Some projects seem to nevvvvveerrrrr end. I’ve spent the last year thinking about what actually gets it DONE.

That’s how I came up with The 6 Mix to FINISH, a system to help you complete your projects so you can see them out in the world and make an impact.

What makes this system so effective is its flexibility—you can easily personalize it to fit your writing and lifestyle. It’s like a buffet, but without the regret and gastrointestinal distress.

I want to help you get started with The 6 Mix to FINISH because I know the difference it can make in your writing life. So, this week, I’m sharing 60 ways to get your writing done—that’s 10 ideas for each element of the system.

If you have a project you can’t seem to complete, pick one idea from each element, add it to your writing life, and watch the magic happen.

F – Fake Stakes: Create Artificial Motivation

1. Announce your deadline on social media (nothing like public humiliation to light a fire under your butt)
2. Join a writing challenge (misery loves company, after all)
3. Sign up for an open mic night (fear of public embarrassment: nature’s motivator)
4. Enroll in a writing class (because deadlines are more fun when you’re paying for them)
5. Create a penalty for missing your goal (donating to THAT politician)
6. Promise yourself a ridiculous reward (4 hours of guiltless Love is Blind, anyone?)
7. Hire a writing coach (professional nagging)
8. Enlist an accountability partner (AKA your very own writing police)
9. Join a workshop (peer pressure at its finest)
10. Go back to school for your MFA (because crippling student debt is great motivation hahahahaha *sobbing sounds*)

I – Increment: Create Small Steps

1. Divide your project into 10 micro-goals (like chopping a whole cake into bite-sized pieces — you barely realize you ate the whole cake!)
2. Set a daily word count goal (even if it’s just 100)
3. Track your progress visually (gold stars aren’t just for kindergarteners)
4. Create weekly milestones (Sunday: panic about not meeting milestones)
5. Celebrate small wins (finished a sentence? Time for a donut!)
6. Use a habit tracker app (like the one in the Writer’s Mission Control Center!)
7. Write for just 15 minutes a day (you spend longer than that scrolling, I’m sure)
8. Increase your goal by 1% each day (it’s like compound interest, but for words)
9. Give yourself a weekly outline (Monday: stare blankly at screen)
10. Try the Pomodoro technique (it’s Italian, so it must be good)

N – Nix: Embrace Focus

1. Turn off all notifications (the world won’t end if you miss a cat video)
2. Designate a distraction-free work environment (a.k.a. a sensory deprivation chamber)
3. Set clear priorities (nix the projects you’re not doing, at least right now)
4. Use website blockers (coaching students get Freedom for free)
5. Limit multitasking (juggling chainsaws is impressive, juggling tasks is not)
6. Decide who you’re NOT (be your weird wonderful self only)
7. Declutter your space (if you can’t see your desk, you can’t write on it)
8. Identify time-wasters (looking at you, “quick” social media checks)
9. Communicate boundaries (no, Mom, I can’t talk about Aunt Edna’s bunions right now)
10. Use an admin journal (to write down any nagging to do’s and get back to writing)

I – Immerse: Find Your Flow

1. Set a consistent writing schedule (you can sit here if you want to…)
2. Practice mindfulness before writing (om your way to productivity)
3. Use noise-cancelling headphones (silence the world, unleash your inner voice)
4. Set an intention for each session (other than “don’t fall asleep on keyboard”)
5. Give yourself longer time periods (deep focus takes time)
6. Make sure you have a clear plan for the week so your writing time is “safe” (you’re not going to write well thinking about the groceries you have to buy)
7. Use a body-doubling buddy (as long as they agree to be quiet and write)
8. Listen to ambient music (or whale sounds, if that’s your jam)
9. Gather all writing tools beforehand (nothing kills flow like a scavenger hunt for a pen)
10. Create a pre-writing ritual (deep breaths and a tea?)

S – Share: Build Community

1. Join a writing group (group therapy, but with notebooks)
2. Host virtual writing sessions (pajama pants optional)
3. Find a critique partner (someone to tell you when your darlings need murdering)
4. Set up regular check-ins (because “how’s the writing going?” is the new “how are you?”)
5. Share updates on social media (I post all my rejections on Instagram!)
6. Start a writing blog (air your dirty first drafts in public)
7. Attend open mic nights (face your fears and meet new writer friends)
8. Mentor a new writer (pass on your neuroses to the next generation)
9. Explore writing forums online (procrastinate productively)
10. Attend writers’ conferences (see you at AWP?)

H – Hype: Boost Your Motivation

1. Create a weekly time to celebrate wins of the week (even the rejections!)
2. Use positive affirmations (“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh darn it, someone’s going to like my writing”)
3. Visualize your success (head to the bookstore and find where your book would go)
4. Create an inspiration board (Pinterest, but for your literary dreams)
5. Hang with high-vibe people (your friends should inspire you)
6. Start with a writing ritual (splurge on that bougie candle)
7. Read inspiring works (like this book!)
8. Reframe challenges as opportunities (rejected again? You’re one “no” closer to a “yes”!)
9. Use a motivational mantra (“I will not let my self-doubt boss me around”)
10. Remind yourself of your “why” (fame, fortune, or free cheese at book signings)

Want a little extra support in implementing The 6 Mix to FINISH?

The Finishing School for Writers is your all-inclusive pass to adopting every aspect of this system.

There are three levels, so you can choose the right commitment for you. As a member of this coaching program, you’ll automatically have:

• Fake Stakes with our monthly open mic night
• Increments with our quarterly goal-setting sessions
• Nixed distractions with a free app-blocking software
• Immersion with A Very Important Meeting writing group
• Shared work with our monthly masterminds
• Hype with meditations and a private Slack group

Plus, you’ll get access to The Writer’s Mission Control Center, a personalized pitching plan, and so much more.

Book a one-on-one call with me to learn how The Finishing School for Writers and The 6 Mix to FINISH will help you create the productive writing life you’ve been trying to build for so long.

May you finish that project that’s been weighing on you so long,
Paulette

Oh, and one last thing! I’ll be teaching a class for ADHD writers, “Organizing the ADHD Writer Life,” at the Write Away Summit on October 23, 2024. I’ll share the systems and tools I use to help organize my writing life with my wild ADHD brain. The summit runs from October 21-24, and tickets are free. Reserve your spot here.