Life with most teenagers was like having a low-grade bladder infection. It hurts, but you had to tough it out.
Anne LamottRead
I don't know where to start," one [writing student] will wail. Start with your childhood, I tell them. Plug your nose and jump in, and write down all your memories as truthfully as you can. Flannery O' Connor said that anyone who has survived childhood has enough material to write for the rest of his or her life. Maybe your childhood was grim and horrible, but grim and horrible is Okay if it is well done. Don't worry about doing it well yet, though. Just get it down.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of starting to write from personal experiences, particularly childhood memories, without worrying about perfection.
Anne Lamott encourages writers to begin their work by reflecting on their childhood experiences, suggesting that even difficult memories can provide rich material for writing. The process of writing is framed as more important than achieving perfection; the focus should be on capturing memories authentically. By acknowledging that surviving childhood grants someone the wealth of experiences to draw from, Lamott reassures writers that their past, no matter how grim, can contribute meaningfully to their literary creations.
Themes
WritingChildhoodMemoriesAuthenticityCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a writing workshop, to inspire students to dive into their unique stories.
More from Anne Lamott
All quotes →Or you might shout at the top of your lungs or whisper into your sleeve, "I hate you, God." That is a prayer too, because it is real, it is truth, and maybe it is the first sincere thought you've had in months.
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Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend it trying to look good and creating the illusion that you have power over people and circumstances, or whether you are going to taste it, enjoy it and find out the truth about who you are.
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It is hard to remember that you are a cherished spiritual being when you're burping up apple fritters and Cheetos.
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Gorgeous, amazing things come into our lives when we are paying attention: mangoes, grandnieces, Bach, ponds. This happens more often when we have as little expectation as possible. If you say, "Well, that's pretty much what I thought I'd see," you are in trouble. At that point you have to ask yourself why you are even here. [...] Astonishing material and revelation appear in our lives all the time. Let it be. Unto us, so much is given. We just have to be open for business.
Anne LamottRead
...because when people have seen you at their worst, you don't have to put on the mask as much.
Anne LamottRead
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