What to do after you finish the first draft of your book?

What to do After You Finish the First Draft of Your Book

1. Let it rest. This part can be the most difficult.
2. Read it all the way through, once.
3. Revise.
4. Read it through again — out loud.
5. Make any final revisions.
6. Write a synopsis.
7. Write a query letter.
8. Figure out who to send the query letter to and go out on submission.

What do you do on a second draft?

5 Tips for Editing Your Second Draft

1. Take a break, then go through your draft with fresh eyes. Especially if this is your first novel, only start your second draft after you’ve had adequate time away from it.
2. Understand your chaos.
3. Break it up into separate goals.
4. Track your narrative.
5. Don’t proofread until the end.

How many drafts does a book need?

Every writer has a process that works for them. Some swear by three drafts; others proclaim 10 to be the magic number. But the truth is, there is no ‘magic number’. As you develop your own process, consider the genre you’re writing in, your writing experience, and your reason behind why you want to write a novel.

How many times should I edit my book?

How Many Times Should You Edit? We recommend that authors do each editing phase one time. If you do them right, one time each is enough. Now, it is important to note: we recommend this because the authors who work directly with us go from these three rounds of edits to then send their manuscript to us.

How long is a first draft book?

First drafts are as long as they need to be. As a rule of thumb, a short non-fiction book is typically around 20,000 words, while a more traditional non-fiction book weighs in around 60,000 words.

How long does it take to write a novel?

How long does it take to write a book on average? The average time to write a book for most authors is 180 days, or 6 months, more or less. Usually, it takes authors anywhere from 4-8 months to complete a book. However, you can definitely write a book faster than that!

What happens after the first draft of a book?

Especially your first book. It shifts something in your psyche. You know you can do it, now, and nothing can ever take that away from you. That’s a feeling I want for every writer who has ever dreamed of writing a book. But once you’ve finished that first draft — there’s still work to do.

How many words should a first draft of a book be?

As a rule of thumb, a short non-fiction book is typically around 20,000 words, while a more traditional non-fiction book weighs in around 60,000 words. So: If you write 1,000 words of your first draft a day, you’ll produce 6,000 words a week and still be able to take Sunday off.

Do you have to read your first draft before publishing?

What you’ve written is a first draft. If you want to write your very best book, there is a lot more work to do before you’re finished. Because I’m a book editor, I know that some writers submit their first draft to a publisher, possibly without ever re-reading their work.

How long should your first drafts be?

First drafts are as long as they need to be. As a rule of thumb, a short non-fiction book is typically around 20,000 words, while a more traditional non-fiction book weighs in around 60,000 words. So: If you write 1,000 words of your first draft a day, you’ll produce 6,000 words a week and still be able to take Sunday off.