Barb Best

A journal for a fresh, new day 🥰amzn.to/4uVRgh1

19 Delightful Quotes from Dick Van Dyke msn.com/en-us/health/w…

Books are only magic if kids can read them. I'm partnering with @VanderbiltU to help turn the page on the literacy crisis.

Review: Marty, Life Is Short — Movies for the Rest of Us with Bill Newcott | The Saturday Evening Post saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/05/marty-…

Someone In Colorado Is Putting Out The Funniest Signs Ever, And The Puns... youtu.be/_LfLaR7NyAU?si… via @YouTube

Mel Brooks Donates His Archives to the National Comedy Center nytimes.com/2026/05/13/art… via @NYTimes

Happy Mother's Day! 💐 Excerpts from this 1953 letter show how much James Thurber adored his mother, Mame—and credited her for passing her talents on to him. ___________________ #mothersday #happymothersday #mother #mom #throwback #jamesthurber #thurber

Chick Wit – Lisa Scottoline scottoline.com/chick-wit/

Real-Life Emily Who Inspired ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ Character Speaks Out youtu.be/apY-EueZpAQ?si… via @YouTube

The Devil Drinks Starbucks by @bobsmileycomedy open.substack.com/pub/bobsmiley/…

Anne Lamott is the queen of writing teachers. Ask 100 writers for their favorite book about the craft, and her book, Bird by Bird, will top the list. Everybody who's tried to make a work of art knows how loud the inner critic can be. When struggle comes, most people try harder. But Anne says: "The point is not to try harder; it's to resist life less." Improving as a writer is about becoming more aware and paying closer attention to what's already around you, and this conversation is about how to do that. It centers around her famous writing advice: “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” Timestamps: 0:39 Bird by Bird 2:17 Why writer's block isn't real 3:36 The problem with trying harder 9:06 Every book has three drafts 14:24 Learning to observe the world 15:58 Facing your inner critic 27:59 "Help, thanks, wow" 31:16 You get three pages 35:51 Revenge = fuel 38:26 Anne's #1 writing prompt 48:53 Finding writing ideas 54:57 Writing lessons from movies 1:02:08 The ABDCE storytelling formula 1:05:37 What makes for a good ending? 1:10:57 Dealing with criticism 1:16:28 Writing to be fully alive I've shared the full conversation with Anne Lamott below. If you'd prefer to watch it, I've published it on YouTube, and you also can listen to it on Apple / Spotify. I've shared those links in the reply tweets. This is one of those bucket list interviews I've wanted to do ever since I started How I Write, and I hope you enjoy our conversation.

“You know that cat who always shows up right when you’re trying to work? We’ve recreated that." trib.al/aqPv9M7

Indie Spotlight: Humor and Satire booklife.com/authors/04/24/…

A funny & moving short film by JUDD APATOW on the lifelong friendship between BON NEWHART and DON RICKLES, who were not an obvious match but who nevertheless were joined at the hip. BOB AND DON: A LOVE STORY (2023) It’s also free to view on You Tube.

Interview: P!lot aftertheshowmusic.com/pilot/ via @suzanneraga

No matter how many times I hear it, I'm still blown away by her voice. She possessed one of the finest singing voices in music history. Can you name this song? 🤔

This is where “uppercase” and “lowercase” came from. In the early days of printing, capital letters were kept in the upper compartments of the type case, while the smaller letters were placed below for easier access.

Rock Bottom Remainders "Moby Dick" youtu.be/cfuwgn-mzYo?si… via @YouTube

The 2024 Readers' Choice Award winners are here!! cntraveler.visitlink.me/kF2hxE

Best quality vs. worst quality! Meet the 2026 Thurber Prize honorees. 🤩 Want more #laughs? 😁 Don't miss the hilarious 2026 Thurber Prize for American #Humor award show on May 7, hosted by #comedy legend John Kenney. 🏆 Tix ➡️ thurberhouse.org/thurber-prize-… #columbus #artmakescbus