Bird By Bird

drawn by my Mum here

There is a book by Anne Lamott called 'Bird By Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life'. On the back of the book she explains the reasoning behind the title, she writes...


"Thirty years ago, my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write. It was 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 birds, immobilised by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's sholder, and said, 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird."

That is exactly how i've dealt the last few weeks. My deadline is tomorrow, and i'll be handing in my portfolio, a 15,000 word journal and six accompanying sketchbooks. The only way i've been able to get through it all, (and feel quite satisfied with what i'm handing it) is to think back to to Anne's story and take it 'bird by bird'. Despite this, i feel completely drained of all energy, and anything intelligent to say, so I think a few days off might be in order.