Before I get into specifics, I want to reiterate from previous journals just how much I love the author’s voice in these chapters. She is conversational, easy to understand, and frequently humorous (70).
In the “Plot” chapter, what really landed for me was Lamott’s emphasis on the importance of getting to know your characters, even to the point where you feel as though they are real (60), with you becoming the designated typist. I also appreciated what she said in the very beginning: “Characters should not … serve as pawns for some plot you’ve dreamed up” (54). I feel like we have encountered this in some of the short story drafts we’ve workshopped in class, including my own in Short Story #1. This will be helpful as I continue to revise this story.
There were many helpful points in the “Dialogue” chapter. One point that resonated with me was when Lamott said that we need to get to know our characters hearts, even the villain, and especially the villain: “the villain has a heart, and the hero has great flaws. You’ve got to pay attention to what each character says, so you can know each of their hearts” (69). I also like that she said we should avoid drawing our characters from ones that exist in other peoples work, because “your reading should confirm what you’ve observed in the world” (69). I hadn’t thought of it in this way, and think that was the perfect way to put it. Finally, I’ve lost the page, but I thought it was really helpful when she said that our characters need to have distinct voices – the reader should know who it is based on their dialogue alone, and they should all have a self – they should not sound like us.
These chapters in BBB were, as expected, a lovely read. I tend to have plot points in my mind that I know I would like to use but I never know how to get there. Lamott’s idea that it is the characters that push the plot forward makes sense to me. The plot simply won’t be believable if you push it upon your characters and don’t take into account their personalities and how they act. It is also important to write what you know, even when writing vastly different characters. Again, the believability won’t be there if you cannot describe a feeling or thought accurately.
Another thing that I struggle with is dialogue. I never know how to make it sound realistic because I tend to just write how I would speak which makes all of the characters sound the same and because of that they are all very 2D characters. As Lamott said, “Dialogue is the way to nail a character, so you have to work on getting the voice right.” She goes on to say that the right words aren’t already in your head so you need to actually put yourself in your character’s shoes and think of how they would respond to something. This is something I need to remember. I need to distance myself from the story enough to not plop myself in the storyline instead of the character I am creating.
One of the things I found really important from the plot chapter, is the idea that our characters create our plot, not the other way around. Plot is what people will do and is based on the development of these relationships. You cannot use your characters as pawns for the plot, or you lose the story. I also like the idea that you should just keep trying to move your story forward and stop worrying about the idea that sometimes you’ll get a lot of momentum, and sometimes you won’t. This is exactly how I feel when I write, I start and can carry on a chunk of my story, but then I get stuck and frustrated. So, I like the idea of trying not to worry about it and to just keep going, because that’s something I need to do. You also need drama to keep the reader intrigued and wanting to know more, but you have to work towards it and your story’s climax so that you don’t ruin things for the reader or arrive to quickly and run out of things to do.
One of the things I found really interesting in the dialogue chapter was how important good dialogue is. If you have good dialogue, the reader enjoys it, they’re getting a break from all the writing and getting to see exactly how these characters act. But, if you have bad dialogue, it can take the reader right from the story and ruin the whole thing for them. I like the idea that dialogue is like a movie, because I think it’s incredibly accurate. I think another important thing she mentions is the idea that all your characters need to speak in a different way, so their dialogue must be different. Each character is unique and if done right, the dialogue can show who is speaking and give the reader an even better sense of the character.
I enjoyed reading about “plots” and “dialogue” in BBB. I’ve felt I’ve never really had a hard time with plots they kind of come to me before I’ve really completely a story. Towards the end Lamott brings up how Alice Adams has a formula when writing a short story it goes, ABDCE. Action, Background, Development, Climax, and Ending. I thought that was an easy way to build a strong story. With using all that it’ll build up into a plot.
Reading the dialogue chapter was really beneficial because I had some trouble and errors with dialogue in my short story so reading this was really helpful for me to go back and fix in my story. Character development is so important for dialogue because if it seems off or not like the character it can throw the readers off easily. You have to really know your character to know how they would act and talk. You have to put yourself into the characters shoes and see what they see think how they would think. When revising my paper I need to put myself into their shoes and give them a voice of their own rather than using my voice.
Both chapters in BBB were two great reads that really showed how the plot and dialogue play a huge role in the stories we write. My favorite part about the first chapter is that she explained the plot as almost the complete opposite of what I always thought a plot was meant to do. She described it as something that grows throughout our characters. When I first read that I was a little confused but as she kept explaining this idea of how the plot of the story can be formed just by the actions we present through our characters it began to make so much sense and was something I never even realized before. A quote I liked that stood out to me was on page 59 that said “if you knowingly fake something to get the plot to move forward- you probably won’t get away with it” (59). I feel like this is so true for many people who write including myself where I constantly make changes that just benefit the overall plot I’m trying to convey but really has nothing to do with the character being presented and what they actually would have done. Dialogue is another aspect of writing I find I struggle with but this chapter I thought provided a lot of useful tips on how to create that real and raw dialogue in a story. I liked how on page 66 she explained how you should put two people who wish to avoid each other more than anything and have them somehow get stuck together to create a moment where a lot of dialogue can happen. The last point I liked from this chapter was on page 67 where she writes “good dialogue gives us the sense that we are eavesdropping, that the author is not getting in the way” (67). I loved this because it really represented how dialogue should make the reader feel as though they are listening for every word said so they don’t miss a beat of the story just like when you are trying to listen in on a conversation in real life.
I really liked that both the chapters had the same main idea of figuring out your characters. Writing with characters you have already made up their whole life story is really hard because you try to stick to it, which is a really stuffy and restrictive way to write. Sitting down to write the story is more interesting when you don’t fully know your character yet. You have to bring them to life as you go along meaning you’re figuring out the character at the same rate that the reader will. I also thought that the ABCDE formula was really important to remember! It’s a good baseline to get you started in writing so I’ll definitely use that if I want to write any more stories. The dialogue chapter was really helpful as well. Just as you are writing to figure out your characters, you have to do the same thing for figuring out the way they talk. You have to be inside the brain of your character to really know what they would say in any situation. I also liked that the author acknowledged that writing in a dialect is really difficult! It can sound good in your head but it could be just absolute garbage and that can take you out of the whole story. So it’s really important to know if you’re good at writing in dialect or not, and if it’s really pivotal for your story.
Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed this assignment’s reading of “Bird By Bird” by Anne Lamott. A common theme I found throughout both chapters was this idea of personifying your characters and using who they are as people to guide their story. For instance, in the chapter titled, “plot,” I really liked the quote used to describe how vital the importance of knowing your character is. That quote was as follows, “if, for instance, you have taken a character you don’t understand and given her feelings you don’t really feel because you want the plot to work, you probably won’t get away with it.” This quote resonated with me, because emotion and feelings are such an important aspect of plot. Without them, the plot would mean little and wouldn’t be as impactful. I also appreciated the ABDCE (action, background, development, climax, and ending) strategy explained in this chapter. I found it to be a helpful way of considering plot, and I may use it in the future to help me organize the plot of my own stories when brainstorming. In the chapter titled, “dialogue,” a quote that stuck with me when discussing the importance of developing a character’s voice was that, “each one must have their own self. If you can get their speech and mannerisms right, you will know what they’re wearing and driving, and maybe even thinking, and how they were raised, and what they feel.” To me this quote meant that by developing voice, you are also developing a person, and by developing a person you are also developing their life, which is what you need to have a plot. In that sense, these two chapters were both helpful in achieving a knowledge of the important role that sense of character plays, and how to develop a story brick by brick. Starting from the characters and working your way up.
The two chapters in Bird by Bird focused on plot and dialogue. Plot is something that I tend to struggle with, since I feel like I have so many ideas and so many different directions that a story could go in. Sometimes, it’s really overwhelming to sift through all the possibilities, but Lamott’s advice is really helpful. Characters push the plot forward, and if the possibilities that you come up with don’t fit in with what the characters would do/say, then the story wouldn’t be believable. I liked how Lamott really pushed the idea of character within plot, as sometimes I feel like people discuss plot without discussing character. In all honesty, I feel a sort of reverence to the characters I write, because without them there’s no story. Sometimes you just have to write and let the characters decide where the story goes. Lamott discusses momentum, and while this idea is frustrating, she has a point. Things won’t move quickly when you write your first draft and it’s incredibly slow and painful, but you just have to keep going. The dialogue chapter was interesting, as I feel like I struggle with writing good dialogue sometimes. It’s one of the biggest things that I focus on as a reader. If the dialogue is unnatural or if it just feels forced, then I won’t enjoy the story, no matter how well-crafted the plot or the characters are. Lamott also discusses how each character is different and has to speak a different way. I think I struggle with this the most. I feel as though all of my characters tend to speak the same way, even if they aren’t in the same story.
I found myself learning a lot while reading these two chapters of Bird by Bird. Reading Anne’s writing comes very easily and she does a great job explaining her thinking and laying out for the reader the ideas she wants to convey.
In ‘Plot’, I was moved by her ideas about how the relationship of your characters is what moves the plot forward. The characters should come first and the plot second, not the other way around. Anne says to discover the plot and overall story through the characters you are writing about. When you can fully understand your characters and how they would react to different situations, then the plot will come easier.
In ‘Dialouge’, what stood out to me most was that writing dialogue is a challenge for every writer. Anne’s advice, which to me is very important, was to read the dialogue you write out loud to yourself, or have someone else read it out loud. This allows you to listen to it as if it were a real conversation and analyze how it sounds. She also said to study how people talk. Go out and listen in on how people converse normally, and use that to inspire your own writing. A final line that stood out to me was when Anne said that your dialogue should sound like you are eavesdropping on the characters. The writer is not getting in the way, and is simply allowing us to listen in to the real conversation.
These two chapters in Bird by Bird focused on plot and dialogue- two things very integral to any story. Starting with the first chapter, I felt (as usual) a lot of Lamott’s advice to be incredibly helpful. The most poignant part, for me, was the bit about authentic characters and voices. She states that you can’t write a character you don’t understand with feelings you’ve never felt. This really spoke to me for a number of reasons. My first story felt relatively easy to write out especially the step by step approach we took with it allowing me to dedicate all of my attention and care to that certain step. With the second story, however, I struggled to give her what she needed. Bogged down by classes and the usual happenings of college life I found myself writing about characters I didn’t understand and feelings I had never felt before. It wasn’t until I sat down and wrote something familiar that I was finally able to get something that I liked onto the page. Dialogue has some of this sentiment as well. Lamott talks about how important it is to find who your character it is and write how THEY would speak not how you would. It was interesting reading through the chapter seeing how she suggests that dialogue can totally change a character which I agree. It’s always fun reading these chapters.
Once again, I really enjoyed the readings in Bird by Bird. I always enjoy the authors way of explaining topics in such as way that it sounds like a conversation rather than a lecture. I found the main point about knowing your characters to be really interesting. I find that I always have a difficult time writing from a characters perspective when I begin writing my stories, but BBB as helped me notice that in order to do that, I need to spend more time getting to know my character before I try to develop the bigger picture. BBB has also told me that I shouldn’t try to write from a characters perspective when I don’t understand/can’t imagine how they would be feeling. Overall, I found this area of BBB to be very beneficial and I find that I may go back and revisit it when I begin a story in the future.
I liked how Lamott described the importance of characters in the plot. A story’s plot is nothing without the characters. They’re almost like the vessel for the story itself, which also ties into the dialogue. Good dialogue to accompany your plot, in my opinion, makes or breaks it. I enjoyed the quote “dialogue that is so purple and expositional that it reads like something from a childhood play by the Gabor sisters.” Sometimes I’ll write dialogue and it looks perfectly fine on paper, but when I read it out loud, it makes zero sense. Being able to convey your character’s speech in a human and relatable way supports the plot. The way Lamott explains her thought process has been very intriguing to me and the lightness of her tone makes Bird by Bird pretty enjoyable to read.
These two chapters in BBB were all things that I knew about writing a story but it was really informative to see it on the page. In the “Plot” chapter, I liked how plot is based upon characters. We have to understand and know the characters first before I create a plot, the plot develops once the characters haven been created. I really felt like this hit the mark on what I do with my stories, planning and imaging characters and then plot comes later, so seeing that others create their stories that way was very important to see. Showing that if you have good characters, your plot will all come together. In the “Dialogue” chapter, the ideas were similar to that in the first chapter. “Dialogue” showed me about how when writing, we need to create the conversation of the characters feel authentic to their characterization created. It was very helpful to see that others have trouble with writing dialogue, because its not an authentic voice to the character or to the author. I just liked how this was highlighted within Lamott’s text. But similarly to the other chapters we read, I just liked how much I can relate with Lamott’s voice and experience with writing.
As always, I find myself enjoying the readings in Bird by Bird. The thing that I found most interesting and helpful was that both of these chapters, “Plot” and ‘Dialogue,” were about the characters and the character development that you see throughout the story. It is about who the characters are and how they tell their story. Not us as the writers. As the writers, we are to be learning alongside as the readers are learning about the characters. Going through my process of writing my two short stories, I didn’t necessarily struggle with my plots, I just kept getting frustrated because I would have these ideas, start getting them down, and then I would lose them, and I couldn’t remember where I was going with it. This chapter taught me that it’s not supposed to be me creating the plot, but the characters. I also loved the mention of Alice Adams’ formula that she uses when she writes. The simple Action Background Climax Development Ending notation was something that I wished I had back in high school and before I started writing stories. I will definitely remember this the next time I decide to write. As far as dialogue, I found myself struggling with incorporating that into my stories. When writing my story, I was trying to write the dialogue between the characters in a voice of how I, myself would say it. That is not the case. Dialogue should be a continuous flow between characters that happen casually as you write. You are not the character, the characters are not you. There should be a separate voice between the two. As well as each character having their own unique voice that fits them. Again, I just really loved how both chapters were their own section, but resolved around character, as characters are more so the center of the story.
I found both the bird by bird chapters to be meaningful and borderline genius. It feels like Anne Lamott has truly cracked the code for writing. The plot chapter was so engaging and valuable. I found her suggestion, to follow and listen to the lead of the characters you have created, to be profound. A quote, “your characters had something in mind all along that was brighter and much more meaningful than what you wanted to impose on them.”
The dialogue chapter I also found helpful. I like how Anne describes conversation as a rhythm. When I am writing I often use text-to-speech to hear how it sounds aloud. I agree when she says that dialogue is the way to nail a character.
15 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 11”
Before I get into specifics, I want to reiterate from previous journals just how much I love the author’s voice in these chapters. She is conversational, easy to understand, and frequently humorous (70).
In the “Plot” chapter, what really landed for me was Lamott’s emphasis on the importance of getting to know your characters, even to the point where you feel as though they are real (60), with you becoming the designated typist. I also appreciated what she said in the very beginning: “Characters should not … serve as pawns for some plot you’ve dreamed up” (54). I feel like we have encountered this in some of the short story drafts we’ve workshopped in class, including my own in Short Story #1. This will be helpful as I continue to revise this story.
There were many helpful points in the “Dialogue” chapter. One point that resonated with me was when Lamott said that we need to get to know our characters hearts, even the villain, and especially the villain: “the villain has a heart, and the hero has great flaws. You’ve got to pay attention to what each character says, so you can know each of their hearts” (69). I also like that she said we should avoid drawing our characters from ones that exist in other peoples work, because “your reading should confirm what you’ve observed in the world” (69). I hadn’t thought of it in this way, and think that was the perfect way to put it. Finally, I’ve lost the page, but I thought it was really helpful when she said that our characters need to have distinct voices – the reader should know who it is based on their dialogue alone, and they should all have a self – they should not sound like us.
These chapters in BBB were, as expected, a lovely read. I tend to have plot points in my mind that I know I would like to use but I never know how to get there. Lamott’s idea that it is the characters that push the plot forward makes sense to me. The plot simply won’t be believable if you push it upon your characters and don’t take into account their personalities and how they act. It is also important to write what you know, even when writing vastly different characters. Again, the believability won’t be there if you cannot describe a feeling or thought accurately.
Another thing that I struggle with is dialogue. I never know how to make it sound realistic because I tend to just write how I would speak which makes all of the characters sound the same and because of that they are all very 2D characters. As Lamott said, “Dialogue is the way to nail a character, so you have to work on getting the voice right.” She goes on to say that the right words aren’t already in your head so you need to actually put yourself in your character’s shoes and think of how they would respond to something. This is something I need to remember. I need to distance myself from the story enough to not plop myself in the storyline instead of the character I am creating.
One of the things I found really important from the plot chapter, is the idea that our characters create our plot, not the other way around. Plot is what people will do and is based on the development of these relationships. You cannot use your characters as pawns for the plot, or you lose the story. I also like the idea that you should just keep trying to move your story forward and stop worrying about the idea that sometimes you’ll get a lot of momentum, and sometimes you won’t. This is exactly how I feel when I write, I start and can carry on a chunk of my story, but then I get stuck and frustrated. So, I like the idea of trying not to worry about it and to just keep going, because that’s something I need to do. You also need drama to keep the reader intrigued and wanting to know more, but you have to work towards it and your story’s climax so that you don’t ruin things for the reader or arrive to quickly and run out of things to do.
One of the things I found really interesting in the dialogue chapter was how important good dialogue is. If you have good dialogue, the reader enjoys it, they’re getting a break from all the writing and getting to see exactly how these characters act. But, if you have bad dialogue, it can take the reader right from the story and ruin the whole thing for them. I like the idea that dialogue is like a movie, because I think it’s incredibly accurate. I think another important thing she mentions is the idea that all your characters need to speak in a different way, so their dialogue must be different. Each character is unique and if done right, the dialogue can show who is speaking and give the reader an even better sense of the character.
I enjoyed reading about “plots” and “dialogue” in BBB. I’ve felt I’ve never really had a hard time with plots they kind of come to me before I’ve really completely a story. Towards the end Lamott brings up how Alice Adams has a formula when writing a short story it goes, ABDCE. Action, Background, Development, Climax, and Ending. I thought that was an easy way to build a strong story. With using all that it’ll build up into a plot.
Reading the dialogue chapter was really beneficial because I had some trouble and errors with dialogue in my short story so reading this was really helpful for me to go back and fix in my story. Character development is so important for dialogue because if it seems off or not like the character it can throw the readers off easily. You have to really know your character to know how they would act and talk. You have to put yourself into the characters shoes and see what they see think how they would think. When revising my paper I need to put myself into their shoes and give them a voice of their own rather than using my voice.
Both chapters in BBB were two great reads that really showed how the plot and dialogue play a huge role in the stories we write. My favorite part about the first chapter is that she explained the plot as almost the complete opposite of what I always thought a plot was meant to do. She described it as something that grows throughout our characters. When I first read that I was a little confused but as she kept explaining this idea of how the plot of the story can be formed just by the actions we present through our characters it began to make so much sense and was something I never even realized before. A quote I liked that stood out to me was on page 59 that said “if you knowingly fake something to get the plot to move forward- you probably won’t get away with it” (59). I feel like this is so true for many people who write including myself where I constantly make changes that just benefit the overall plot I’m trying to convey but really has nothing to do with the character being presented and what they actually would have done. Dialogue is another aspect of writing I find I struggle with but this chapter I thought provided a lot of useful tips on how to create that real and raw dialogue in a story. I liked how on page 66 she explained how you should put two people who wish to avoid each other more than anything and have them somehow get stuck together to create a moment where a lot of dialogue can happen. The last point I liked from this chapter was on page 67 where she writes “good dialogue gives us the sense that we are eavesdropping, that the author is not getting in the way” (67). I loved this because it really represented how dialogue should make the reader feel as though they are listening for every word said so they don’t miss a beat of the story just like when you are trying to listen in on a conversation in real life.
I really liked that both the chapters had the same main idea of figuring out your characters. Writing with characters you have already made up their whole life story is really hard because you try to stick to it, which is a really stuffy and restrictive way to write. Sitting down to write the story is more interesting when you don’t fully know your character yet. You have to bring them to life as you go along meaning you’re figuring out the character at the same rate that the reader will. I also thought that the ABCDE formula was really important to remember! It’s a good baseline to get you started in writing so I’ll definitely use that if I want to write any more stories. The dialogue chapter was really helpful as well. Just as you are writing to figure out your characters, you have to do the same thing for figuring out the way they talk. You have to be inside the brain of your character to really know what they would say in any situation. I also liked that the author acknowledged that writing in a dialect is really difficult! It can sound good in your head but it could be just absolute garbage and that can take you out of the whole story. So it’s really important to know if you’re good at writing in dialect or not, and if it’s really pivotal for your story.
Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed this assignment’s reading of “Bird By Bird” by Anne Lamott. A common theme I found throughout both chapters was this idea of personifying your characters and using who they are as people to guide their story. For instance, in the chapter titled, “plot,” I really liked the quote used to describe how vital the importance of knowing your character is. That quote was as follows, “if, for instance, you have taken a character you don’t understand and given her feelings you don’t really feel because you want the plot to work, you probably won’t get away with it.” This quote resonated with me, because emotion and feelings are such an important aspect of plot. Without them, the plot would mean little and wouldn’t be as impactful. I also appreciated the ABDCE (action, background, development, climax, and ending) strategy explained in this chapter. I found it to be a helpful way of considering plot, and I may use it in the future to help me organize the plot of my own stories when brainstorming. In the chapter titled, “dialogue,” a quote that stuck with me when discussing the importance of developing a character’s voice was that, “each one must have their own self. If you can get their speech and mannerisms right, you will know what they’re wearing and driving, and maybe even thinking, and how they were raised, and what they feel.” To me this quote meant that by developing voice, you are also developing a person, and by developing a person you are also developing their life, which is what you need to have a plot. In that sense, these two chapters were both helpful in achieving a knowledge of the important role that sense of character plays, and how to develop a story brick by brick. Starting from the characters and working your way up.
The two chapters in Bird by Bird focused on plot and dialogue. Plot is something that I tend to struggle with, since I feel like I have so many ideas and so many different directions that a story could go in. Sometimes, it’s really overwhelming to sift through all the possibilities, but Lamott’s advice is really helpful. Characters push the plot forward, and if the possibilities that you come up with don’t fit in with what the characters would do/say, then the story wouldn’t be believable. I liked how Lamott really pushed the idea of character within plot, as sometimes I feel like people discuss plot without discussing character. In all honesty, I feel a sort of reverence to the characters I write, because without them there’s no story. Sometimes you just have to write and let the characters decide where the story goes. Lamott discusses momentum, and while this idea is frustrating, she has a point. Things won’t move quickly when you write your first draft and it’s incredibly slow and painful, but you just have to keep going. The dialogue chapter was interesting, as I feel like I struggle with writing good dialogue sometimes. It’s one of the biggest things that I focus on as a reader. If the dialogue is unnatural or if it just feels forced, then I won’t enjoy the story, no matter how well-crafted the plot or the characters are. Lamott also discusses how each character is different and has to speak a different way. I think I struggle with this the most. I feel as though all of my characters tend to speak the same way, even if they aren’t in the same story.
I found myself learning a lot while reading these two chapters of Bird by Bird. Reading Anne’s writing comes very easily and she does a great job explaining her thinking and laying out for the reader the ideas she wants to convey.
In ‘Plot’, I was moved by her ideas about how the relationship of your characters is what moves the plot forward. The characters should come first and the plot second, not the other way around. Anne says to discover the plot and overall story through the characters you are writing about. When you can fully understand your characters and how they would react to different situations, then the plot will come easier.
In ‘Dialouge’, what stood out to me most was that writing dialogue is a challenge for every writer. Anne’s advice, which to me is very important, was to read the dialogue you write out loud to yourself, or have someone else read it out loud. This allows you to listen to it as if it were a real conversation and analyze how it sounds. She also said to study how people talk. Go out and listen in on how people converse normally, and use that to inspire your own writing. A final line that stood out to me was when Anne said that your dialogue should sound like you are eavesdropping on the characters. The writer is not getting in the way, and is simply allowing us to listen in to the real conversation.
These two chapters in Bird by Bird focused on plot and dialogue- two things very integral to any story. Starting with the first chapter, I felt (as usual) a lot of Lamott’s advice to be incredibly helpful. The most poignant part, for me, was the bit about authentic characters and voices. She states that you can’t write a character you don’t understand with feelings you’ve never felt. This really spoke to me for a number of reasons. My first story felt relatively easy to write out especially the step by step approach we took with it allowing me to dedicate all of my attention and care to that certain step. With the second story, however, I struggled to give her what she needed. Bogged down by classes and the usual happenings of college life I found myself writing about characters I didn’t understand and feelings I had never felt before. It wasn’t until I sat down and wrote something familiar that I was finally able to get something that I liked onto the page. Dialogue has some of this sentiment as well. Lamott talks about how important it is to find who your character it is and write how THEY would speak not how you would. It was interesting reading through the chapter seeing how she suggests that dialogue can totally change a character which I agree. It’s always fun reading these chapters.
Once again, I really enjoyed the readings in Bird by Bird. I always enjoy the authors way of explaining topics in such as way that it sounds like a conversation rather than a lecture. I found the main point about knowing your characters to be really interesting. I find that I always have a difficult time writing from a characters perspective when I begin writing my stories, but BBB as helped me notice that in order to do that, I need to spend more time getting to know my character before I try to develop the bigger picture. BBB has also told me that I shouldn’t try to write from a characters perspective when I don’t understand/can’t imagine how they would be feeling. Overall, I found this area of BBB to be very beneficial and I find that I may go back and revisit it when I begin a story in the future.
I liked how Lamott described the importance of characters in the plot. A story’s plot is nothing without the characters. They’re almost like the vessel for the story itself, which also ties into the dialogue. Good dialogue to accompany your plot, in my opinion, makes or breaks it. I enjoyed the quote “dialogue that is so purple and expositional that it reads like something from a childhood play by the Gabor sisters.” Sometimes I’ll write dialogue and it looks perfectly fine on paper, but when I read it out loud, it makes zero sense. Being able to convey your character’s speech in a human and relatable way supports the plot. The way Lamott explains her thought process has been very intriguing to me and the lightness of her tone makes Bird by Bird pretty enjoyable to read.
These two chapters in BBB were all things that I knew about writing a story but it was really informative to see it on the page. In the “Plot” chapter, I liked how plot is based upon characters. We have to understand and know the characters first before I create a plot, the plot develops once the characters haven been created. I really felt like this hit the mark on what I do with my stories, planning and imaging characters and then plot comes later, so seeing that others create their stories that way was very important to see. Showing that if you have good characters, your plot will all come together. In the “Dialogue” chapter, the ideas were similar to that in the first chapter. “Dialogue” showed me about how when writing, we need to create the conversation of the characters feel authentic to their characterization created. It was very helpful to see that others have trouble with writing dialogue, because its not an authentic voice to the character or to the author. I just liked how this was highlighted within Lamott’s text. But similarly to the other chapters we read, I just liked how much I can relate with Lamott’s voice and experience with writing.
As always, I find myself enjoying the readings in Bird by Bird. The thing that I found most interesting and helpful was that both of these chapters, “Plot” and ‘Dialogue,” were about the characters and the character development that you see throughout the story. It is about who the characters are and how they tell their story. Not us as the writers. As the writers, we are to be learning alongside as the readers are learning about the characters. Going through my process of writing my two short stories, I didn’t necessarily struggle with my plots, I just kept getting frustrated because I would have these ideas, start getting them down, and then I would lose them, and I couldn’t remember where I was going with it. This chapter taught me that it’s not supposed to be me creating the plot, but the characters. I also loved the mention of Alice Adams’ formula that she uses when she writes. The simple Action Background Climax Development Ending notation was something that I wished I had back in high school and before I started writing stories. I will definitely remember this the next time I decide to write. As far as dialogue, I found myself struggling with incorporating that into my stories. When writing my story, I was trying to write the dialogue between the characters in a voice of how I, myself would say it. That is not the case. Dialogue should be a continuous flow between characters that happen casually as you write. You are not the character, the characters are not you. There should be a separate voice between the two. As well as each character having their own unique voice that fits them. Again, I just really loved how both chapters were their own section, but resolved around character, as characters are more so the center of the story.
I found both the bird by bird chapters to be meaningful and borderline genius. It feels like Anne Lamott has truly cracked the code for writing. The plot chapter was so engaging and valuable. I found her suggestion, to follow and listen to the lead of the characters you have created, to be profound. A quote, “your characters had something in mind all along that was brighter and much more meaningful than what you wanted to impose on them.”
The dialogue chapter I also found helpful. I like how Anne describes conversation as a rhythm. When I am writing I often use text-to-speech to hear how it sounds aloud. I agree when she says that dialogue is the way to nail a character.