Photoessay #1110 - Bird by Bird

I just bought this book last night and I love it! So funny, I'm laying in bed reading it with snickers and giggles. This writing book is different than several other inspirational ones I have. Which I never can get through, you know, I love to write and it's so inspirational and I learn so much by expressing myself, blah blah

I'm trying to find a funny part but you know that any book that has a chapter title called "shitty first drafts" has the right idea.

It also has a wonderful title "Bird by Bird". I love that title, why? It just has a great rhythm and cadence to it, distinctive and crisp. My teacher wrote a book called "How to sleep alone in a king size bed". I really like the teacher. I really like the book. But the title has no ring to it AT ALL.

The story behind the title

Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on bird written that he's had three months to write. It wes due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birs. Immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said< "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.

So really, that's her trick with writing. Just take it bird by bird. I want to read some of her other books. I've heard people raving about this book and now I know why.

Besides my teacher's book, we've had two authors come, one's tonight. I've read each of their books. "Fleeing Fundamentalism" about a woman who had been strongly drawn to fundamentalist religions, married an up and coming minister then everything fell apart and she had to rebuild her life. The one tonight "Alchemy of Loss" which is about a 911 widow who had to rebuild her life. Get the drift. My teacher's book was about an unforeseen divorce and she had to rebuild her life. Hmmmm, maybe I need to get with the program here.

Went to court this afternoon to support an ARY (At Risk Youth petition). Managed to initiate a little bit of drama but basically it all went well and a good example of an ARY hearing (they can be ALL over the block).