Congratulations! You finished your manuscript! Now what?

Finishing a first draft is equally satisfying and overwhelming.  It’s hard to know how to feel once this story you created and sweated over for so long is finished. But fear not because you’re not finished! There’s still so much to be done… in a good way, of course!

  Here are a few steps to take after finishing your first draft to make sure your book is ready for the world to read.    1. Take a break – You’re going to be equally elated and exhausted. Spend a few days—heck, how about a week?—letting your brain relax and focus on something, anything, other than your manuscript. Regaining your energy and a fresh perspective is crucial this point.
  2. Read like a stranger – In order to catch any inconsistencies in plot or character development, you need to read critically and not let yourself fill in the blanks. Read slowly and judiciously. Where are the holes? Would a stranger understand why certain things are happening?

“Try to read your own work as a stranger would read it, or even better, as an enemy would.” —Zadie Smith 

3. Now read even slower…  This time pay careful attention to all the little things the human brain can easily gloss over like simple grammar and spelling mistakes.  Be sure to look for inadvertent tense changes, passive voice, and any instances of not abiding by the all-important rule: Show, don’t tell.

4. Get a second opinion  – Even after two thorough reads, there will still be problem areas. After working with your manuscript so closely, the brain almost becomes blind to mistakes. A fresh pair of eyes, whether they belong to a friend, writing group, or professional editor, will be able to catch these inconsistencies and mistakes. Sometimes criticism can be hard to take but remember – it’s only to help take your great book and make it even better!
 
3. Now read even slower…  This time pay careful attention to all the little things the human brain can easily gloss over like simple grammar and spelling mistakes.  Be sure to look for inadvertent tense changes, passive voice, and any instances of not abiding by the all-important rule: Show, don’t tell.
 
4. Get a second opinion  – Even after two thorough reads, there will still be problem areas. After working with your manuscript so closely, the brain almost becomes blind to mistakes. A fresh pair of eyes, whether they belong to a friend, writing group, or professional editor, will be able to catch these inconsistencies and mistakes. Sometimes criticism can be hard to take but remember – it’s only to help take your great book and make it even better!