Bossypants as a Guide to Writing?

Hands down, one of the funniest books I've ever read.
Loved the chapter about her father.

(Although I'm not a fan of the jacket photo, even though I guess I understand what the publisher was trying to do. )





The two pages -- THE RULES OF IMPROVISATION -- could be studied and followed as Great Dialog Writing Tips:

There are no mistakes, only opportunities... only beautiful happy accidents.

In Things I Learned from Lorne Michaels:

The show doesn't go on because it's ready; it goes on because it's 11:30.

(ie Sometimes you just can't worry about what you've written. As long as you know the difference between what sings and what sinks, let go of the bad writing for a bit, stop stressing, and Move On. Unlike live TV, writers can revise, later.)

Tina Fey is really, really funny and often very true when she takes off on motherhood.
When people say, "You really, really must do something, it means you don't really have to. No one ever says, "you really, really must deliver the baby during labor." When it's true, it doesn't need to be said.

I'm taking this to mean, we don't have to hit our readers over the head with the truth. Or make characters do something just because everybody says they should. Leave something for that proverbial Between The Lines.

Funny book.