Fiction Scribe

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Fiction Scribe discussion of Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird. Last week I got a pleasant surprise with finding that, even though I am a dialogue-focused writer, I thoroughly enjoyed the chapter “Set Design”.

This week we will be discussing three sections: “False Starts,” “Plot Treatment,” and “How Do You Know When You’re Done”. I’ll try not to babble on too much for each of them.

This chapter didn’t quite go the way I thought it would go, but it was good nonetheless. Once again, Lamott presents easily understood metaphors to help us to realize what getting to know our characters is all about. I’ve heard this advice before - take everything away from your character and see who is left - but this was presented in a better way.

I like the image of the tree being stripped of all its leaves. As mentioned in previous chapters, the inner spaces are what make people who they are. What you look like and what your job is may set your scene for me, but it’s the inner space - the bark without the tree - that keeps me coming back.

I loved this chapter because - and I’m more than willing to admit - it pandered a bit to my ego.

The process Lamott describes of letting her manuscript be for a while and then spreading out all the sections on the floor is exactly what I do, but I do it with note cards. When you’re in the story and writing it, it’s one thing, but sitting looking down at where you’ve been and seeing it all as the final piece is a different kind of playing god.

I think this chapter is important because it’s as if she did things backwards than one is ’supposed to’. She wrote the drafts of her book, then she wrote the outline for her plot. I think this is a good way to show there isn’t a step-by-step way to write a book that is going to work every time or is even going to work for everyone.

This goes right along with “False Starts” in that you learn something new in each draft - and even then you might not get it right.

I found this cute because it’s not something I’ve ever thought about, but it’s a question that seems only natural to ask after getting this far in the book.

How do you know when you’re done? I suppose it’s different for everyone. I think it’s best to remember, though, that perfectionist voices are bad. You shouldn’t leave a bad draft obviously bad, but you shouldn’t strive for absolute perfectionism either.

Very interesting question.

How did you like these three chapters? Do you agree or disagree with what Lamott has to say? Did you find some different ways of looking at things to do them?

Remember to read “Looking Around” and “The Moral Point of View” for next week.

If you would like to lead one of these discussions, feel free to contact me and we can discuss it.