The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Anne Lamott Writes

Oct 4, 2024

Anne Lamott, a #1 New York Times bestselling author with four decades of teaching experience, shares inspiring insights into writing. She discusses the value of brave writing and the necessity of 'shitty first drafts' for growth. Lamott emphasizes the power of authenticity in storytelling and reflects on her journey to literary success, highlighting community's role in supporting writers. She also talks about the importance of consistent practice and the transformative process of crafting intricate narratives from simple beginnings.

37:03

Episode guests

Anne Lamott

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Anne Lamott emphasizes that effective writing involves not just skill but a dedicated commitment to the craft through daily practice.

Lamott encourages writers to embrace the ugly first drafts as part of the revision process, highlighting the transformative power of feedback and editing.

Deep dives

Writers Rising Retreat Overview

A significant retreat for writers is scheduled for October 25-27, featuring immersive workshops that address the writing process, craft, and publication. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from highly acclaimed authors and industry professionals, including Anne Lamott and Cheryl Strayed. This event creates an environment for writers ranging from novices to seasoned authors to foster professional connections, allowing attendees to engage with Penguin editors and literary agents. Participants leave with renewed motivation, practical tools for their writing, and a supportive community to continue their writing journey.

Intro

3min

Exploring the Writing Journey with a Bestselling Author

2min

The Journey of a Bestselling Author: From Origins to Success

6min

Embracing the Writing Process: Shitty First Drafts to Crafted Masterpieces

4min

Embracing Authenticity in Writing

4min

Empowering Writers Through Community and Storytelling

17min

*We’re excited to be partnering with Writers Rising as one of this year’s sponsors, and as a special gift to our listeners, we were able to get you a 10% discount on your in-person or virtual retreat ticket.

Visit WritersRising.com today and enter code writerfiles10 to get that discount. Buy your ticket now before they sell out! We’ll see you there.*

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Anne Lamott, spoke with me about 40 years of teaching writing, how to write more bravely, on sh*tty first drafts, and sharing hacks she’s learned over her career at the Writers Rising 2024 retreat.

Anne Lamott is the author of 20 books, including New York Times bestsellers Help, Thanks, Wow; Dusk, Night, Dawn; Traveling Mercies; and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, as well as seven novels.

Her latest book, Somehow: Thoughts on Love was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Publishers Weekly praised “…her ability to distill complex truths with a deceptive lightness” in their starred review.

Anne is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, an inductee to the California Hall of Fame, and was recently a columnist for The Washington Post. She has taught at UC Davis, writing conferences across the country, and is currently an artist in residence at A Writing Room Collective.

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In this file Anne Lamott and I discussed:

The debt of honor that is the writing life

Why you don’t have to know everything to finish your book

What it was like getting inducted into the California Hall of Fame next to Mark Zuckerberg and Serena Williams

The importance of accountability for staying on track

Why you need to stop not writing and get your butt in the chair

And a lot more!

Show Notes:

Writers Rising 2024

awritingroom.com