Why You Should Stop Writing Before You’re Finished

by Suzanne Lieurance

Most writers think the ideal time to stop is when they’ve completely emptied their minds onto the page. It feels satisfying to finish the chapter, solve the scene, or squeeze out every last sentence before closing the laptop. Yet many prolific writers have discovered that stopping a little earlier often makes tomorrow’s writing session much easier.

Ernest Hemingway was famous for ending his workday while he still knew exactly what would happen next. Rather than writing until he was completely drained, he intentionally left something unfinished. When he returned the next day, he already had momentum waiting for him.

This simple practice works because your brain continues processing problems in the background. Psychologists sometimes refer to the tendency to remember unfinished work better than completed work as the Zeigarnik Effect. An unfinished scene quietly holds your attention, making it easier to reconnect with your story when you return.

There’s another benefit as well. Starting is often the hardest part of writing. When you leave yourself in the middle of a conversation, a scene, or an outline, you eliminate the intimidating blank page. Instead of asking, ‘What should I write today?’ you simply continue where you left off.

Many writers accidentally make tomorrow harder by stopping only after they’re mentally exhausted. They leave the desk feeling empty, and the next morning they have to rebuild both their energy and their direction. Stopping while you still have something left changes that equation.

This doesn’t mean ending every session in the middle of a sentence. It simply means leaving yourself a clear path back into the manuscript. Write a brief note about the next scene. List three ideas you want to include. Record the question you’re trying to answer. Give your future self a place to begin.

During this month’s Writing in Flow series we’ve talked about rituals, focused attention, healthy boundaries, and daily habits. This technique connects naturally with all of them because it protects momentum from one writing session to the next.

You’ll probably be surprised by how much easier it feels to sit down tomorrow when today’s work has already opened the door.

Continue Exploring

• Why Writers Need a Pre-Writing Ritual
• Single-Tasking: The Fastest Way Into Writing Flow
• Why Writers Need Boundaries to Protect Their Flow
• Visit the July ‘Writing in Flow’ hub for the complete series
• How to Be a Writer Who Finishes

Your Next Step

Before ending your next writing session, stop while you still know what comes next. Leave yourself a sentence, a few bullet points, or a short note about tomorrow’s first task. Then notice how much easier it is to begin again.

References

Hemingway, Ernest. A Moveable Feast.
Baumeister, Roy F., and John Tierney. Willpower.
Masicampo, E. J., & Baumeister, R. F. ‘Consider It Done!’ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2011.
Zeigarnik, Bluma. ‘On Finished and Unfinished Tasks.’ 1927.