Updated!
This is a modified version of an article first published In February 2016.
Don't let the time run out! Aaaargh! By Terry Freedman
I read recently of a new writing app that is designed to keep your nose to the grindstone -- and the idea is so crazy that it might just work.
Called Flowstate, the way it works is as follows: you set the time period for which you wish to write, let's say 15 minutes. If you actually stop writing before the 15 minutes is up, the work you've already done starts to disappear!
I am not completely sure about this. I mean, what if you need to think for a few minutes, or take a phone call or have a "comfort break"?
Still, once it's available for Windows I will definitely give it a try -- it sounds too nuts to resist!
There is some good psychology behind this I think. It has been found, for instance, that writing fast without self-correcting can lead to a better "product". Well, it certainly leads to a product at least, which you can amend later.
Here are the details of Flowstate.
For a less dreadful distraction-free program, have a look at FocusWriter.