anne Lamott
5. “Writing has so much to give, so much to teach, so many surprises.” – Anne Lamott
6. “Good writing is about telling the truth.” – Anne Lamott
7. “The first draft is the child’s draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later.” – Anne Lamott
8. “Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.” – Anne Lamott
9. “You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.” – Anne Lamott
10. “I don’t think you have time to waste not writing because you are afraid you won’t be good at it.” – Anne Lamott
11. “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor.” – Anne Lamott
12. “We begin to find and become ourselves when we notice how we are already found, already truly, entirely, wildly, messily, marvelously who we were born to be.” – Anne Lamott
13. “There’s a lot of not writing in writing.” – Anne Lamott
14. “I still encourage anyone who feels at all compelled to write to do so. I just try to warn people who hope to get published that publication is not all it is cracked up to be.” – Anne Lamott
15. “But it’s good to remember that there is no one way to spell God.” – Anne Lamott
16. “My coming to faith did not start with a leap but rather a series of staggers.” – Anne Lamott
17. “Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul.” – Anne Lamott
18. “I try to write the books I would love to come upon, that are honest, concerned with real lives, human hearts, spiritual transformation, families, secrets, wonder, craziness—and that can make me laugh.” – Anne Lamott
19. “You can’t write if you can’t relate.” – Anne Lamott
20. “Writing is about learning to pay attention and to communicate what is going on.” – Anne Lamott

FAQ