Anthony's Recommendations: Writing Memoirs

If your interest is writing or just interest in people then I would highly recommend these books. As a writer myself I found them both comforting, fascinating and helpful to read that some very successful writers have gone through the same problems. Their attitude and outlook about writing is refreshing. Also they had useful ideas on how I should go about my writing. 

Bird by Bird - Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

This is a fantastic example of an honest and factual account of Anne Lamott’s life as a writer. Her father’s big influence on her writing and how she teachers it. The name of the book is all part of the author’s way of going about writing. I found this book very instructive and contained useful tips through varied examples from the writer’s life to understand and learn but not too instructive. As it’s half memoir and beautifully written it keeps you going at the same time as telling you about a first draft, plot, character and dialogue. It gives a good account of the process and how you can use life to help you with your writing. 

Stephen King’s On Writing

A memoir of the craft is the second book that I would highly recommend too. It is another part-memoir, part writing advice by one of the bestselling authors of all time. King writes brilliantly about his trials, tribulations and successes through his writing life. He gives his account of his process that he goes through when writing his novels and goes into great detail of what to do and what not to do with prose writing. Very instructive and again never gets dull. There is real honesty about this book. Fun to read and King’s personality comes to the forefront of it.