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- Ten Ways to Finish (Really, Finish) a Writing Project: Part 8
Ten Ways to Finish (Really, Finish) a Writing Project: Part 8
The One-Touch Rule: Do One Thing for Thirty Minutes
Holly Lyn Walrath
August 07, 2026
Welcome back to my series on practical ways to finish your book using the power of psychology. Each post in this ten-part series presents a different method you can try to finally just GET IT DONE and WRITE THE FRIGGIN BOOK. If you haven’t read the other articles in this series, you can check them out below:
8. The One-Touch Rule: Do One Thing for Thirty Minutes
It’s so interesting to be coming back to this series now, when I recently had major abdominal surgery! When I started this series, I had just gotten into running. Now, I find myself back at the beginning again.
Having surgery wrecked my body. It quite literally took me back to square one. And if that’s not a metaphor for how taking a break from writing can feel, I don’t know what is. Right now, I’m not running, but I plan to get back into it the moment I’m cleared by my doctors and physical therapists. And the way I’m going to get back to running? Just a little bit at a time.
When I first started running, I struggled to run constantly for more than about 30 seconds. I could walk forever (I’ve frequently had 30k+ days while traveling), but running at a constant pace really wore me out. So I tried interval training—running for 30 seconds or a minute at a time. I’m still working my way up, but at my peak, I can run for about a minute straight before taking a break. My pacing also got better, so at peak, I can run a 5k in intervals, which takes me about 45 minutes. I never believed I could run for that long. Mostly because I struggle to focus on one thing for a few minutes, let alone hours.
If you struggle with multitasking, this is the rule for you. The “One Touch” rule is the idea that you should try focusing on just one thing until you complete that task. For example, if your goal is to write 1,000 words, you would sit down, remove all distractions, and not get up again until those words are done.
I have to tell you that I use this method every. single. week.
Every week, I have a “writing group” scheduled with a few writing buddies. We have a regular calendar invite and Zoom. At the beginning, we meet and talk about our week, check in on our plans to write, and then we spend about an hour writing. We aim for an hour—but sometimes we only make it to about 30 minutes. This is a group I didn’t start, but it’s one I’ve stuck with consistently. It works for me. Each time, I write, even when I’m not in the mood.
The One Touch Rule is also associated with the “Daily Kaizen” method. It’s from the Japanese idea that you can continuously improve by making slow, incremental changes. You can apply this to anything. For example, to get through your emails quickly, try only “touching” that email once (finish the “task” related to the email, or else transfer that task to a to-do list or archive so it’s out of your inbox.)
I’ve also found this to be valuable for my work as an editor. When I edit a book, I sit down and read it straight through in one sitting. Then, I go back later and edit it in one sitting. I don’t check my email, I don’t look at anything else. I focus on that author’s words and their story until I’ve made all my comments. For that day, that writer is my one focus.
You may have heard of the One Touch Rule in relationship to cleaning. This is the idea that when cleaning, you set a timer and work on one area for a short time. In that time, you try to only touch anything once. Say to yourself: Don’t put it down, put it away.
The writing version of this might be, “Don’t put it away, keep working on it until it’s done.”
The One Touch rule is particularly useful in revision. When sitting down to revise, decide on your focus for that session. For example, you might focus on JUST doing a big-picture read-through of your draft. What do you have on the page, and what is missing? You might write notes to yourself as you read, but resist the temptation to tinker or rewrite as you go. This helps you see what you actually have written.
Psychology says that clutter can confuse the brain. A 2010 study showed that a cluttered home caused people’s cortisol levels (specifically women, who carry most of the mental load) to spike. The same goes for writing. If your writing folder is too cluttered with unfinished stories and unorganized drafts, you might get cognitive overload. You might look at it and go: "I don’t know where to start.”
My advice to you, if that’s the case, is to sit down and take the time to fix it. You might be surprised by how much this makes you feel better, even if you loathe the process. This looks different for every writer. Some like having a lot of drafts. Others, like me, tend to save over the same draft (I NEVER save more than one file of a story or poem!) There’s no wrong or right way here, but probably every writer can benefit from a bit of writing de-cluttering.
The One Touch rule can be helpful for focusing. I struggle to stay on-task. My mouse starts to linger over to click on the internet, or I start looking at my phone. I get distracted or frustrated. There are tons of ways to mitigate this that I’ve seen—from people writing on a device with no internet to simply going outside where there is no wifi.
But the reality is—these are just tricks, right? The true hard part comes in doing the work. In the end, the way to finish any project is to do it. So by setting a timer and forcing yourself to do just ONE thing—you’re training your brain to stay on task.
How many 30-minute sessions would it take to finish a book?
Why don’t you try it and find out?
Upcoming Workshops from Your Host with the Most Writing Prompts, Holly Lyn Walrath
 30 Stories in 30 Days This generative workshop is chock full of 30 writing prompts for short story writers. Whether you write micro fiction, flash fiction, or short stories, these 30 prompts are meant to inspire and support you in this unique writing challenge. You've heard of NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month), where poets write 30 poems in 30 days, and you've probably heard of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), where writers try to write a novel in a month. Now, you can do the same with short stories. Whether you're writing to a specific theme, assembling stories for a collection, or want to try writing a series of connected stories, this workshop will explore new contemporary structures like The Tryptich or The Wikipedia Entry.  Grow with Van Gogh: A 70-in-70 Challenge for Creatives Secluded in a small village outside of Paris, the famous impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh spent the final 70 days of his life doing what he loved: painting every day. This remarkable period and astonishing burst of creativity inspires this unique workshop. Grow with Van Gogh is a 70-day challenge for writers, artists, and all creatives looking to generate new work and push their boundaries.  Sip + Create Goth Night  Journaling for Writers |  Sip + Create Rock Painting for Summer Gardens (+ Plant Swap!) Unwind with a refreshing drink and get creative as you transform ordinary rocks into colorful garden art. In this fun, beginner-friendly workshop, you'll learn simple painting techniques and design ideas to create unique decorations that add personality and charm to your summer garden. No experience needed—all supplies included!  Sip + Create Van Gogh's Sunflowers  Writing the Book-Length Poetry Collection This online poetry workshop is built for new and emerging poets ready to gather their work into a cohesive manuscript. Open to all levels and all genres of poetry, it's ideal for writers who have poems on the page but feel overwhelmed by the task of shaping them into a chapbook or full-length book. By the end of this online writing class, you'll have the skills to move from a folder of individual poems toward a publishable manuscript — and a clear understanding of how to submit and market your book of poetry.  Sip + Create Fifth Ward Art Walk  Sip + Create Holiday Cards Join us for a cozy holiday card-making sesh where you can explore your creative side and make your own poetry-themed holiday cards. In this creative session, we'll use books and texts from the December cultural holidays — Christmas, Bodhi Day, Hanukkah, Diwali, and Kwanzaa—to write poems and create our own holiday cards. Learn about the world's holidays, enjoy a cozy holiday beverage, and meet other creatives. |
Self-Paced Workshops (Sign Up Anytime!)
 Self-Paced Course: 30 Poems In 30 Days  Self-Paced Course: Journaling for Poets |  Self-Paced Course: Queer Poetics  Self-Paced Course: Writing Resistance Through Erasure, Found Text & Visual Poetry |
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