Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Buy Anne’s latest book, Good Writing, below:
penguinrandomhouse.com/books/786813/good-writing-by-neal-allen-and-anne-lamott
Anne Lamott is famous for writing "Bird by Bird", one of the best books ever written about the craft of writing. In it, she states that "perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people." Sentences like that have made her a muse for countless writers over the years.
Beyond "Bird by Bird", she has written more than 20 books, including novels and memoirs. She recently published a book with her husband, featuring 36 rules for writing. In this interview, we discussed the types of people creatives should surround themselves with, why writer's block is a misnomer, and what she considers the very best writing prompt.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:39 What it means to go bird by bird
00:02:17 Why writer's block isn't real
00:03:36 Don't write harder
00:09:06 The 3 drafts of every book
00:14:24 Observing people around you
00:15:58 How to face your inner critic
00:27:59 How wow restores awe
00:31:16 The "first 3 pages" test
00:35:51 Why revenge is fuel
00:38:26 The best writing prompt ever
00:43:02 Two hacks to get started
00:48:53 A fun way to find writing ideas
00:52:45 Squint to form an idea
00:54:57 What movies inspire Anne
01:02:08 The ABDCE storytelling formula
01:05:37 What makes a good ending
01:10:57 How to deal with criticism
01:16:28 Be willing to be fully alive
*About the host*
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
*Follow me*
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Buy Anne’s latest book, Good Writing, below:
penguinrandomhouse.com/books/786813/good-writing-by-neal-allen-and-anne-lamott
Anne Lamott is famous for writing "Bird by Bird", one of the best books ever written about the craft of writing. In it, she states that "perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people." Sentences like that have made her a muse for countless writers over the years.
Beyond "Bird by Bird", she has written more than 20 books, including novels and memoirs. She recently published a book with her husband, featuring 36 rules for writing. In this interview, we discussed the types of people creatives should surround themselves with, why writer's block is a misnomer, and what she considers the very best writing prompt.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:39 What it means to go bird by bird
00:02:17 Why writer's block isn't real
00:03:36 Don't write harder
00:09:06 The 3 drafts of every book
00:14:24 Observing people around you
00:15:58 How to face your inner critic
00:27:59 How wow restores awe
00:31:16 The "first 3 pages" test
00:35:51 Why revenge is fuel
00:38:26 The best writing prompt ever
00:43:02 Two hacks to get started
00:48:53 A fun way to find writing ideas
00:52:45 Squint to form an idea
00:54:57 What movies inspire Anne
01:02:08 The ABDCE storytelling formula
01:05:37 What makes a good ending
01:10:57 How to deal with criticism
01:16:28 Be willing to be fully alive
*About the host*
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
*Follow me*
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
