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Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences
36 ways to improve your writing
Two writers show you how to turn a worthy sentence into a memorable one. Starting where The Elements of Style leaves off, Good Writing can improve your book, your essay, your memo, your blog post, speech, or script. These essential rules for persuasive language work on any type of writing, and anyone can learn them quickly.
Each rule is accompanied by examples and a lively pair of essays, the first by Neal Allen, who developed the list of tips over the course of his journalism and corporate careers; the second by his wife, Anne Lamott, acclaimed author of Bird by Bird and nineteen other nonfiction works and novels. The authors don’t always agree on the specifics, but they are passionate about making better sentences.
As Neal writes, “These rules economize, favor the plainspoken and the specific, keep the reader’s attention sharp, and in other ways show respect for the audience’s time and desire for novelty.”
Some rules are Use strong verbs. Remove the boring stuff. Twist clichés. Some are more Draw on all five senses. Give your sentence a finale. Along the way, Good Writing addresses practicalities such as finishing projects despite challenges, trusting editors, and knowing when to break the rules to serve your story.
Whether you're a novice writer or a seasoned author, this essential and entertaining guide will revolutionize your approach to crafting sentences.
Two writers show you how to turn a worthy sentence into a memorable one. Starting where The Elements of Style leaves off, Good Writing can improve your book, your essay, your memo, your blog post, speech, or script. These essential rules for persuasive language work on any type of writing, and anyone can learn them quickly.
Each rule is accompanied by examples and a lively pair of essays, the first by Neal Allen, who developed the list of tips over the course of his journalism and corporate careers; the second by his wife, Anne Lamott, acclaimed author of Bird by Bird and nineteen other nonfiction works and novels. The authors don’t always agree on the specifics, but they are passionate about making better sentences.
As Neal writes, “These rules economize, favor the plainspoken and the specific, keep the reader’s attention sharp, and in other ways show respect for the audience’s time and desire for novelty.”
Some rules are Use strong verbs. Remove the boring stuff. Twist clichés. Some are more Draw on all five senses. Give your sentence a finale. Along the way, Good Writing addresses practicalities such as finishing projects despite challenges, trusting editors, and knowing when to break the rules to serve your story.
Whether you're a novice writer or a seasoned author, this essential and entertaining guide will revolutionize your approach to crafting sentences.
224 pages, Paperback
Published March 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
April 6, 2026
I was very hesitant about reading this book. How dare a person co-write a book with my beloved Anne Lamott? Even if he is her current husband?
It worked. The format is perfect. Neal offers his thirty-six rules for improving your sentences, and Anne comments.
Note: In my (very humble) opinion, these rules are generally best for revision.
It worked. The format is perfect. Neal offers his thirty-six rules for improving your sentences, and Anne comments.
Note: In my (very humble) opinion, these rules are generally best for revision.
May 22, 2026
Great advice - and while I knew a lot of this, we all need reminders!
I loved the style - and how they played off of each other's nature/habits and way of communicating the dos/don'ts. Allen's style was very professor-like, while Lamott's was chatty, funny and drove home the points. The humor was classic Lamotte, like in the beginning, she said something like, "Okay, we all know Neal is over-educated."
Several times I laughed out loud at her wit. Great craft book! Highly recommend.
I loved the style - and how they played off of each other's nature/habits and way of communicating the dos/don'ts. Allen's style was very professor-like, while Lamott's was chatty, funny and drove home the points. The humor was classic Lamotte, like in the beginning, she said something like, "Okay, we all know Neal is over-educated."
Several times I laughed out loud at her wit. Great craft book! Highly recommend.
March 29, 2026
Lots of helpful tips presented with humor.
My one objection would be Lamott's gripe with the word petrichor. She came upon it in a book, didn't know what it meant, felt dumb because she had to look it up, and then didn't want to continue reading. I get that no one enjoys pulling out a dictionary every other paragraph because an author felt the need to show off his or her fancy vocabulary. But learning a new word is generally a good thing. Plus, petrichor is actually a common term in the Southwest. It describes the distinct, earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. If you are not familiar with it, I highly suggest seeking it out. It's one of the best smells in the world.
My one objection would be Lamott's gripe with the word petrichor. She came upon it in a book, didn't know what it meant, felt dumb because she had to look it up, and then didn't want to continue reading. I get that no one enjoys pulling out a dictionary every other paragraph because an author felt the need to show off his or her fancy vocabulary. But learning a new word is generally a good thing. Plus, petrichor is actually a common term in the Southwest. It describes the distinct, earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. If you are not familiar with it, I highly suggest seeking it out. It's one of the best smells in the world.
March 6, 2026
I received an ARC through a Goodreads Giveaway — thank you to the authors and publisher! I’m a Communications professor who also teaches writing courses, which probably makes me an ideal audience for this book.
While it didn’t feel groundbreaking, the book is accessible and full of practical advice that anyone can apply to write more engaging sentences. I especially enjoyed the banter-like format between the authors.
My one note to future readers: since the book isn’t very long, I’d normally read it in one sitting. However, this one is a bit wordy and list-heavy to fully enjoy that way. Just know you will probably get more out of it if you plan to pick it up over a few weeks rather than all at once. I found it worked better to read a couple rules a day over a longer period of time rather than trying to power through it.
If you take even a couple of valuable insights from it, you’ll be better off after reading, and that’s why I read in the first place! 4/5 stars ✍🏼
While it didn’t feel groundbreaking, the book is accessible and full of practical advice that anyone can apply to write more engaging sentences. I especially enjoyed the banter-like format between the authors.
My one note to future readers: since the book isn’t very long, I’d normally read it in one sitting. However, this one is a bit wordy and list-heavy to fully enjoy that way. Just know you will probably get more out of it if you plan to pick it up over a few weeks rather than all at once. I found it worked better to read a couple rules a day over a longer period of time rather than trying to power through it.
If you take even a couple of valuable insights from it, you’ll be better off after reading, and that’s why I read in the first place! 4/5 stars ✍🏼
March 29, 2026
Decent book on "editing", not necessarily writing. I like the 36 rules. I plan to use them during the editing process.
I listened to the audiobook version read by the two authors. Unfortunately I did not enjoy their narration. I'm sure they are lovely people, but the prose and narration combined caused me to pass unfair negative judgment on the couple.
People considering this book... Just find the 36 rules and save yourself the in depth explanation. A motivational poster version of this book will have a similar impact.
I listened to the audiobook version read by the two authors. Unfortunately I did not enjoy their narration. I'm sure they are lovely people, but the prose and narration combined caused me to pass unfair negative judgment on the couple.
People considering this book... Just find the 36 rules and save yourself the in depth explanation. A motivational poster version of this book will have a similar impact.
April 26, 2026
My quibble with this book is that I can’t imagine who the audience is; it would seem to be people who were just struck with the idea to write without ever reading a book, or writing a single sentence.
The advice seems extremely basic, and I say that as a person who teaches freshman level college writing. I struggled to find a chapter that I could share with my students, as they all seemed rather unremarkable. Perhaps I am wrong, but this is not a book for people who have spent any amount of time studying writing. I always start my semester with Lamott’s ‘Shitty First Drafts’ and am a long-time fan, so this was a real disappointment, I am sorry to say.
The advice seems extremely basic, and I say that as a person who teaches freshman level college writing. I struggled to find a chapter that I could share with my students, as they all seemed rather unremarkable. Perhaps I am wrong, but this is not a book for people who have spent any amount of time studying writing. I always start my semester with Lamott’s ‘Shitty First Drafts’ and am a long-time fan, so this was a real disappointment, I am sorry to say.
April 16, 2026
My mom bought me (and herself) a copy of this book because we’re both Lamott-writing-advice-heads and we’re going to have a miniature book club zoom call next week. You can say it! That’s cute!! Tl;dr: Anne simply does not disappoint. Loved the (sometimes extremely contradictory!) back and forth between the two authors (who are also married to each other) — there’s no one right way to write, and their dual perspectives help illuminate that. Overall, a good set of rules — some phrasing I’ll for sure be using in my “how to write an academic essay” class — and I would say about 20-25 of these rules are very useful and the rest are… fine. Some moments of eye-rolling ego but not too many, which is all you can really hope for when a writer (let alone two writers!) steps up to the podium to speak at length about their craft. All in all, a good starting text for those looking for writing guidance: extremely accessible, generally informative and kind, and, in some moments, also deeply funny (or, at least, quirky).
April 1, 2026
As soon as I saw Anne Lamott released a new book on writing, I raced to Barnes & Noble to buy it — and was ecstatic to snatch one of the first copies they unpacked!
This writing guide is different from Lamott’s acclaimed “Bird by Bird,” one of my favorite books that I often revisit ever since its publication 30+ years ago. In this most recent book, she collaborates with her husband Neal Allen, a writer himself. Quite simply, it is hysterical! Probably not the learned accolade they hoped to receive, but funny nonetheless — and largely (if not entirely) thanks to Anne’s contributions.
The book includes 36 writing tips developed by Neal, from his tenure as a newspaper journalist. Each brief chapter is devoted to a single tip, followed by Anne’s take on her husband’s advice. Ironically, the man providing the writing tips is not the most engaging writer. Leave it to Anne to bring the humor — and bring it she does.
Regarding Rule 6 in which Neal goes to great lengths to distinguish between Anglo-Saxon and Latinate words, Anne’s take on his rule begins, “I dropped out of college at nineteen to be a writer and since then I’ve gotten old and funny. As a result of those two developments, I had to look up the difference between Anglo-Saxon and Latinate words.” Mic drop. It’s precisely that kind of unflinching honesty that draws me to her work.
Later in Rule 34, on the heels of Neal’s loquacious diatribe on when and when not to break the rules, Anne begins her commentary, “The first rule of fight club, I mean writing club, is you don’t talk to yourself about the rules of writing. Just write and write and write.”
This book is a fantastic resource, but I confess I often found myself rushing through Neal’s tip in great anticipation of reading Anne’s irreverent — and quite frankly, much more insightful — commentary on it.
Anne’s writing is so much more fluid and enjoyable, whereas Neal’s can be… ummm… a bit… dare I say… pretentious. His sections often require more than one pass to grasp his point — and sometimes even a consultation with Webster’s to find the meaning of one of his more lofty word choices. (Quite ironic since several of his writing tips emphasize the importance of keeping language conversational and not “showing off.”)
Reading Neal’s sections of the book, he strikes me as the kind of guy who enjoys the sound of his voice monopolizing cocktail party chatter to demonstrate he’s the smartest person in the room. And he may well be. But whereas Neal quotes from the likes of Aristotle, Proust and an obscure 19th century Russian author (to name but a few), Anne opts to reference, for example, E.B. White’s Stuart Little, the classic children’s book about an adventuresome mouse. Enough said?
Pomposity aside, I highly recommend this book for any writer. Anne’s writing is always a joy to read and, despite his arrogance, Neal does share some good tips. If you don’t already own Anne’s “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life,” grab that too while you’re at the bookshop. You won’t be disappointed.
This writing guide is different from Lamott’s acclaimed “Bird by Bird,” one of my favorite books that I often revisit ever since its publication 30+ years ago. In this most recent book, she collaborates with her husband Neal Allen, a writer himself. Quite simply, it is hysterical! Probably not the learned accolade they hoped to receive, but funny nonetheless — and largely (if not entirely) thanks to Anne’s contributions.
The book includes 36 writing tips developed by Neal, from his tenure as a newspaper journalist. Each brief chapter is devoted to a single tip, followed by Anne’s take on her husband’s advice. Ironically, the man providing the writing tips is not the most engaging writer. Leave it to Anne to bring the humor — and bring it she does.
Regarding Rule 6 in which Neal goes to great lengths to distinguish between Anglo-Saxon and Latinate words, Anne’s take on his rule begins, “I dropped out of college at nineteen to be a writer and since then I’ve gotten old and funny. As a result of those two developments, I had to look up the difference between Anglo-Saxon and Latinate words.” Mic drop. It’s precisely that kind of unflinching honesty that draws me to her work.
Later in Rule 34, on the heels of Neal’s loquacious diatribe on when and when not to break the rules, Anne begins her commentary, “The first rule of fight club, I mean writing club, is you don’t talk to yourself about the rules of writing. Just write and write and write.”
This book is a fantastic resource, but I confess I often found myself rushing through Neal’s tip in great anticipation of reading Anne’s irreverent — and quite frankly, much more insightful — commentary on it.
Anne’s writing is so much more fluid and enjoyable, whereas Neal’s can be… ummm… a bit… dare I say… pretentious. His sections often require more than one pass to grasp his point — and sometimes even a consultation with Webster’s to find the meaning of one of his more lofty word choices. (Quite ironic since several of his writing tips emphasize the importance of keeping language conversational and not “showing off.”)
Reading Neal’s sections of the book, he strikes me as the kind of guy who enjoys the sound of his voice monopolizing cocktail party chatter to demonstrate he’s the smartest person in the room. And he may well be. But whereas Neal quotes from the likes of Aristotle, Proust and an obscure 19th century Russian author (to name but a few), Anne opts to reference, for example, E.B. White’s Stuart Little, the classic children’s book about an adventuresome mouse. Enough said?
Pomposity aside, I highly recommend this book for any writer. Anne’s writing is always a joy to read and, despite his arrogance, Neal does share some good tips. If you don’t already own Anne’s “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life,” grab that too while you’re at the bookshop. You won’t be disappointed.
April 10, 2026
An excellent short book on writing. I wish I’d had these rules when I started writing my first novel. They are simple and helpful.
In the last decade, I’ve written 17 novels and have come upon most of these rules the hard way—by trial and error, from coaches, and from having a good editor.
It’s nice to have them organized into a list with examples. Neil’s take, followed by Anne’s was a brilliant way to explain each rule. The banter between them was snarky at times which made me feel like I was getting a glimpse into the family dynamics!
In the last decade, I’ve written 17 novels and have come upon most of these rules the hard way—by trial and error, from coaches, and from having a good editor.
It’s nice to have them organized into a list with examples. Neil’s take, followed by Anne’s was a brilliant way to explain each rule. The banter between them was snarky at times which made me feel like I was getting a glimpse into the family dynamics!
June 14, 2026
"Good Writing" delivers on its promise of 36 solid tips on ways to improve your writing. But as a bonus, it's an unexpectedly funny look into the relationship between its two authors.
Neal Allen takes the lead here, delivering a roster of simple guides for better writing. Some are pretty common and tip his hand as a former journalist. A few of these are bedrock Associated Press Stylebook rules. But Allen expounds on the rules, showing examples, literary references, and explanations for why they improve writing.
For the second half of each chapter, co-author Anne Lamott takes over, injecting humor into the book. She's more plainspoken and funnier than her husband Neal.
Neil references Aristotle, Latin, and classical literature. Anne cites Cormac McCarthy and other contemporary authors. Her repartee made this book a lot of fun to read.
Neal's writing isn't dry by any means, and he does occasionally crack a joke. But Anne had me laughing out loud at least once a chapter.
This is still a writing advice/guidebook, so the focus is on how to craft better sentences, which lead to better paragraphs, then chapters, articles, books, reports, etc.
And after the chapters, the end of the book has a handy list summarizing the 36 tips. (I am keeping a copy of that around for later.)
I'd recommend this book to journalists, authors and really anyone who does a fair amount of writing for a living. That also goes for people who use social media for a living. Knowing how to craft a really good sentence (though it may include emojis and trendy slang) is important to get brief messages across.
It's a book to help you spruce up your writing, while also having some laughs with a couple of funny writers.
Neal Allen takes the lead here, delivering a roster of simple guides for better writing. Some are pretty common and tip his hand as a former journalist. A few of these are bedrock Associated Press Stylebook rules. But Allen expounds on the rules, showing examples, literary references, and explanations for why they improve writing.
For the second half of each chapter, co-author Anne Lamott takes over, injecting humor into the book. She's more plainspoken and funnier than her husband Neal.
Neil references Aristotle, Latin, and classical literature. Anne cites Cormac McCarthy and other contemporary authors. Her repartee made this book a lot of fun to read.
Neal's writing isn't dry by any means, and he does occasionally crack a joke. But Anne had me laughing out loud at least once a chapter.
This is still a writing advice/guidebook, so the focus is on how to craft better sentences, which lead to better paragraphs, then chapters, articles, books, reports, etc.
And after the chapters, the end of the book has a handy list summarizing the 36 tips. (I am keeping a copy of that around for later.)
I'd recommend this book to journalists, authors and really anyone who does a fair amount of writing for a living. That also goes for people who use social media for a living. Knowing how to craft a really good sentence (though it may include emojis and trendy slang) is important to get brief messages across.
It's a book to help you spruce up your writing, while also having some laughs with a couple of funny writers.
April 22, 2026
Some interesting and helpful reminders for writers. Neal offers the "ways" and Anne offers her commentary. Not as clever as I had hoped. And too much space is consumed constantly reminding us that these are just suggestions and they can be ignored as needed.
April 17, 2026
A true 5/5 for me. This got me so excited for sentences and editing. I can’t wait to see where my writing goes in my second drafts after taking the 36 rules with me. Both Neal and Anne are deft writers and each bring their own expertise to the book. Highly recommend for writers. It got me very excited to write.
March 21, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed this back and forth between two smart and funny authors who just happen to be late in life partners. Heard Anne Lamott (whose books I gobble up) on the radio and went right to Shermans and got my name on a list for when it went on sale. Read it tonight-- about a three hour read beginning to end-- gobbled it! I did write all over it-- writing my own "dental draft" now-- and my own my own "in house" editor is helping; now I am going go sharpen my verbs and metaphors, delete unnecessary words and believe in it enough to find an agent.
April 12, 2026
I'm sure it saves money to self-narrate, but not every author has a voice for narration. In this case, Neal Allen, whose enumerates his 36 Rules for Good Writing, has a lecturing tone that I automatically tuned out. But I listened to every word of his wife (the acclaimed novelist and memoirist Anne Lamott) delivering "Anne's Take" on each rule, because her voice was interesting, emotional, and funny (as in: "No one thinks this marriage will last"). If you're reading this for the wisdom of the writing lessons, I advise reading vs listening.
3 stars for the audio edition because I was excited for it to be over; would have been 4.5 stars if Anne had been the sole narrator. Such as, "Rule 1: Neal says this....and now my take."
#mytakeonyourtake
3 stars for the audio edition because I was excited for it to be over; would have been 4.5 stars if Anne had been the sole narrator. Such as, "Rule 1: Neal says this....and now my take."
#mytakeonyourtake
May 9, 2026
Anne Lamott’s “Bird by Bird” is one of my favorite books on writing of all time, so obviously I had to pick up this book on writing by Lamott and her husband Neal Allen. Unlike “Bird by Bird,” which is aptly subtitled “some instructions on writing and life,” “Good writing” is not very much about life but is very much about writing.
Well, it’s more of an editing book than a writing one, really. While there are some suggestions on getting words on the page (and I enjoyed Lamott’s assessment that writing is “80 percent stalling, 10 percent laundry, and 10 percent struggling to capture ideas, experiences, and imagination in words”), Allen’s 36 writing tips are more focused on honing sentences once they are written rather than setting them down to begin with.
And of course, these 36 tips are opinions rather than rules. Use words of Anglo Saxon origin rather than their Latinate counterparts? Why? Allen lays out his reasons well, but that doesn’t mean we have to agree with them. Even the co-authors disagree with each other sometimes. On the acceptability of the world “meantime,” Lamott says, “You decide: Seven hundred years-plus of recorded use, or cranky, wiseacre Neal?”
But they’re good food for thought. I think when it comes to books on craft you can sometimes get as much from the rules you disagree with as the ones you do. To this day, every time I use an adverb I think of Stephen King’s noted hatred of them. Sometimes, I sigh and hit the backspace key. Sometimes I think “Screw you, Stephen,” and keep it in, defiantly.
A short, entertaining, and useful read.
Well, it’s more of an editing book than a writing one, really. While there are some suggestions on getting words on the page (and I enjoyed Lamott’s assessment that writing is “80 percent stalling, 10 percent laundry, and 10 percent struggling to capture ideas, experiences, and imagination in words”), Allen’s 36 writing tips are more focused on honing sentences once they are written rather than setting them down to begin with.
And of course, these 36 tips are opinions rather than rules. Use words of Anglo Saxon origin rather than their Latinate counterparts? Why? Allen lays out his reasons well, but that doesn’t mean we have to agree with them. Even the co-authors disagree with each other sometimes. On the acceptability of the world “meantime,” Lamott says, “You decide: Seven hundred years-plus of recorded use, or cranky, wiseacre Neal?”
But they’re good food for thought. I think when it comes to books on craft you can sometimes get as much from the rules you disagree with as the ones you do. To this day, every time I use an adverb I think of Stephen King’s noted hatred of them. Sometimes, I sigh and hit the backspace key. Sometimes I think “Screw you, Stephen,” and keep it in, defiantly.
A short, entertaining, and useful read.
June 10, 2026
I recommend this book for anyone who is new to writing (either fiction or nonfiction!) as well as experienced writers. I knew many of these rules, but it was a good reminder for some and others were explained in a way that helped me understand exactly what they meant.
Read this for my library's Summer Reading Bingo: Recent Release
Read this for my library's Summer Reading Bingo: Recent Release
May 22, 2026
A practical and fun guide to improving sentences. I loved the banter between Anne and her husband Neal and their different takes on the 36 rules. I borrowed this book from the library and I’d love to get my own copy to reference while revising.
April 21, 2026
Read for the panel on this book at USC festival of books. Loved the panel. Good writing advice.
May 9, 2026
lovely straightforward advice. i underlined practically everything
June 16, 2026
Solid advice! I enjoyed the interplay between Neal and Anne.
July 3, 2026
solid advice! and great reminders. i really appreciated anne’s takes. def took notes for future reference.
July 15, 2026
I kept bashing up against Allen’s rules and getting my feelings hurt or offended because our sensibilities are so different and my ego is huge but fragile, and then I would remember that he’s a newspaperman and I’m an SFF writer. So reading this book is more of a salvage job than a crash course for me. Yes, I’m bad about putting “She thought” or “They felt” at the start of my sentences and it’s something I do need to work on, and I did say ‘very bad’ at first and went back and deleted the ‘very,’ but you can wrest my multisyllabic Latinate vocabulary from my cold dead grubby pedestrianly genre-stained hands.
Also they are literally plain dead wrong about likable protagonists but, again, different literary camps.
Also they are literally plain dead wrong about likable protagonists but, again, different literary camps.
June 17, 2026
Love the dynamic of Anne and her “current husband.” Neal is an amazing writer and his tips and rules are pure gold.
March 23, 2026
One of the best books on writing I have read, slim but filled with simple, practical advice.
March 20, 2026
#51 Books Read in 2026
“Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences”
by Neal Allen & Anne Lamott 2026
Audible
Started 3.18 26 - Finished 3.19 .26
(#9 read in March)
Now I must re-read "Bird by Bird".
I was so sad when I was finished.
I'm so thankful I found this great book.
“Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences”
by Neal Allen & Anne Lamott 2026
Audible
Started 3.18 26 - Finished 3.19 .26
(#9 read in March)
Now I must re-read "Bird by Bird".
I was so sad when I was finished.
I'm so thankful I found this great book.
June 9, 2026
Normally I dislike books written by two authors, especially when there are differing voices. This was a massive exception. Neal would present his "rule" that is rooted in reference and example. And Anne would explain why and when she violates the rule. I find this super helpful for gettinga sense of which boudnaries are fungible and which ones are more rigid.
June 5, 2026
The book had some okay advice, mixed in with some contradictory advice ("trust your voice" and "don't use big words or talk over your reader's head").
Anne's self-deprecation bordered on self-loathing. "You and I will never write a sentence like [insert famous author]." Why not? Can the craft of writing be taught or not? What books did those famous writers read to learn the craft? If this book cannot help us write great sentences, what are we doing here?
Neal and Anne both shamed writers for trying too hard to write smart, but then they, themselves, seemed to try so hard to be fools. Both of them boasted about their insecurities and their limitations. Maybe they did this because they wanted the reader to resonate with them, or maybe they wanted to make the reader feel better about themselves—both reasons are patronizing to all involved.
Allen made a career as a writer. Lamott has sold a barge-load of books. The whole "aw shucks, I'm flawed just like you" persona came off distracting and insincere.
Their flirtations and teasing, on the other hand, felt far more sincere and made the book joyful.
Anne's self-deprecation bordered on self-loathing. "You and I will never write a sentence like [insert famous author]." Why not? Can the craft of writing be taught or not? What books did those famous writers read to learn the craft? If this book cannot help us write great sentences, what are we doing here?
Neal and Anne both shamed writers for trying too hard to write smart, but then they, themselves, seemed to try so hard to be fools. Both of them boasted about their insecurities and their limitations. Maybe they did this because they wanted the reader to resonate with them, or maybe they wanted to make the reader feel better about themselves—both reasons are patronizing to all involved.
Allen made a career as a writer. Lamott has sold a barge-load of books. The whole "aw shucks, I'm flawed just like you" persona came off distracting and insincere.
Their flirtations and teasing, on the other hand, felt far more sincere and made the book joyful.
June 4, 2026
What a strange book. She’s such an accomplished author and he’s … not so much. Did she feel obligated to “write” this with him? Just skip to Neal’s 36 Rules (pp 185-189). You might find a few helpful hints there.
April 10, 2026
This is a book I'll keep on my editorial shelf right next to Bird By Bird, and I'll return to it on the regular. "These rules economize, favor the plainspoken and the specific, keep the reader's attention sharp, and in other ways show respect for the audience's time and desire for novelty." If you're a writer, do your readers a favor and follow the sage advice of Neal & Anne!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews