This brief book was my initial encounter with Annie Dillard's work, and it truly piqued my interest, making me eager to explore more of her writings. The term "ascetic" perfectly encapsulates the writing life she描绘. Solitude is a constant companion. Picture a cold, rock-strewn Washington coast during the winter. Ms. Dillard resided in a remote cabin, where she chopped her own wood to keep warm (and she was often cold). Her husband, in a similar cabin, was also engrossed in his own writing. Above all, there is the daily self-discipline of striving to get the sentences just right, whatever that "right" may be. Ms. Dillard's description of a literary life leaves no room for doubt about the seriousness of the work. It's not about quickly jotting down pages of genre fiction at the kitchen table for an hour each morning before rushing off to the day job.

There were some truly exquisite comparisons between painting and writing that I will surely return to periodically to remind myself of the profound insights they蕴含. These were really deeply moving and thought-provoking insights. Additionally, there were other comparisons between flying and writing that I was particularly fond of since I am a pilot. Those comparisons were not only beautiful but also highly perceptive. I will definitely want to revisit those passages as well. For me, these analogies between painting and writing, and between flying and writing, elevated this book from being merely good to truly amazing.

The world of reading and writing is undeniably enhanced by this memoir, despite its brevity. And one can't ask for more from a writer than to leave the world in a better state than she found it. This book has undoubtedly achieved that.

The text seems to describe a piece of writing that is filled with numerous stacked metaphors and anecdotes, with a few very interesting parts in between.

This combination of metaphors and anecdotes can make the text engaging and thought-provoking. Metaphors help to create vivid images in the reader's mind, while anecdotes add a touch of real-life experience and can make the content more relatable.

The interesting parts in between these elements likely serve to break up the flow and keep the reader's attention. They could be moments of surprise, revelation, or simply unique perspectives that add depth to the overall piece.

Overall, a text with such a combination of features has the potential to be both entertaining and informative, offering readers a rich and engaging reading experience.

Frank and lovely.

This is one of my favorite books on writing. It offers a unique perspective and valuable insights into the art of writing.

The author's style is both engaging and accessible, making it easy for readers to understand and apply the principles discussed.

The book covers a wide range of topics, from the basics of grammar and punctuation to more advanced techniques such as character development and plot construction.

Each chapter is filled with practical examples and exercises that help to reinforce the concepts learned.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, "Frank and lovely" has something to offer. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills and take their writing to the next level.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for writing and a desire to learn more about this wonderful craft.

For the most part, I truly enjoyed this book.

I firmly believe it's an excellent read when paired with George Orwell's essays Why I Write and Politics & the English Language.

Although I'm certain I'll return to this book in the future, I'm somewhat uncertain as to whether I'll explore many of Dillard's other novels.

I was really captivated by the beginning of her book. However, towards the end, I occasionally had the feeling that Dillard was stringing together sparkly words without truly communicating all that much. In a way, this left me more frustrated than impressed by any supposed poetic quality.

On a more positive note, usually I don't listen to orchestral music as it makes me feel so restless. As soon as the violin starts playing, I begin longing for my own violin so that I can play along and become even more deeply immersed in the piece. Similarly, there were a few instances when Dillard's words made me want to put her book down and start writing myself.

Below are some of the lines and passages that I underlined while reading. It was rather strange to come across certain lines that were so good that they made me want to stop reading (in order to go and write!).

“I opened the blinds a crack like eyelids.” This line creates such a vivid image in the mind.

“Sometimes part of a book simply gets up and walks away. The writer cannot force it back in place. It wanders off to die.” It's a fascinating and somewhat melancholy thought.

“The printed word cannot compete with the movies on their ground, and should not. You can describe beautiful faces, car chases, or valleys full of Indians on horseback until you run out of words, and you will not approach the movies’ spectacle. Novels written with film contracts in mind have a faint but unmistakable, and ruinous, odor.” Dillard makes a valid point here about the different natures of print and film.

“One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.” This advice is both inspiring and challenging.

\\"It makes more sense to write one big book... than to write many stories or essays. Into a long, ambitious project you can fit or pour all you possess and learn.\\" However, I find it interesting that Dillard seems to view form as an impediment rather than an opportunity for experimentation.

If we focus solely on what makes more literary sense for a writer (disregarding financial considerations), I think most people would agree that this view favoring long form writing doesn't hold up. The appropriate length depends on the particularities of the writer and, for those who consider their audience during the writing process, the relationship they aim to establish with their audience and the world.

“The written word is weak. Many people prefer life to it. Life gets your blood going, and it smells good. Writing is mere writing, literature is mere. It appeals only to the subtlest senses - the imagination’s vision and the imagination’s hearing - and the moral sense, and the intellect.” This made me think of Susan Sontag’s quote from Against Interpretation: “A work of art encountered as a work of art is an experience, not a statement or an answer to a question. Art is not only about something; it is something. A work of art is a thing in the world, not just a text or commentary on the world.” It shows the different perspectives on the nature of art and writing.