What to Do After Finishing Your First Draft: An Update on My Book Experiment

09 Feb 2026 #misc

After a week of typing, my next book’s first draft is done.

This month, I’m running a book experiment: I’m turning a hit post into a short guide, but backwards.

Today I transcribed the last chapters. Yes, I handwrote some of the chapters. The draft is 7,084 words across 24 pages in Google Docs. That’s the minimum page count for an Amazon KDP paperback. Formatting and front/back matter will add more pages.

Even when hitting a small victory, like finishing the first draft, my inner voice speaks louder. “Do I have something good?” “Are people going to like it?” I have to trust the process and focus on the next task.

Now that the first draft is done, here’s what I’m doing:

1. Take distance. I’m letting the draft sit for a few days to read it with fresh eyes.
2. Replace placeholders. To finish my first draft in a single pass, I used “XXX” for places where I needed to fill in details later.
3. Find typos. I use a prompt to proofread my writing.
4. Reduce duplication. If I repeat anecdotes or stories, I’ll vary them or reference earlier mentions.
5. Revisit the opening and closing paragraphs of every chapter.
6. Revisit the first and last chapters. They leave the first and last impression.
7. Print it and read it with pen in hand.
8. Ask someone else to read it.
9. Give it another break before revisiting.