The two chapters in Bird by Bird focused on plot and dialogue. Plot is something that I tend to struggle with, since I feel like I have so many ideas and so many different directions that a story could go in. Sometimes, it’s really overwhelming to sift through all the possibilities, but Lamott’s advice is really helpful. Characters push the plot forward, and if the possibilities that you come up with don’t fit in with what the characters would do/say, then the story wouldn’t be believable. I liked how Lamott really pushed the idea of character within plot, as sometimes I feel like people discuss plot without discussing character. In all honesty, I feel a sort of reverence to the characters I write, because without them there’s no story. Sometimes you just have to write and let the characters decide where the story goes. Lamott discusses momentum, and while this idea is frustrating, she has a point. Things won’t move quickly when you write your first draft and it’s incredibly slow and painful, but you just have to keep going. The dialogue chapter was interesting, as I feel like I struggle with writing good dialogue sometimes. It’s one of the biggest things that I focus on as a reader. If the dialogue is unnatural or if it just feels forced, then I won’t enjoy the story, no matter how well-crafted the plot or the characters are. Lamott also discusses how each character is different and has to speak a different way. I think I struggle with this the most. I feel as though all of my characters tend to speak the same way, even if they aren’t in the same story.