Low Expectations Can Be Great

"Sneaking up on it sometimes helps: I've found I can be very productive for an hour before dinner, because there obviously isn't enough time to really do anything, so I can tell myself I'm just screwing around."

~ Michael Crichton

What's great about this quote, besides the fact that pretty much anything Michael Crichton says is fantabulous, is that it's so true. Sitting down to write doesn't have to be a big production, involving hours of uninterrupted time, silence, and the latest in laptop technology. Sometimes the best writing is accomplished by scribbling on the back of a church program you found crumpled on a floor mat as you sit in the car waiting for your teenager to extract her body from the mall.

There's something about 'screwing around' that relieves the pressure of having to perform. You write without the mindset of publication, allow words to flow just to see what direction they'll take, and doggone if that's not some of the best writing in the world.


Give it a whirl. Next time you've got a small chunk of time, play with the words of your story. Maybe write a poem or song lyrics for it. Try a note to your hero from your heroine or vice versa. Even if it never makes it into your final product, at the very least, you'll get to know your story and characters better.