Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott
Anne Lamottis an American novelist and non-fiction writer...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNon-Fiction Author
Date of Birth10 April 1954
CitySan Francisco, CA
CountryUnited States of America
funny reading voice
I love readings and my readers, but the din of voices of the audience gives me stage fright, and the din of voices inside whisper that I am a fraud, and that the jig is up. Surely someone will rise up from the audience and say out loud that not only am I not funny and helpful, but I'm annoying, and a phony.
falling-in-love fun hate
So what are we supposed to do again, when we hate everything? You stop pretending life is such fun or makes sense. It's often messy and cruel and dull, and we do the best we can. It's unfair, and jerks seem to win. But you fall in love with a few people. Like I love you, Elizabeth. You're the angel God sent me.
inspiring funny-inspirational children
I don't remember who said this, but there really are places in the heart you don't even know exist until you love a child.
life sweet funny-life
What fills us is real, sweet, dopey, funny life.
running fun writing
Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.
The American way is to not need help, but to help.
created faith god hates image opposite people turns
The opposite of faith is not doubt: It is certainty. It is madness. You can tell you have created God in your own image when it turns out that he or she hates all the same people you do.
capable feeling mental spiritual
I'm much calmer as I get older, but I'm still just as capable of getting that strung-out stressed-out feeling of mental and spiritual unwellness.
chosen difficult huge lie lives mothers superior value women
Mother's Day celebrates a huge lie about the value of women: that mothers are superior beings, that they have done more with their lives and chosen a more difficult path.
carry cross heard ourselves
I've heard that our greatest cross to carry is ourselves - how gravely we fall short.
god goodness happen kindness love people truth
I happen to be a Christian, but I know that there is one God. People worshipping goodness and love and kindness and truth are worshipping the same God.
father inspiration writing
My father really taught me that you really develop the habit of writing and you sit down at the same time every day, you don't wait for inspiration.
witty character thinking
My main problem is that over and over again, I try to get all my characters to say stuff that I think is so witty or erudite you know, so that everybody will go.
reading mind great-work
Reading poetry and reading the great works of the canon that we were reading in the '60s and the '70s and '80s was mind altering.