You Ain’t Going to Need It

37signals (damn them for the good links) talk about YAGNI:

“It’s easy to get carried away discussing how you could possibly do this, that, or the other thing. It’s harder to step back and ask “Are we really gonna need this?” The answer is usually no.”

So often, when writing, I realize I need to solve a story problem and I create a complicated solution to the problem. Then, I stop, look at it and realize that I have created the most difficult solution to the problem.

I step back in and realize that the problem is the problem. I get rid of the problem and I have my solution.