Bird by Bird
Bird by Bird written by Anne Lamott is an awesome guide to writing well. It doesn’t only touch on how to write (it doesn’t even really go into the details like style) but focusses much of the energy on the how of writing.
Write with emotion, use your own life (but do change the details), and write shitty first drafts. Improve, repeat.
Writing isn’t about becoming famous and to really enjoy it, try and enjoy the process itself.
From another review: “Bird by Bird is more of a pep talk/psychotherapy session for writers. Sitting home alone writing can be more than a little crazy-making, so it’s nice to have some reassurance that the craziness is normal, along with some tools for getting to the next day. ” I agree.
Good in combination with Writing That Works.