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Anne Lamott (in Bird by Bird) reframes writer's block as emptiness, famously…

2026-08-06 · 12:50 UTC ·@PerellClips ·1 min read

Brief

Anne Lamott, in Bird by Bird and in a clip reposted by @PerellClips, argues writer's block is not a technical barrier but emptiness — "all the sand has escaped from the burlap sack." Recounting Isabel Allende's admission, she urges writers to stop pressuring themselves, take time, and 'fill up' creatively.

Why it matters

Anne Lamott (in Bird by Bird) reframes writer's block as emptiness, famously saying "All the sand has escaped from the burlap sack."

Key details

  • Lamott recounts that ~30 years ago Isabel Allende told her she had writer's block; Lamott advised to "stop, get the pressure off yourself, and take some time" and to "fill up."
  • Short video clip of this anecdote was reposted by @PerellClips/@david_perell on 2026-08-06 12:50:00+00:00
Source evidence

This is the best take on what writer's block really is, courtesy of Anne Lamott:

"In Bird by Bird, I use the image that if your wife has locked you out, your problem isn't with the door. The problem is deeper than that. With writer's block, I think it tends to be that you're empty."

"Isabel Allende and I were doing a panel maybe thirty years ago, and she was confiding in me that she, Isabel Allende, had writer's block."

"I said: I don't think you're blocked. I think you're really empty. All the sand has escaped from the burlap sack."

"What you need to do is fill up. Stop. Get the pressure off of yourself, and take some time, and just fill up."

@ANNELAMOTT

Video