So you want to be a writer? Probably the answer is yes, otherwise why would you even pick up a book like this? But reader beware; Anne Lamott is not going to soft soap you into believing that writing is a glamorous or painless pursuit. Trouble and toil is at the heart of the process so if you nurse any romantic ideals about being struck by the muse, you are best advised to discard them immediately.
Lamott says that writers who succeed have to contend with stress, insecurity and loneliness. The feelings that drive them include jealousy, paranoia and anger. This means that only a happy few are able to apply their compulsive obsessive disorders to meet tangible goals.
Certainly, Lamott make it crystal clear that you must be prepared to sacrifice the niceties of social interaction if you’re serious about achieving your ambitions. In other words, the more self-centered and selfish you are, the better. Discipline and persistency, also known as plain bloody-mindedness, will stand you in very good stead. “To be a good writer, you not only need to write a great deal, you have to care”, she writes. Continue reading
