Podcasts about operating instructions

Anne Lamott is a bestselling novelist and nonfiction writer. She is best known for her books Operating Instructions and Bird by Bird, enduring touchstones for readers and writers seeking honest insight into life and creativity. Her husband, Neal Allen, is a former journalist and corporate executive turned spiritual coach and author who writes and teaches on inner life and self-inquiry. Lamott and Allen frequently collaborate on workshops and public events that blend writing, spirituality, and practical wisdom. They are the coauthors of the 2026 craft book Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences, a concise, technique-driven guide that pairs Allen's sentence-level principles with Lamott's reflective, experience-based commentary. ------ Thank you to the sponsors that fuel our podcast and our team: Anthropic https://Claude.com/tetra ------ AG1 https://DrinkAG1.com/tetra ------ Squarespace https://Squarespace.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA' ------ Athletic Nicotine https://www.AthleticNicotine.com/tetra Use code 'TETRA' ------ Lectio 365 https://Lectio365.com ------ Sign up to receive Tetragrammaton Transmissions https://www.tetragrammaton.com/join-newsletter

What does it take to write strong sentences? How do you keep writing when the world feels dark? How do you push past self-doubt, build a sustainable writing practice, and trust that your voice is enough? Anne Lamott and Neal Allen share decades of hard-won wisdom from their new book, Good Writing. In the intro, Hachette cancels allegedly AI-written book [The New Publishing Standard]; How Pangram works; Publishing industry insights from Macmillan's CEO [David Perell Podcast]; Photos from Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle; The Black Church; Bones of the Deep coming in April. Today's show is sponsored by ProWritingAid, writing and editing software that goes way beyond just grammar and typo checking. With its detailed reports on how to improve your writing and integration with writing software, ProWritingAid will help you improve your book before you send it to an editor, agent or publisher. Check it out for free or get 15% off the premium edition at www.ProWritingAid.com/joanna This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Neal Allen is a spiritual coach, former journalist, and author of non-fiction and flash fiction. Anne Lamott is the New York Times bestselling author of memoir, spiritual and creative non-fiction, and literary fiction, including Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life, which many authors, including me, count as one of the best books on writing out there. Neal and Anne are also married, and their first book together is Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why strong verbs are rule number one How Anne and Neal's contrasting styles created a unique call-and-response writing guide Practical advice on finding and trusting your authentic voice across genres Why award-winning novelists typically write for only 90 minutes a day — and what that means for your writing practice How to keep writing during dark and discouraging times without giving up The uncomfortable truth about publication, longevity, and why nobody cares if you write You can find Neal at ShapesOfTruth.com and Anne on Substack. Transcript of the interview with Neal Allen and Anne Lamott Neal Allen is a spiritual coach, former journalist, and author of non-fiction and flash fiction. Anne Lamott is the New York Times bestselling author of memoir, spiritual and creative non-fiction, and literary fiction, including Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life, which many authors, including me, count as one of the best books on writing out there. Neal and Anne are also married, and their first book together is Good Writing: 36 Ways to Improve Your Sentences Jo: Welcome to the show, Neal and Anne. Anne: Thank you so much, Jo. We're happy to be here. Neal: Hi, Jo. Jo: Let us get straight into the book with rule one, which is use strong verbs. How can we implement that practically in our manuscripts when most of us don't start with the verb? We're thinking of story or we're thinking of message? Neal: Throughout the book, it's pointed out that these are rules for second drafts, right? So you've put it down. You've already got your story down, you've already got your piece down—your email, your text, it doesn't matter what. Then you stop, you pause, you go back to the beginning and you go sentence by sentence and look at them. Anne: I'd like to add that there's a lot in the book, usually on my end of the conversation, that has to do with really using these rules anywhere and everywhere. Whether you're writing a memoir or a grant proposal, I believe these rules apply to getting everything written at any time, in any phase of the work because, from Bird by Bird, I'm all about taking short assignments and writing really godawful first drafts. What is fun about writing is to have spewed out something on the page and then to get to go back right then and just start cleaning it up a bit, straightening it out, probably inevitably shortening it. One place to start is to notice how weak our verbs are. If I say “Jo walked towards us across the lawn,” it doesn't give the reader very much information. But if I say “Jo lurched towards us across the lawn,” or “Jo raced towards us across the lawn,” then right away you've improved the sentence with really two or three quick thoughts about what you actually meant with that verb and a better one. So it really applies to every level and stage of writing, but Neal's right—this is really about going back over your work sentence by sentence and seeing if you can make it stronger and cleaner and clearer. The reason it's rule one is to write strong verbs. Neal: A nice thing about strong verbs is that they often preclude the need for an adjective or an adverb, right? If I say “I trudged,” it's shorter than saying “I walked slowly and depressed.” Jo: Absolutely, and how you answered that question is kind of how the book works, right? Because Neal does an outline of the rule, and then Anne comes in and comments. Maybe you could talk a bit about that process. You are both strong characters, obviously you've been writing a long time. Talk a bit about how you made the book and how that worked as a couple as well. Neal: I'd had these rules collected for a number of years and I had them on my website. When I met Anne, she liked them and would hand them out when she was doing writing sessions. I was intrigued at some point a few years ago and looked around to see whether there was a list like mine out there. I noticed that all the other lists I saw were much shorter. Hemingway had his four rules for rewriting. Elmore Leonard, his eight, which are wonderful. Margaret Atwood has 10. The longest I saw was Martin Amis had, depending on what year it was, 14, 15 or 16—he'd go back and forth with a couple of them. I had 30-some and I wondered, well, 30-some might be enough for a book. I didn't want to write a scolding book like on grammar. I didn't want it to be academic or written like “I'm the expert, I know.” I'll just let my mind range. I'll explain the rule and then let my mind go where it went. Which, by the way, is one of the rules—show then tell. Not “show, don't tell.” It's show, then tell. Let your mind riff after you've explained something to the reader or shown something to the reader. So I wrote the book. It was too short to be published, and I showed it to Anne and I asked her, “What do I do with this?” Anne: I said, “Hey, I know something about writing, Bub,” and I asked if I could contribute my thoughts and retorts and examples and prompts to each of his rules. We were just off and running because his stuff was so solid. Mine is more maybe welcoming and giving encouragement and hope to writers because writing's hard. It's still hard for me. This is my 21st book and I'm only a third of it. Writing's hard, and what we hope is that our conversation can help people understand: a) it's hard for everybody, and b) it'll work if you just keep your butt in the chair and do the best you can, and then go back one day at a time and try to make it a little bit better. Neal: It turned out to be pretty serendipitous because just naturally I'm more of an explainer and Annie is more driving toward catharsis. So the call and response is always: I set out the rule, I explain the rule, and Annie drives it toward catharsis and usefulness. Jo: In some chapters you do disagree in some form. How did that work in the process of writing? Anne: Usually I disagree because Neal might be using words that are too big, or it might be a little bit elitist, I would think. Or of course I would point out that he's completely overeducated, whereas I'm a dropout and so I have a much plainer, more welcoming version of the rules. All of the rules are so strong, but I would feel that the way he explained it was beyond me. So I would come in and try to explain what Neal had been explaining. It was actually really funny and fun. We do come from really different directions. Neal is an explainer. He's like an ATM of information, and I am the class den mother who brings in treats and party favours on everybody's birthday. My message is always: you can really, really do this, I promise, trust me. But you start where you are, you get your butt in the chair, and then Neal comes along and says what has worked for him. He was a journalist forever, so he writes in a very different way than I write. It just turned out that the two of us together kind of make a whole. People have asked us if there were a lot of conflicts or if we really objected to the other person's take. I can tell you, Jo, there wasn't a day when we had only conflict. We were just laughing and we were excited because one of us would remember a great example from literature. We came to believe that these two very distinct voices would form one voice of encouragement for any writer. Jo: That brings us to rule number eight, which is trust your voice. I feel like this is easier when you've been writing a while. We're told to find our voice, but I remember as an early writer when I read Bird by Bird and other books and I was like, “How on earth do I find my voice?” Maybe you could talk about this more for early stage writer. How do you find and trust that voice? Neal: Boy, that is a halt for almost all of us. This follows from any intellectual pursuit that requires lots of practice and repetitions. Malcolm Gladwell's great statement, or discovery, or restatement from somebody else who discovered it, that the human brain requires 10,000 hours of repetitions before something can be allowed to just flow without thought. Flow as if intuitive rather than thinking. I don't think that's any different in writing than it is in basketball or football or anything else—sports, creative pursuits, everyday pursuits. There's just a lot of repetitions required. Some people have the experience that I did, where you're just going along getting better and better, doing it over and over again, learning this, learning that, adding in this, adding in that, moving toward a goal of virtuosity or whatever. And all of a sudden, bang, one day, it all works and your voice emerges. Other people don't have that experience, don't have that one day that it happened or that feeling that it suddenly happened. For some people it takes less than 10,000 hours, but for most people it is a hell of a lot of repetitions. Anne: I think for me, the most important aspect to finding your own voice is noticing how desperately you don't think your voice is good enough and that you want to write like somebody else. I always mention that when I was coming up, at about 20, I wanted to sound like Isabel Allende because I loved her work so much. Or Ann Beattie, who was writing those wonderful short stories in the New Yorker. Or Salinger, who I'd started reading probably at 10 years old. I had to come to the understanding that I can't tell my stories and my truth and my version of life—which is really what writing is—in somebody else's voice. Unless it's a kind of advanced writing exercise to write in the voice of an alcoholic billionaire in Spain. For most of us, it's about finding out that our voice is what people want to hear. It's hard to believe, but it is absolutely true. If you have a story to tell me, Jo, I just want you to tell me your story. I don't want you to try to sound like Virginia Woolf or Margaret Drabble. I want you to be Jo. If it's the written version you're sending me, I can probably go through and help you maintain your voice while making the writing stronger by following certain really basic rules. But spiritually and psychologically, this is just about the most important rule of all because that's why we're here. That's why we are on this side of eternity—to discover who we are and why we're here. Part of that is discovering who, deep down, when all the layers are peeled away, we are, and then how to communicate that to a reader. Without trying to sound more impressive or more brilliant or more ironic than we actually are, our voice is good enough. It's hard to believe. Our voice is what we want you to tell us your stories in. Neal: I distinctly remember the day I found my voice, for odd reasons. I just can remember it, and the first thing I did when this story felt like it had written itself to me was look at it and go, “Crap. That doesn't sound like Faulkner.” Jo: It sounded like you. Anne: Or bad Faulkner. Jo: Do you think we have to find our voice maybe multiple times, depending on genre? For example, I recognised that feeling with one of my novels. It was novel number five. I was like, “Oh, that's my voice.” But then it took me a lot longer to find that in memoir because, well, I think memoir is super hard. Do you think we have to go through these 10,000 hours in different genres? Neal: Not for me. I don't think any differently about how I'm entering into a business letter, a text, a novel, a self-help book, or any of the things that I do. I feel like I just have to turn this switch and let it go, and I can trust myself. So that's interesting. I can imagine you could develop a second voice. I haven't ever needed to. Anne: I would agree that I write my novels and my nonfiction really from a kind of central bus station deep inside of me. One of our rules is write the hard things—write about life and death and loss and grief and relationships and getting old and being here during these incredibly cold, dark times. Because the reader, i.e. me, is just desperate for truth and for real. I started out wanting to sound like John Updike or sound like a New York glitterati male writer, and I can't tell you what is really real in somebody else's voice. I disagree with Malcolm Gladwell. I think it's 10 hours—a little bit different there. But when I'm writing autobiographical spiritual pieces or my novels, I have to kind of settle myself down, like gentling a horse, and find that bus station inside of myself where I'm observing and I'm tugging on the sleeve of the person sitting next to me and saying, “I just saw something really interesting. Do you have a minute?” That's really what writing is. I just saw something or thought of something or imagined something or remembered something really interesting. Do you have a minute? If I'm talking to the person next to me, I'm not going to try to sound like Laurence Olivier or anybody else. I'm just going to tell them my story. The best four or five word great quote is from our screenwriter friend, Randy Mayem Singer, and she said: “Tell me a story. Make me care.” Those six words really transcend all genres. It's just: I can tell you a story my way if you're interested. Got a minute? Jo: You mentioned that, really interesting, you said, “I need to settle myself down,” particularly in these dark times. This is not a political show, and obviously we're all from different countries here and we all have different views of what difficult times are, but we all go through them. When big things in the world make us feel like perhaps what we are doing is not so important, how do we get through that? That “shouldn't I go do something more important than writing a story” feeling? Neal: Everybody is encouraged to be a political scientist nowadays, or to be an ethicist or to be a moralist as their job, and that's kind of ridiculous, right? We've been handed our role. By the time you're 30, you've been handed your role in the world, and that's your productive role. You have certain citizenship requirements, which might include voting or marching or watching the news every day. That's not the rest of your day unless you actually work in parliament as an aide or doing some kind of social policy work. I am not going to let the external world ruin my day. I'm going to keep that to a certain number of minutes of my day that is appropriate to my role in the world. I am perfectly productive in the world. I have lots of things that I do. I work hard. Everybody works hard. There are no lazy people in this world any more—civilisation's too difficult. You want lazy? Go back to 300,000 years of tribal life, where as soon as you had fulfilled your last need for calories for the day, you made it back to camp slowly so you didn't burn calories, and lulled from about 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The rest of the day you reclined so you weren't burning calories and gossiped with your fellow tribespeople. None of us is like that now. I'm perfectly productive without having to say I should be more productive and more concerned about the foibles of the species. Anne: Neal does something with his clients, with whom he does this work on taming the inner critic. It's about having them make a list of what they do every day. Rain or shine or catastrophe or peace or war or whatever, you just do it. I wake up, I pray, I put my glasses on. I get a little bit of work done every day. I meditate for 15 minutes every day. I get outside every day because that is the most nourishing, spiritual reset button I can get to. I catch up with my friends. We have a grandson here. We hang out with him. I do certain things every day, and one of them is I get a little bit of work done. Of course what I'd rather do is just stay glued to CNN and have my tiny opinions on every single thing that is happening and how things would be better if they followed my always excellent advice. Instead, what I do is I will meditate for 50 minutes a day and it won't be really beautiful and inspiring—it'll be like a monkey at the mall who's over-caffeinated. I will also get outside. I don't know if I'll get a really good long walk with 10,000 steps in, but I will get outside and I will pay attention. I will breathe in fresh air. I will have moments of wonder. I will also sit down, and I will be doing it after we talk. I'm going to get my own writing done for the day. I really recommend that to writing students: write down what you do every day. And in it, figure out at least one pod—a 45-minute pod—where you can get a little bit of writing done. Something that may serve the writers in your audience is that I make long lists and I encourage all beginning writers to make long lists of every memory and thought and idea that they've had. But mostly memories, often starting very young. Thinking about early holidays and school are great prompts. Make a list of 25 memories you have that you've told people over the years that are meaningful to you. If you remember them, they're meaningful. You may think that they're meaningful because of this or that, but you sit down and you write about them for 45 minutes and you're going to discover that there was a kernel of insight, or even healing, in them that you hadn't known when you set out to write them. I taught writing forever at this bookstore called Book Passage in Marin. We would spend a part of every hour having the writers, the students, explain to me why they weren't getting any writing done, and they were excellent ideas. Any excuse your listeners have about why they're not getting any writing done—believe me, it's a good excuse and I've heard it 10 times. If you are committed to writing, you have to meet us halfway, and that means that you set aside 45 minutes or an hour and a half or whatever you can give me to get a little bit of writing done. Get one passage written—the first or eighth thing on the list of really important memories that you've carried in your pocket all these years. Neal: The typical amount of time that a Booker Prize winner, or a National Book Award winner here in America, spends writing—a novelist—is one to two hours in the morning, getting 45 minutes to an hour and a half of work done, a thousand to 1,500 words. And then they stop. The reason they stop is it's really brain-consuming. To do this is hard work, and it's intellectually vigorous. High-end programmers can work two and a half hours on average before they have to stop because they've used up their brain energy—the blood going to the brain and expending calories and whatever is going on in there. It's not a long time. It's just repetitive time. The Booker Prize winners, they typically work six days a week, not five days a week. An hour and a half a day is about the mean. About 1,200 words is about the mean. Jo: It's interesting because you mentioned what's stopping people from writing, and you also mentioned it's hard work. One of the things I've heard a lot recently is: “This is really hard. I thought writing was meant to be this romantic myth where I would sit down and things would stream into my brain and it would be easy. And if it's not easy and fun, then maybe it's wrong for me.” So maybe you could explain more about the hardness and why hard is still good. Hard doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Neal: The interesting thing about writers is that they are really interested in very complex thinking about sentences. A few things distinguish a writer from a subject matter expert or a plotter—who either writes plots and is interested in the movement of plots, or who is a subject matter expert in something and either novelises it or writes nonfiction. It's that a writer is first concerned about the puzzle of a sentence, second concerned about the flow of a paragraph really, and only thirdly concerned about the subject matter. I don't care what the subject matter is. What I want to concentrate on ultimately is the sentence. And getting a sentence to look right in context requires building sentences upon sentences upon sentences. It's more like painting than it is like writing in that sense. If you look at a painter, once they've put one brushstroke down—and usually it takes them a while to figure out what that brushstroke is, how big it is, how wide it is, how thick it is, how grainy it is—then the second brushstroke becomes a puzzle based on what they just did with the first brushstroke and the remaining canvas. A writer thinks that way about each sentence and realises that each sentence has layers of information in it—diction, colour, rhythm, harmony, melody, plot, all sorts of things are happening. How many of those are taken care of in that sentence? Well, that becomes the interest. It's hard in the sense that to be virtuosic at it, to be really good at it, requires a lot of study and a lot of mistakes. Most of the mistakes are getting rid of clichés and finding your way past them, and that's a long, long process. This isn't something that can be just picked up because you have a talent. You were told at a certain time you were a talented writer, so you can just pick it up. As soon as you get into it, you see that the sentences are demanding a heck of a lot of work. Anne: I would add that I don't find it all that fun and easy—I never find it fun and easy. I've been doing this professionally for 52 years now, since I was 20, when I worked at a magazine. I think that's an illusion. So much of becoming a writer is unlearning what you thought it meant and how it would go. That you would sit alone like Bartleby the Scrivener, hunched over working on your ledger. That was not true at all, because a lot of our book, Good Writing, has to do with the collaboration between you and a writing partner, a writing group or a writing collective, and eventually an editor. It's not about that lonely, hunched-over romantic, Wuthering Heights sense of seriousness. And it's also not giddy. It's not Walt Disney. It's just very real. It's one human sitting down at the desk with paper or at the keyboard, and it is just trying, one day at a time, to write what's on your heart, what's on your mind, what's on your scribbled notes, what you're trying to transcribe from this little bit of a flicker of an idea about something that you've always meant to tell on paper. And then writing it. Some parts of the day's work will be pulling teeth. The secret of writing—and I write about this a lot in Bird by Bird, I write a lot about it in Good Writing—is you just don't give up. Because you wanted to be a writer when you grew up. What that means is that you write a little bit every day and you read about writing. You read good books on writing. You read Stephen King. You read William Zinsser. You read all the Paris Review interviews of writers at work. You enter into the writing life because it's a calling, like a monk to a monastery. You've gotten into the water, it's a little cold at first, and you stay in it. And it starts to be something that is so fulfilling, if maybe not fun. It's fulfilling. You will feel this rare excitement that you're doing what you have put off for so long, or that you're re-entering it in a new way with a different sense of commitment and maybe a little bit more wisdom and probably a lot more stories to tell. Jo: I did want to ask Anne, because coming back to Bird by Bird, many writers listening will have read it. I've also read over the years about your son and your faith. These are really personal things that you have shared. It feels like we live in this age of judgement and cancellation, and writing what you call our truths can be very difficult. People are afraid. What would you say to them? And obviously also rule 33 is “write hard stuff”, so I guess that gets into it too. How do we do this? Anne: A lot of people don't have the calling to write personal stuff or autobiographical stuff or stuff about spiritual or emotional or psychological healing. They want to write about England in the 1300s. I've always told my writing students to write what they would love to come upon, because then they're creating it. If they love to read historical romances, or they love to read journals—I have to say, I read every single journal of Virginia Woolf's in my early twenties, and I read every single volume of her letters in my early twenties. It was thrilling to be in that intimate, umbilical connection to a writer that I loved so much, and into the world of Bloomsbury, and into the world of England between the wars. People may not want to write like I write, and I would assume they don't. My calling is that I love to write about real life and I use my immediate experiences of daily living and my family and my husband and our animals and my nation and my recovery and my church. All of that is the stuff that I love to come upon in other people's work, and so I write it. Neal writes differently. He is a journalist and a novelist, and he is writing a lot in a much more sociological way than I am. He is writing with this font of knowledge about socioeconomic and historical understanding of the world. Yet he's just raggedy old Neal Allen, but he loves to come upon different stuff than I love to come upon. Does that answer your question? Neal: I think one thing to notice is that the whole bully-victim cycle that we are promoting and living in now—and it's a cycle because if somebody claims that they have been bullied, then their only defence is to become a bully themselves. The victims become the bullies. It just gets worse and worse. It's the old revenge story. What I've noticed when I think about it is the authors who I respect the most tend to be humanists. Humanists tend not to be cancelled, and I've never felt a great danger. Of course, I watch my words in certain ways that are fashionable—you can't use this word any more, and all of that. But in terms of ideas, humanists embrace the world in a funny, different kind of way than people who chase after conflict, chase after separation of people from each other, tribalism, all of that. When I look back, my heroes were always humanists. Some of them might be cancelled now, but just for the weirdest reasons—like Henry Miller or Mark Twain might be cancelled for very strange reasons. These are absolute humanists who love everybody in the world in a certain kind of odd way. Virginia Woolf is the most incredible humanist in the world. She's not going to be cancelled. Jo: She cancelled herself. Neal: There we go. Jo: As we come towards the end, I do want to return to something—you've both talked about calling and you've been handed your role, and this sort of “we are writers now.” Both of you have had great longevity in the career, and I've been doing this now 20 years. I've noticed so many people who leave the writing life, so I wondered what tips you had on making it long term. How do we do this long term, assuming we are feeling a calling? People have to balance the money side, they're balancing book marketing, which is always a nightmare for all of us, and the writing. Any tips for longevity? Neal: I have no idea. I have lived outside of the writing life, just kind of using it as a secondary skill, for half of my life. I left journalism because it didn't pay well enough to support a family of six. I moved into the corporate world. I loved the corporate world. I didn't have any problem with it, but it wasn't the writing world. When I came out of the corporate world, I first went into “tame your inner critic” sessions with people—executive coaching, other kinds of coaching. Only lately, only in the last 10 years, have I really resumed my writing career. I think maintaining a writing career, like anything in the arts, is incredibly difficult financially. It just will be. Annie will tell you—you were, what, 15 years into your career before you had your first home office? Anne: Yes. Neal: Right. Anne: More than that. I was 20 years in before I had a door I could close to keep the Huns out—i.e. my child. Here's the thing: nobody cares if you write, if you hate it, or if you've given up. It might be that you would find your creative soul, your imaginative, creative life force at ecstatic dancing on Saturdays in the town park, which we offer here in our tiny town. It might be that you're a painter. My best friend started painting several years ago and she's incredible. If you want to write, the horrible thing is that you just have to keep setting aside a pod. I keep using the word pod because that's how I get any work done at all—an hour. Now, Neal and I can both tell you, and Neal alluded to this: you set aside an hour and that will give you maybe 40 minutes of actual writing. And we'll give the Booker Prize winners 40 minutes of actual writing. You have two hours and that gives you an hour and 15 minutes. That's how it works. If you care and if you long to be a writer, to immerse yourself in the writing life—I hate to sound like a Nike ad, and I don't know if you have this in England—but you just do it. One thing that gets in everybody's way is this fantasy of getting published and how if they get published, it will be like the world has stamped “validated” on their parking ticket and their self-esteem will now be much, much better and more consistently excellent than it ever was before. We can tell you: we've got this book that's out, brand new, and it makes you much more insecure and much more anxious than you were before it got published. Because how's it going to do? Is it going to get reviewed? There are very, very few places reviewing books any more. Carol Shields, who wrote an incredible book 30 years ago called The Stone Diaries. She was teaching large, large writing retreats, a thousand people at a time, and she would tell them that five to 10 of them will be published. Getting published means that you get your book out and you have one week to make it. You have one week in the bookstores for it to get noticed. And there are 180,000 hardback books published in America every year in general interest. So you write a novel that's about a small town. You have great dreams that it's going to be an Oprah book and that this is going to happen and it will lead to a second contract, and then you can start investing in diamonds or buy a set of fish forks. It doesn't happen. My first book that made any money at all for me was my fifth book. It was a journal of my son's first year called Operating Instructions, and it was the first time that I didn't have to have a second job. I was 38, and I had been writing—and writing full time—since I was 20 and publishing since I was 26. If the carrot that is enticing you to get any new work done is publication and finding an agent and getting published, it's not going to happen for you. I can just promise you that. If your dream is to become a writer and to become a member of the writing community and to write—and it will be discouraging—but if you want to write, you just keep pushing back your sleeves. You don't get up. You sit down and you keep your butt in the chair. If your work is really good, it may get published. If your work is excellent, it may not. But that can't be what gets you to commit to being a writer when you grow up. Jo: Fantastic. So where can people find Good Writing and all your books and everything you both do online? Neal: On March 17th the book comes out. You can get it online, anywhere online. It's published by Penguin Avery. March 17th, it gets released. Anne: As we said, it'll be in the bookstores for a while. Neal: It'll be in the bookstores in America. You might have to go online in Great Britain at first. Jo: Oh yes, it's definitely there. And what about your websites as well? Anne: I don't have a website. Neal: I have a modest website at ShapesOfTruth.com. That tells you about my other books also. Anne: I'm at Substack, Anne Lamott. I'm on Facebook, Anne Lamott. I'm kind of all over the place. But this is kind of terrifying: 80% of books bought in America are bought at Amazon on cell phones. Jo: Yes, absolutely. Actually, I was going to ask—have you recorded the audiobook as a pair? Anne: Yes, we have. It's available if you go—I hate to always be plugging Amazon, but it's so easy. If you go to Amazon, it'll give you a choice of hardback or audio or Kindle. Neal: And if you don't want to go to Amazon and want to find another place to buy it that you feel more comfortable with, go to Penguin Random House and just put in “Good Writing, Anne Lamott.” I think it'll take you to a splash page that gives you a choice of a half dozen online places to order it. Jo: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much, both of you, for your time. This has been brilliant. Anne: Oh, Jo, thank you. Pleasure and an honour. Thank you for having us. Neal: Thank you, Jo. As you can see, we really get turned on talking about this! Anne: Yes, we do.The post Strong Verbs And Hard Truths. Good Writing With Anne Lamott and Neal Allen first appeared on The Creative Penn.

In honor of All In This Together, Jack, Anne Lamott, and Tami Simon continue their heart-opening conversation on story, tenderness, and remembering who you areJack's new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our WorldToday's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, Jack, Anne, and Tami mindfully explore:Anne Lamott's 12-Step cruise ship seminar wisdomHow to tell or write a heart-opening storyGetting to the emotional center of it allRemembering who you really areIlluminating our common humanityLaughter as carbonated holiness and sacred groundWhat's between the telling and the listeningHow to trade our exhaustion for peace and restMicro-dosing love and understandingThe healing power of true romantic, soul-mate loveBeing loved just as you areStories on hopeOperating from the heart caveJack's recent visit with His Holiness the Dalai LamaStories of conflict resolutionThis conversation originally took place in Nov 2025 for Sounds True's celebration of Jack's All In This Together book release. Stay up to date with Jack's upcoming livestreams and events here.About Anne Lamott:Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of many books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and child-rearing memoir Operating Instructions. In addition to being a novelist and nonfiction writer, Lamott is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Keep up with Anne on Instagram.“Laughter is carbonated holiness, and when we're laughing together we're on sacred ground.” –Anne LamottAbout Tami Simon:Tami Simon is the founder of Sounds True, a multimedia company that has produced over 3,000 titles and been nominated twice for the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing companies. Tami also hosts the popular Sounds True podcast, Insights at the Edge, with more than 15 million downloads. Tami has been instrumental in the creation of the Inner MBA Program: a nine-month interactive program featuring esteemed CEOs and conscious business and mindfulness leaders created by Sounds True, LinkedIn and Wisdom 2.0.About Jack Kornfield:Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack's entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.“I want to tell stories that soften your heart, make you weep or laugh, help you remember who you are, and illuminate our common humanity.” –Jack KornfieldStay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anne Lamott, Raghu Markus, and RamDev reveal that letting go of how life should be opens the door to compassion, healing, and contentment with reality.This Dharma Session was recorded at the December 2025 Ram Dass Open Your Heart in Paradise Retreat. Learn about upcoming community events HERE.This week on Mindrolling, Raghu, Anne, and RamDev hold a talk on:Standing in presence with change and impermanenceRam Dass' eye-opening story of a farmer and his son How investing in that which changes leads to sufferingCollective healing through all the grief in the world The negative emotions that arise when we resist changeCreating an intimate, compassionate relationship with the sense of lossAnne's experiences of radicalizing change in her own lifeWise Hope: taking leaps of faith and hoping that things will work out as they shouldAbout Anne Lamott:Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of many books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and child-rearing memoir Operating Instructions. In addition to being a novelist and nonfiction writer, Lamott is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Keep up with Anne on Instagram.“It's very hard to be human here; it's scary. I feel like Cindy-Lou Who sometimes, like this tiny little being. ‘Be still my heart and wait without hope'–what I hope is that things will sort out the way they should for the common welfare.” - Anne LamottAbout RamDev:RamDev Dale Borglum is the founder and Executive Director of The Living/Dying Project. He is a pioneer in the conscious dying movement and has worked directly with thousands of people with life-threatening illness and their families for over 30 years. In 1981, Dale founded the first residential facility for people who wished to die consciously in the United States, The Dying Center. He has taught and lectured extensively on the topics of spiritual support for those with life-threatening illness, on caregiving as a spiritual practice, and on healing at the edge, the edge of illness, of death, of loss, of crisis. Check out RamDev's podcast, Healing at the Edge, on the Be Here Now Network.Learn more about The Living/Dying Project at livingdying.org“When we're in the heart, it gives us the possibility of being with grief and change in a way that leads to healing. There is a profoundly wonderful line by Rumi where he says ‘grief is the garden of compassion.” –RamDevSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Modern robotic picking is moving beyond neat rows and perfect lighting conditions. In this Automate 2025 conversation, Vlad and Dave sit down with Kevin Wu from Siemens to explore how Simatic Robot Pick AI Pro is tackling the messy reality of warehouses and factories. They discuss how the new edge architecture with the Simatic IPC BX 59 A and an NVIDIA GPU lifts pick rates to well over one thousand picks per hour, why multiple suction patterns matter for stability on large or flexible items, how camera agnostic support opens the door to new vision hardware, and why transparent objects are no longer a limitation in many applications.This episode also dives into digital thread and digital twin workflows using Siemens Process Simulate. These tools allow teams to test new products and layouts virtually before any hardware changes are made, helping reduce commissioning risk and shorten the path to production. The discussion highlights an on-booth demonstration that combines a robot with a secondary camera and a vision language model to identify products and read packaging details such as expiration dates. It is a clear example of how multimodal AI can complement traditional industrial vision systems.A major theme throughout this conversation is resilience. In real operations, products are rarely placed perfectly. Pallets shift, orientations vary, and lighting changes throughout the day. Traditional rules-based vision systems often struggle when small variances accumulate. Kevin explains how model-free 3D picking localizes unknown objects in clutter, selects stable suction patterns based on measured dimensions, and keeps production moving without forcing operators to maintain perfect alignment.For manufacturers in consumer packaged goods and medical devices, this is a meaningful advancement. It enables greater product variety and frequent SKU changes while maintaining engineering control. The difference is that the picking logic adapts to what the system sees rather than expecting the environment to remain static.We also talk about practical evaluation and proof of concept. Siemens runs application testing at its Berkeley, California lab where customers can send sample parts for quick feasibility checks. A short video of their parts being picked can provide the confidence needed to move forward with a pilot project while minimizing cost and risk. For quality inspection and defect detection, Siemens also offers an Inspector station capable of learning from as few as twenty samples to identify defects in real time.The discussion closes by looking at the future of digital manufacturing. Digital thread tools make it possible to simulate robots from multiple brands, test new configurations, and evaluate throughput virtually. Combined with edge AI and NVIDIA vision language technology, this creates faster experimentation cycles, improved reliability, and measurable gains in uptime and throughput.Kevin's key message is clear. Manufacturers do not need to replace existing automation to explore the benefits of AI. Start with one process, validate performance, and build from there.Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and why real-world picking matters 00:40 Introduction to Pick AI Pro and new throughput capabilities 01:30 Multi suction patterns for stable handling of large items 02:20 Camera agnostic approach and transparent object handling 03:30 Selecting components for high-temperature environments 04:15 Use cases in consumer packaged goods and medical applications 06:45 Digital twin and digital thread with Siemens Process Simulate 08:30 Feasibility testing and customer demos at the Siemens lab 10:30 Vision language model for product identification and labeling 12:10 Evaluating with real parts and rapid testing cycles 14:20 Siemens Inspector for defect detection and visual inspection 15:40 Key takeaways and future outlookReferences and Resources Mentioned Siemens Simatic Robot Pick AI Overview https://www.siemens.com/global/en/products/automation/topic-areas/tia/future-topics/simatic-robotics-ai.htmlSiemens Press Release on Simatic Robot Pick AI Pro https://press.siemens.com/global/en/pressrelease/siemens-presents-future-intralogistics-simatic-robot-pick-ai-pro-enables-machineSiemens Simatic IPC BX 59 A Industrial Edge Device with NVIDIA GPU https://www.automationworld.com/products/data/product/55287446/siemens-ag-siemens-simatic-ipc-bx-59a-industrial-edge-deviceSiemens IPC BX 59 A Operating Instructions https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/attachments/109972660/ipcbx56a_and_ipcbx59a_operating_instructions_enUS_en-US.pdfUniversal Robots Example with Simatic Robot Pick AI https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/document/109822788/simatic-robot-pick-ai-with-universal-robots-ur5Zivid Transparent Object Imaging Information https://www.zivid.com/zivid-omni-engine-transparency https://blog.zivid.com/zivid-omni-engineSiemens Digital Thread Overview and Tecnomatix Process Simulate https://www.sw.siemens.com/en-US/digital-thread/ https://plm.sw.siemens.com/en-US/tecnomatix/NVIDIA Vision Language Model Resources https://docs.nvidia.com/nim/vision-language-models/latest/introduction.html https://developer.nvidia.com/blog/vision-language-model-prompt-engineering-guide-for-image-and-video-understanding/Hosts Vlad Romanov is an electrical engineer and manufacturing consultant who leads Joltek and co-hosts the Manufacturing Hub Podcast. He focuses on practical strategies for SCADA, MES, and data-driven operations. Learn more at https://www.joltek.comYouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6JpBeS_6JhUwfGF8RgLCIQDave Griffith is a manufacturing consultant and long-time co-host of Manufacturing Hub. He helps teams align operations, engineering, and leadership around the projects that move the needle in real production environments.Guest Kevin Wu from Siemens discusses Robot Pick AI Pro and related digital thread workflows across robotics and vision. Learn more about Siemens automation and software at https://www.siemens.com https://www.sw.siemens.com

Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks dissect the evolving value of the backup quarterback position in today’s NFL. (00:00) With five teams set to start their No. 2 in Week 3, the guys go beyond the surface to examine how their coaching staffs can adjust game plans, manage protections, and structure the passing game to give their backups the best chance to execute. (8:13) Move the Sticks is part of the NFL Podcasts Network. NOTE: Timecodes approximateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks dissect the evolving value of the backup quarterback position in today’s NFL. (00:00) With five teams set to start their No. 2 in Week 3, the guys go beyond the surface to examine how their coaching staffs can adjust game plans, manage protections, and structure the passing game to give their backups the best chance to execute. (8:13) Move the Sticks is part of the NFL Podcasts Network. NOTE: Timecodes approximateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immersing listeners in hope and optimism, author Anne Lamott helps listeners cultivate resilience through stories of honesty and service.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, Anne Lamott holds a talk on:Service to others and selflessness as a clear path to hopeListening to the one-man band of our inner selves The Three A's in the 12-step program: Awareness, Acceptance, ActionAllowing ourselves to feel the pain all around us, in the world, in our families, etc.Remembering that there is a solution to everything and that it is always spiritual Reframing death as a step to new life and regeneration Generosity as a natural human tendency that can be tapped into Talking to ourselves as if we are our most cherished friend Paying attention to the beauty in life and within ourselvesCheck out the book recommended by Anne, A Distant Mirror. "Service is always a path to hope. When we can get out of ourselves and be there for others, it's what heaven will be like—what heaven on earth is like." – Anne LamottAbout Anne Lamott: Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of many books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and child-rearing memoir Operating Instructions. In addition to being a novelist and nonfiction writer, Lamott is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Keep up with Anne on Instagram.This episode is also brought to you by Dharma Moon.Join Senior Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern for a provocative and playful online discussion exploring the profound practices of mindfulness and the journey of becoming a meditation teacher.Learn more and sign up for a free online talk about becoming a meditation teacher with David at dharmamoon.com/deepening.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Repeal to Ridicule - To Chill a MockingbirdWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2014%3A9&version=TLVProverbs 14:9Fools mock guilt of sin, but among the upright is goodwill.https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Appeal-to-RidiculeAppeal to Ridiculereductio ad ridiculum(also known as: appeal to mockery, the horse laugh)Description: Presenting the argument in such a way that makes the argument look ridiculous, usually by misrepresenting the argument or the use of exaggeration.https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-well/201206/think-sarcasm-is-funny-think-againThink Sarcasm is Funny? Think AgainKey pointsLike spices in cooking, sarcasm is best used in moderation. Too much will overwhelm the emotional flavor of a conversation.When a person is consistently sarcastic, it may only serve to heighten their own underlying hostility.Clever wit, as opposed to sarcasm, is usually devoid of hostility and thus more appreciated by others.A True Christian would not impose their values on anyone else?Voting 3rd Party is a Wasted Vote!Following Torah, are you going to start sacrificing animals again?Driving a foreign car is unpatriotic or a gas-guzzler is barbaric!April Fools Day is National Atheists Day!Psalm 2:4He who sits in heaven laughs! Adonai mocks them.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2018%3A27&version=TLV1 Kings 18:27Now when it was about noon, Elijah mocked them and said, "Shout louder! After all, he is a god! Maybe he's deep in thought, or he's relieving himself, or he's off on a journey, or perhaps he's asleep and must wake up!"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2035&version=TLVPsalm 35:1, 4-5, 16-171 A psalm of David. Adonai, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight me.4 May those who seek my life be ashamed and disgraced. May they be turned back and humiliated —those who plot evil against me. 5 May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of Adonai driving them off. 16 They mocked profanely, as if at a feast, they gnashed at me with their teeth. 17 My Lord, how long will You look on?Rescue my soul from their ravages—https://babylonbee.com/news/what-will-the-mark-of-the-beast-be-here-are-17-possibilitiesWhat Will The Mark of the Beast Be? Here are 17 PossibilitiesStarbucks holiday cup - If you've gotten a peppermint mocha latte this November, it may already be too late for you.Disney+ subscription - Was it really worth it just to watch The Mandalorian?Jamba Juice rewards punch card - When the 7th punch resounds, the Lord shall come again.Man buns - Followers of the Beast are easy to spot, and gross.Crocs - These holey abominations are, ironically, unholy.The 1982 Iron Maiden album The Number of the Beast - Kinda obvious, in retrospect. Better burn your copy on a bonfire and pick up some DC Talk before it's too late!Fanny packs - Dad goes looking for convenience and winds up a disciple of the Antichrist. Tale as old as time.Any Halloween decoration at your home - Your wife may have thought that cute inflatable pumpkin was innocent, but she was really giving your home over to the Enemy.The 1978 D&D Dungeon Master Guide - The later editions took out the Mark of the Beast microchips, so they are safe.Apple Watch - When firmware update 6.66 hit, that should have been your first clue.Any Los Angeles Dodgers gear - Obviously.Wristband from Taylor Swift's Eras Tour - Obviously.Ticket stub from The Marvels - This movie is woke garbage, and if you saw it, you have clearly been given over to Satan. Especially if you didn't think it was woke garbage.A high ESG score - A strong diversity rating means you can participate in the economy, but oh no! You're Satanic.Your finely tuned, perfectly balanced hybrid aggro/control deck in Magic the Gathering - Hope you're happy that it won the FNM tourney. You can revel in your victory IN HELL.Pokemon Go - Does anyone still play this? Yes. Devil worshipers do.The 666 tattoo on your hand and forehead the Biden administration will soon make you get to buy or sell goods - Kinda a gimme, but we suspect this one will be the Mark of the Beast for sure.Q: "Are we laughing because we are correct or G_d is correct?"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2021%3A24&version=TLVProverbs 21:24A proud and haughty man —Mocker is his name— acts with overbearing pride.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2074%3A18&version=TLVPsalm 74:18Remember how the enemy mocked, Adonai, and how foolish people despised Your Name.Credit to:https://unsplash.com/@aaronburden (snowflake) https://unsplash.com/@jcotten (mockingbird)https://unsplash.com/@thebeardbe (snowy street)https://www.pexels.com/@ann-h-45017/ (Sneakers and ?)https://www.pexels.com/@robbkeens/ (cellphone)

Why I choose Torah - Operating Instructions are IncludedWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/Network: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4FreedomRole of Scripture!Woke Wisdom from Jimmy Carter.What is Torah?Why Torah?https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%206%3A4-9&version=TLVDeuteronomy 6:4-9Shema Israel, ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI EchadHear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words, which I am commanding you today, are to be on your heart. You are to teach them diligently to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up. Bind them as a sign on your hand, they are to be as frontlets between your eyes, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010%3A17-27&version=TLVMark 10:17-27Tree of Life Version17 As Yeshua was setting out on His way, a man ran up to Him, fell on his knees before Him, and asked, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"18 "Why do you call Me good?" Yeshua said to him. "No one is good except One—that is God. 19 You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,' do not cheat, ‘honor your father and mother.'"20 The man responded, "Teacher, all these I have kept since my youth!"21 Looking at him, Yeshua loved him and said, "One thing you lack. Go, sell as much as you have, and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me." 22 But at this statement, the man became sad and went away grieving, for he had much property.23 Then looking around, Yeshua says to His disciples, "How hard it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Yeshua answers again and says to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."26 The disciples were even more astonished, saying among themselves, "Then who can be saved?"27 Looking at them, Yeshua said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God!"Credit to:https://www.pexels.com/@ann-h-45017/Ann H

Describing writing as an act of faith, author Anne Lamott offers a workshop on connecting to our inner longing for creativity.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This week, Anne Lamott joins the BHNN Guest podcast to teach: Following our creative lives and childhood callingsMeeting our creativity half-wayHow all of us start at the beginningMaking time for writing in our livesFiguring out what it is we want to write and making a listOwning everything that was done to us and everything we have seenAccepting that our first drafts will not be wonderfulWhy we should not worship perfectionismFinding a writing partner or local writing groupTaking everything sentence by sentencePaying attention to ourselves and all that dwells within usTo read the poem Anne recites, Monet Refuses the Operation, click HERE.About Anne Lamott:Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of many books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and child-rearing memoir Operating Instructions. In addition to being a novelist and nonfiction writer, Lamott is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Keep up with Anne on Instagram.“Isn't that amazing what is inside you that wants you to midwife it? It needs a doula. It needs you. It has no pens. It has no paper. It needs you to birth it. So here is what you do, you stop not writing.” – Anne LamottSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 487: Book Club: We Talk to Writer Anne Lamott About Love, Family, and Forgiveness For the Happier Podcast Book Club, we talk to renowned writer Anne Lamott about her beautiful new collection of essays, “Somehow: Thoughts on Love,” as well as her other works, such as “Bird by Bird” and “Operating Instructions,” and life in general. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Follow on social media: @GretchenRubin on YouTube @GretchenRubin on TikTok @GretchenRubin on Instagram @GretchenRubin on Threads @LizCraft on Instagram @LizCraft on Threads @GretchenRubin on ThreadsGet the podcast show notes by email every week: happiercast.com/shownotes Get the resources and all links related to this episode here: http://happiercast.com/487 Get Gretchen Rubin's newest New York Times bestselling book Life in Five Senses to see how she discovered a surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love: by tuning in to the five senses. Now available wherever books are sold. Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author Anne Lamott has penned novels, but is most famous for her confessional memoirs about sobriety, raising her son as a single mother (Operating Instructions), being a liberal Christian and writing (Bird By Bird). Kara and Anne talk about her 20th book, Somehow: Thoughts on Love, why she thinks love is like Wi-Fi, how she dealt with nearly being canceled over a tweet, how to practice radical self-acceptance, and finding forgiveness — even for Donald Trump. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anne Lamott is the author of 20 books, which include fiction and nonfiction. Her novels include Hard Laughter, Blue Shoe, and Imperfect Birds. Her nonfiction titles include Operating Instructions, Bird by Bird, Almost Everything: Notes on Hope and the newly released Somehow: Thoughts on Love. She has been awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship and was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2010. We talked about love, call and response, writing craft, secrets, the solace and inspiration of reading, novels and nonfiction, Ms. Magazine, and poetry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I wish the moment of love in our lives more closely resembled the grace of a ballerina, but no, love mainly tromps and plops, falls over and tiptoes through our lives,” writes Anne Lamott in her newest book “Somehow: Thoughts on Love.” Lamott, a long time Marin County resident, has always been frank about the messy parts of her life from parenthood to addiction. We'll talk with her about how and where love has shown up for her and its connection with grief, joy, disappointment and anger. Guests: Anne Lamott, author, "Somehow: Thoughts on Love" - Her other books include "Some Assembly Required," "Operating Instructions," and "Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life."

This week, on The Conscious Consultant Hour, Sam is pleased to welcome Intuitive Empowerment, Life-Purpose Coach, Sage, Mystic, and Spiritual Channel, Roger Burnley.Roger has dedicated his life to helping others uncover their true potential and purpose. His work is grounded in over 35 years of study and implementation of personal development, spiritual growth, and human potential principles.oger offers various services, including online programs, private coaching, and group sessions, and he is a popular speaker and author. He is deeply committed to helping individuals discover their unique and vital role in the world.He has moved through every imaginable hardship and difficulty, turning that knowledge into a life-changing and transformational programs and books. Roger continues to make an impact by assisting entrepreneurs in building businesses aligned with their life's purpose.Tune in and share your questions and comments around accessing your authentic self on our YouTube livestream or on our Facebook page.https://amzn.to/3OgiNpZhttps://www.rogerburnley.com/Tune in for this enlightening conversation at TalkRadio.nycSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-conscious-consultant-hour8505/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

SUPPORT MY WORK through Patreon!Celebrate literary lessons found in books about mothers! Adele Griffin shares her riveting surrogacy story in her debut and how these characters shaped her story.Adele Griffin knew something had been missing from her fiction for a long time. Although she knew it was missing, she admits that it took her years to process and refine this motherhood journey into her adult fiction debut, The Favor. In this moving conversation, we discuss her riveting surrogacy journey and what writers have gotten wrong when writing about this deeply personal partnership. It is a profound bond that can have lifelong impacts on all parties involved, but the author's challenge was packaging it lightly for a reader like her. As a seasoned author of over thirty books, she describes her unique challenges and hurdles in writing adult voices and, ultimately, the literary mothers who shaped this story, and how she viewed motherhood. In one of the most eclectic stacks brought to our show, we will discover surprising trivia behind some well-known classics and contemporary literature that brings modern motherhood issues to light.Bonus Books About Mothers Book List:Today's BONUS BOOK LIST explores The Best Page Turners About Motherhood to Read Now. This book list includes Adele's fiction, nonfiction, and memoir selections. I've rounded out this stack with the most compelling books I've read on motherhood. And if you want to dive into Adele's page-turning plot twists, you will love today's bonus. Patrons get an additional  SPOILER-FILLED episode with Adele, discussing three pivotal moments in her book's ending. Meet Adele GriffinAdele Griffin is the author of over thirty highly acclaimed books across various genres, including Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both National Book Award finalists. The Favor is her adult fiction debut.Mentioned in this episode:Joining the Patreon community is an affordable way to support the show and gain access to a wealth of resources, including our monthly FULLY BOOKED buzzy new release show, exclusive author interviews, music playlists, and more! MomAdvice Fall Reading Guide2023 MomAdvice Summer Reading GuideTrue Biz by Sara NovicThe Favor by Adele GriffinAdele's Pinterest BoardThe Kingdom of Prep by Maggie BullockVampire Island Series by Adele GriffinWitch Twins Series by Adele GriffinAll of a Kind Family by Sydney TaylorThe Wishing Game by Meg ShafferMeg Shaffer Interview (The Wishing Game)Little Women by Louisa May Alcott10 Fascinating Facts About Louisa May Alcott's Little WomenWaiting for Daisy by Peggy OrensteinOperating Instructions by Anne LamottSome Assembly Required by Anne LamottAnne Lamott, Who Wrote the ‘Operating Instructions' on Motherhood Tackles the SequelLittle Fires Everywhere by Celeste NgLittle Fires Everywhere TrailerGuide to the Celeste Ng BooksCeleste Ng: The WD InterviewHello Beautiful by Anne NapolitanoYou'll Never Guess What Anne Napolitano Was Doing When Oprah CalledThe Celebrity Book Club Deep Dive Episode You NeedThe Best Page Turners About Motherhood to Read NowShop the above (Amazon) links or through my Book Gang Bookshop Page!! They pay a 10% commission on every sale and match 10% to independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Connect with Adele on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, on TikTok, or MomAdviceJoin the MomAdvice Book ClubShop Our Bookish Shirts to support the showBuy Me a Coffee (for a one-time donation)

Sermon for the Second Sunday of Easter: Operating Instructions Delivered by the Rev. Shannan Hudgins

Sermon for the Second Sunday of Easter: Operating Instructions Delivered by the Rev. Shannan Hudgins

Computers require frequent software updates to function properlyA few thoughts on how your brain works, and how to make sure it's got the best software available!Hey, I just wrote a book about my research into how people process pain and find hope again after they experience what we call “The Massive Thing,” or TMT, Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things (coming July 25). You can pre-order it by clicking on the book cover below.Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

For episode 176 of the Metta Hour, Sharon is joined by Neal Allen and Anne Lamott.In this conversation, Neal shares his impetus for writing Shapes of Truth and how the book played a role in his first date with his now-wife, Annie Lamott. The three converse about the different ways they define the term and the experience of God or the divine, and how that interfaces with daily life. The episode ends with Neal leading a short guided reflection to bring the conversation to a close.This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaNeal Allen is a coach and writer who studies and practices traditional and contemporary spiritual paths. He is the author of the 2021 release Shapes of Truth: Discover God Inside You. Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of 19 books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and childrearing memoir Operating Instructions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anne Lamott on Spiritual Fitness, Creative Process, Redecorating the Abyss, and The Perennial Magic of "Bird by Bird" | Brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 750M users, Eight Sleep's Pod Pro Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, and LMNT electrolyte supplement. More on all three below.Anne Lamott (@AnneLamott) uses honesty, empathy, and humor to write about our world. In her beloved and bestselling books, like Operating Instructions (an account of her son's first year), Bird by Bird (her classic book on writing), and Help, Thanks, Wow (a celebration of prayer), Lamott delves into what makes us human. She explores the wide experience of life that unites us: birth and death, parenthood and family, faith and doubt, love and loss, forgiveness and hope.In each of her 19 books, which have sold millions of copies worldwide, Lamott brings her distinctive mix of bracing candor, clarifying insight, and refreshing humor to convert serious subjects like addiction, motherhood, loss, and faith into human truths we can all share. She is the author of several essay collections on faith, including Traveling Mercies, Grace (Eventually), and Plan B, as well as several novels, including Imperfect Birds, Blue Shoe, and Rosie.Lamott has been honored with a Guggenheim Fellowship and has taught at UC Davis and writing conferences across the country. She is an inductee of the California Hall of Fame and the subject of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Freida Mock's documentary Bird by Bird with Annie (1999).Her most recent book is Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage.Please enjoy!*This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Whether you are looking to hire now for a critical role or thinking about needs that you may have in the future, LinkedIn Jobs can help. LinkedIn screens candidates for the hard and soft skills you're looking for and puts your job in front of candidates looking for job opportunities that match what you have to offer.Using LinkedIn's active community of more than 750 million professionals worldwide, LinkedIn Jobs can help you find and hire the right person faster. When your business is ready to make that next hire, find the right person with LinkedIn Jobs. And now, you can post a job for free. Just visit LinkedIn.com/Tim.*This episode is also brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep's Pod Pro Cover is the easiest and fastest way to sleep at the perfect temperature. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. Simply add the Pod Pro Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temperature.And now, my dear listeners—that's you—can get $250 off the Pod Pro Cover. Simply go to EightSleep.com/Tim or use code TIM. *This episode is also brought to you by LMNT! What is LMNT? It's a delicious, sugar-free electrolyte drink mix. I've stocked up on boxes and boxes of this and usually use it 1–2 times per day. LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or Paleo diet. If you are on a low-carb diet or fasting, electrolytes play a key role in relieving hunger, cramps, headaches, tiredness, and dizziness.LMNT came up with a very special offer for you, my dear listeners. For a limited time, you can claim a free LMNT Sample Pack—you only cover the cost of shipping. For US customers, this means you can receive an 8-count sample pack for only $5. Simply go to DrinkLMNT.com/Tim to claim your free 8-count sample pack.*If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim's email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reading Dallas Willard's The Divine Conspiracy is well worth the effort and in this teaser episode Michael Stewart Robb introduces the series which aims to provide encouragement and information to aid your reading experience. BE INFORMED and PRAY for us better by signing up for the Sanctus newsletter: https://sanctus.institute/​

Anne Lamott is the New York Times bestselling author of Help, Thanks, Wow; Small Victories; Stitches; Some Assembly Required; Grace (Eventually); Plan B; Traveling Mercies; Bird by Bird; Operating Instructions, and the forthcoming Hallelujah Anyway. She is also the author of several novels, including Imperfect Birds and Rosie. A past recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and an inductee to the California Hall of Fame, she lives in Northern California.On the episode:Producer : Tatave AbeshyanProducer & Co-host : Scott SchimmelJOIN BOB WEE KLYWe've launched a new subscription-based offering with exclusive content from the one and only Bob Goff.In vintage Bob fashion, you can join him on his adventure of living a life of whimsy, love, and action. Each week you'll receive a video message from Bob, plus guided reflection exercises and activities for personal growth and structured conversations with friends.Now more than ever we need to look to voices we can trust. If Bob's message has inspired you in the past, you're not going to want to miss out on Bob Weekly. So sign up today and let Bob guide you as you go through this unpredictable thing called your life.Learn More bobgoff.com/weekly

Anne Lamott is the New York Times bestselling author of Help, Thanks, Wow; Small Victories; Stitches; Some Assembly Required; Grace (Eventually); Plan B; Traveling Mercies; Bird by Bird; Operating Instructions, and the forthcoming Hallelujah Anyway. She is also the author of several novels, including Imperfect Birds and Rosie. A past recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and an inductee to the California Hall of Fame, she lives in Northern California.On the episode:Producer : Tatave AbeshyanProducer & Co-host : Scott SchimmelJOIN BOB WEE KLYWe've launched a new subscription-based offering with exclusive content from the one and only Bob Goff.In vintage Bob fashion, you can join him on his adventure of living a life of whimsy, love, and action. Each week you'll receive a video message from Bob, plus guided reflection exercises and activities for personal growth and structured conversations with friends.Now more than ever we need to look to voices we can trust. If Bob's message has inspired you in the past, you're not going to want to miss out on Bob Weekly. So sign up today and let Bob guide you as you go through this unpredictable thing called your life.Learn More bobgoff.com/weekly

In this podcast with ADHD Coach Jane Milrod, based in Princeton, NJ, we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 quarantine, social distancing and distance learning on children and adults living with ADHD. It has taken a toll and she has observed a substantial increase in her workload. Very often ADHD is associated with co-existing conditions such as Procrastination. Anxiety, OCD, and Depression. These conditions have been exacerbated by the current situation and its associated growing feeling of isolation, extra stress, and anxiety. The new “Zoom lifestyle” has required new approaches and organization skills for both students, adults, and parents. We discuss her methods and challenges. Her remote coaching sessions, an integral part of support for people living with ADHD, is centered on helping her clients learn practical skills and strategies that fit their unique aptitudes and personal attributes.  She helps her clients narrow the gap between their intentions and their behaviors using an approach rooted in the Neurobiology of ADHD partnered with the Science of Behavior Change.  She is a skilled listener and integrator of client needs and guide her clients to create new Operating Instructions that help them live a life in alignment with their core values and objectives.   Jane is a Phi Beta Kappa, High Honors graduate of Rutgers College with a Major in History. Professional Coaching Credentials include:  Graduate of the Advanced Professional ADDCA Coach Program, earning the ACCG and The PACG designation Graduate of the Coach Training Program with Master ADHD Coach Susan Sussman, and MCCC Sheila Kutner Jodi Sleeper-Triplett's Coaching Children and Teens, Coaching Teens and College Students.  Jane is a graduate of CHADD National Teacher Certification Program – Parent to Parent: Family Training on AD/HD.in 2006, and a Co-teacher of this class for 15 years. Part-time employment in the Attention Lab at Princeton University Neuroscience Institute.

This week we're speaking with the ever-inspiring Anne Lamott—progressive political activist, writer, and bestselling author of such books as Bird by Bird, Traveling Mercies, and Operating Instructions. Anne's latest book is called Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage, and she joins us this week to talk about how we can find hope, even in the most challenging times.Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sign up to the bookmark newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/1119b1358a84/thebookmark   About the Book For a quarter century, more than a million readers—scribes and scribblers of all ages and abilities—have been inspired by Anne Lamott’s hilarious, big-hearted, homespun advice. Advice that begins with the simple words of wisdom passed down from Anne’s father—also a writer—in the iconic passage that gives the book its title. An essential volume for generations of writers young and old, Bird by Bird is a modern classic. Source: amazon.com   About the Author Anne Lamott is the New York Times bestselling author of Help, Thanks, Wow; Small Victories; Stitches; Some Assembly Required; Grace (Eventually); Plan B; Traveling Mercies; Bird by Bird; Operating Instructions, and the forthcoming Hallelujah Anyway. She is also the author of several novels, including Imperfect Birds and Rosie. A past recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and an inductee to the California Hall of Fame, she lives in Northern California. Source: amazon.com Buy the book from The Book Depository - https://www.bookdepository.com/Bird-By-Bird/9780385480017/?a_aid=stephsbookshelf Would you like to take better notes from the books you read?  Get your copy of Archley's beautiful book journal, the Book of Books here: https://www.archleys.com/?ref=JamVyS-U4mVR   BIG IDEA 1 (3:46) – Bird by bird, buddy This book was inspired by Anne’s father who helped her brother who had months to do an essay project at school about birds but inevitably left it to the last minute. Overwhelmed by the size of the task and the short amount of time left, her dad told her brother “Just take it bird by bird buddy, bird by bird”. However big the challenge is you just have to break it down, take it bird by bird and just get through. She said that in the context of writing, no writer she knows sits down feeling enthusiastic and confident but they do it – word by word, page by page.  Anne said there’s treasure in the piles of chaos and mess, and we need to make that mess to find out who we are. She also said that nobody is reading your first draft or nobody needs to read it. So if you’re putting pressure on yourself to show your first draft (on social media / to friends or family), you’ll find it too overwhelming – keep it for yourself. On the topic of writer’s block she argues that you actually are not blocked but empty. So you need to fill yourself back up. It’s all about the process. Sit down at your desk and tackle your book, essay or anything, bird by bird. BIG IDEAS 2 (7:19) – Write to tell the truth Anne always encourages her students in writing classes to start with their childhood and write anything and everything they remember. The Christmas celebration where your Uncle got drunk, the dress that your Grandma used to wear, the smell of cooking coming through the door, everything you remember. Write it down. Anne says that you need to write as people talk. And to do this well, you need to go out and listen to people really talking. In your mind, think how you would write that conversation as narrative so it sounds like people really talking. By helping your characters create their own narrative, you find things out about your characters as you go along.  The point of good writing is to create real characters with hopes and dreams. As a writer, you need to think as a writer and constantly observe and listen – you need to write the true representation of people. Observing and listening and capturing can be anything – from a snippet of a one-sided conversation when someone walks past you whilst on the phone, or the colour of someone’s hat at the supermarket. BIG IDEA 3 (10:11) – Be weird This book is full of irreverence, neurosis, quirks, hypochondria and general human weirdness. Anne gives voice to the weird things that we all say, feel, think and do but don’t always show or tell anyone. Because if something inside you is real, someone will probably find it interesting. This book is a perfect example of writing as a person that you really are not the person that you think you should be to write a book. This is very relevant to non-fiction writing where it’s likely easy to slip into the idea of who you ‘should’ be to be a non-fiction author, rather than writing from who you are.   On Writing by Stephen King: Why boredom is the key to great writing Music: In Pulse by Assaf Ayalon via Artlist Let’s Connect LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/steph-clarke Instagram: @stephsbizbookshelf Enjoying the show? Please hit subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and leave a review on iTunes to help others find us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott! The Try Guys! Patterns in the Static by The Classic Crime! Heidi’s Recommendation of the Week: Unorthodox (limited series on Netflix) Rory’s Recommendation of the Week: Harry Potter… just all of it. Follow along on Twitter and Instagram: @Spoilers_Ahead_  You can get Spoilers Ahead stickers at hidturner.com/store. MERCH! Don’t forget to leave us a review on the Podcasts App! 

You need to make the best decisions possible during this time of intense change. It’s time to be creative, innovative and find new ways to help your customer who are now stuck at home. In this episode you'll learn how to get centred so you be creative and make amazing decisions for your business. And I want to help you navigate this so I’m offering free group coaching daily to help you all this week (March 23 - 27th, 2020) at 11 am EST. Register here - https://mailchi.mp/554cedb5cc40/qppol0uq1v Things to support your mental health during crisis: Wim Hof Breathing or any pranayama; Yoga; Dance Cardio (this guy is my favourite - Fitness Marshall - https://youtu.be/kUW8mNck1lk?t=38) Spiritual Books: Cave in the Snow by Vicki MacKenzie; Operating Instructions or Plan B: More Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott; Long Quiet Highway by Natalie Goldberg; Love Warrior or Untamed by Glennon Doyle. Steering Your Biz Through Crisis Program - if you want more details email me at bryn@brynbamber.com

We did get an operator’s manual for life in the Bible, but because people don’t trust what God said they struggle to work the plan. Jesus taught us everything we need to know to have life at its best; He taught us the keys of the Kingdom.

We did get an operator’s manual in the Bible, but because people don’t trust what God said, they struggle to work a plan. Jesus taught us everything we need to know to have life at its best, and He taught us the keys of the Kingdom – the operating system for a believer who intends to have the abundant life. Jesus said, “Those who hear my words and put them into practice will be the one who builds his life on the rock” (Mt. 7:24). When we apply any of the Word by walking in love, we will be in harmony with the Lord Jesus Christ. The challenge of every believer is this: do I believe Jesus the Son of God emptied Himself and became a man in every way like as me?

Anne Lamott is a progressive political activist and writer, the bestselling  author of such books as Bird by Bird, Traveling Mercies, Operating Instructions, Plan B, and her latest, Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. We're such fans of Anne Lamott that we've decided to devote an entire episode of The Upgrade to her.  We talk to Anne about almost everything, including but not limited to: how to deal with the news cycle; having compassion for our small upsets in the face of large tragedies; how help can be a form of control; comparing our insides to other people's insides; and the horrors of visiting the DMV. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Josh recounts a particularly harrowing day of deep depression, insecurity, panic, temporary loss of all desire for good things and a fear that personal growth and maturity had been forfeited. He also describes the steps taken to move forward from moments like this. These sensations may be particularly familiar to Type 4’s on the Enneagram, however the experience is certainly not limited to only 4’s. In the second half of the episode, Josh discusses the problem in comparing ourselves to others who are more "successful" than us and making assumptions that we are somehow less or more than another person, based only on accomplishments. Book quote from "Operating Instructions" by Anne Lamott. Support TEXTURE at patreon.com/texturepod Theme music is "God is Calling Me Back Home" by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard kinggizzardandthelizardwizard.com

Glennon Doyle Melton is back on the Beautiful Writers Podcast; this time in the co-host chair with Linda Sivertsen. Fresh from her whirlwind tour for the #1 New York Times bestseller, LOVE WARRIOR, Glennon shares heart-centered updates on those dizzying details, as well as love notes on her recent divorce (yes, they're darling like that), and romantic musings on her engagement to soccer legend, Abby Wambach (simply captivating). Linda and Glennon couldn’t be more excited to interview their long-time idol (whom they’ve never met)—Anne Lamott—the much BELOVED author of the New York Times bestsellers: Help, Thanks, Wow; Small Victories; Stitches; Some Assembly Required; Grace (Eventually); Plan B; Traveling Mercies; Operating Instructions, and several novels—including Imperfect Birds and Rosie. And let’s not forget, her universally adored, how-to writing classic, Bird by Bird. Anne and Glennon have so much in common it's hard to keep up, but here’s a sneak peek list: Oprah; sobriety; motherhood; bestsellers; acts of charity; Sunday-school teaching, political activism, overall adorableness, and the not-so-enviable burden of social anxiety (unless you figure, as Linda does, that it’s sneakily behind their distinct talent for taking universal feelings and making them hilariously darkly dramatic and touching, thus earning them the adoration of the masses). Tune in as Linda and Glennon catch Anne BEFORE she embarks on tour for this, her 17th book: HALLELUJAH ANYWAY: Rediscovering Mercy. Because she hasn’t yet been asked a million questions on the topic and therefore won’t be looking for the exit routes. Because the world could sure use more mercy right about now. And because you'll soon find out what it means, where you can find it, and why it’s so radically important. Welcome!

Anne Lamott is an American novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a progressive political activist, public speaker and writing teacher. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, her nonfiction works are largely autobiographical. Anne Lamott is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Grace (Eventually), Plan B, Traveling Mercies, and Operating Instructions, as well as seven novels, including Rosie and Crooked Little Heart. Listen as she discusses her newest book, Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son’s First Son (2013.) Paul Young was born a Canadian and raised among a Stone Age tribe by his missionary parents in the highlands of former Netherlands New Guinea. He suffered great loss as a child and young adult and now enjoys the “wastefulness of grace” with his family in the Pacific Northwest. The Shack was published in 2008 and became an international phenomenon with more than eighteen million copies in print (ten million in the United States and more than 8 million in foreign translations). It spent 50 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into 41 languages. Married to Kim 33 years, father to 6, father-in-law to 3, grandfather to 6. Author, The Shack (2008), Cross Roads (2012), The Shack Reflections (Oct 2, 2012). Listen as Paul discusses his newest book Cross Roads.

Anne Lamott is the author of five novels, most recently Crooked Little Heart (1997). In addition, she wrote the bestseller Operating Instructions (1993), a highly personal account of life as a single mother during her son's first year; and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, "a candidly drawn map of a writer's home terrain: dazzling peaks and weird, dark cellars." Lamott has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and has taught writing at U.C. Davis and at many writing conferences around the United States. She lives in the Bay Area.This program was produced as part of the 1997 season of Racing Toward the Millennium: Voices from the American West in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.