As many people know, Michael Crichton was a best-selling author, screenwriter, director, and producer. He wrote twenty-eight books (selling 200 million copies worldwide), half of which were turned into films. Clearly, he was a very talented man who possessed confidence and single-mindedness to pursue his life’s dreams. Whether you’re in the entertainment business or not, that’s an inspiring story!
Wanting to
learn more about Crichton as a person and author, I searched his website and
found this interview. It’s short, but the message is deep.
His words stuck in my mind long after reading them. Over and over, I kept
thinking about what he said. Like his stories, there is genius in Crichton’s wisdom.
For weeks, I found myself sharing bits and pieces of this interview with friends
and colleagues.
Below are
five lessons that Michael Crichton shares in the interview about writing (and
life):
1. Whatever
your background, it is ideal for pursuing your dreams (Michael Crichton, M.D.).
There are lots of
“reasons” not to do what we love. One is, “I don’t have a degree in [insert
your dream].” Well, now you can toss that excuse. Ironically, young Crichton fancied
becoming a writer, and initially chose literature as his college major. But after a
conflict with a disapproving professor, Crichton changed his concentration to biological
anthropology, went on to attend Harvard Medical School, and eventually became a
doctor. His passion for writing and making movies kept pulling at him, however, and
eventually he gave in to the desire. When asked about his decision to quit
practicing medicine, he explained it was due to “a pull from one direction and a
push from the other.” But even though he didn’t want to be a doctor anymore, Crichton
acknowledged that his medical training and experience served as the perfect foundation
for his writing career. If he hadn’t been a doctor first, he may never have dreamed
up science-fiction bestsellers like Jurassic
Park or The Andromeda Strain, or the
hit medical drama, “ER.”
2. Stop
asking for advice (this is really the first step).
We can all learn from
others. But asking for advice can easily become a paralyzing habit. Over time,
we start to think the "answers" lie outside ourselves – somewhere “out there.” We
start to believe there is only one route to success – a narrow and secret path
that we don’t yet possess the experience, education, or wisdom to find and
follow. But Crichton explains that building a career in the entertainment
business “has no defined path. Everybody comes to it a different way.” To be
truly happy and successful, we must all discover and follow our own journey.
The first step? “Stop asking for advice.”
3. Write
what interests you (the path to a good novel comes from within).
It’s futile to anticipate
what others want to read. Therefore, setting out to write a bestseller that has
mass appeal is a big mistake. Crichton
said, “If I tried to guess what other people would like, I think I’d be lost.” Looking
back at his success, it’s ironic to think that Crichton once doubted whether anyone
would be interested in the technical and obscure topics that fascinated him. Of
course, today we know that millions of people were yearning for exactly those
kinds of stories. Like writing books, the “path” to happiness and success comes
from within.
4. Be
patient (it’s always interesting to be writing).
From the way he speaks,
Crichton seems to have pursued his passions without urgency. For instance, he
gives no indication of feeling pressured to come up with great ideas, meet
deadlines, or make money doing what he enjoyed. It was as if he knew things are
always working out, that time and creativity are plentiful, and there is never
any need to hurry. “Usually,” he explained, “an idea ‘cooks’ in my head for a
very long time before I write it.” Some books came easily, while others turned
into long, frustrating struggles. Either way, once he had finished a manuscript,
Crichton would put it aside for a year or more before rereading it. Some books took
him 3 years to finish, while others required 5, 8, or even 20 years! Through it
all, Crichton’s outlook was, “It’s always interesting to be writing.”
5. Don’t
read reviews (it’s a losing proposition).
“I don’t read reviews,”
Crichton explained. “The reason is that the good reviews don’t make me feel
good, and the bad reviews make me feel bad. So, it’s a losing proposition.” Hard
to improve upon the wisdom of these statements.
As an
author who loved writing as a boy – but pursued other professional endeavors
before being brought back to my true passion – I can strongly relate to
Crichton’s message. I’m guessing that many other writers can, too.
But my gut
feeling is that the wisdom of Crichton’s message applies to all of us, whatever
our personal dreams may be. There’s something about his outlook – and his
overall approach to life – that seems to be universally “true.” In any case,
his words really got me thinking… and for that reason alone, I felt obliged to
share them with you.
Cheers,
Andrew C. Katen
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