Writing the first draft of any project is a daunting task. It takes determination, resilience, and creativity to write a compelling piece of work. However, once the first draft is complete, there are still just a few more steps to take before your work is ready to be presented to your final audience! This article will explore five of the most important tasks that you should do after writing draft one to polish your work and turn it into a professional-looking piece. So, if you are ready to take your work to the next level, let's get started.
Celebrate
The first thing to do after finishing the first draft of your book is to celebrate! Completing the first draft is a major step and one that requires a lot of patience, hard work, motivation, and dedication, which is why it's important to reward yourself with some celebration. You can celebrate in a variety of ways, such as having a dinner with friends or family, going out to a special event or restaurant, or even just treating yourself to something special. Or by buying yourself a balloon or yummy dessert! Overall celebrating your success can be a great way to stay motivated and help you stay focused on completing the book. (Because there are a lot of revisions and edits ahead!)
Take a Break
It is important to take a break from your story after completing a first draft. Taking a break allows you to step away from the story and come back with a fresh perspective to make the necessary edits and revisions. As mentioned above, taking a break is also a great time to celebrate your achievement. You have put in a lot of hard work and dedication to get to this point, and it is important to recognize this and reward yourself. Secondly, a break can help you gain a new perspective on your work. After a break, you can come back to your book with a fresh outlook and make improvements that you may have missed the first time around. Lastly, taking a break can help you recharge your creative mind so that you can tackle the revision process. In general, taking a break will allow you to reward yourself for the hard work you put into the first draft.
Read it All The Way Through
After some much-needed rest, you should make sure that you read your story all the way through. It's helpful to read through your entire book after completing the first draft because it's the best way to ensure that your book is accurate and engaging. If it isn't, no worries, there's always time to revise in the editing process. But reading your book all the way through also helps you reunite yourself with your story and your book. Taking the time to read the book in its entirety helps to catch errors and inconsistencies that would remain unnoticed if only portions of the book were read. Additionally, it allows you, the writer, to refine the language and style of your book, ensuring that your book is how you want it!
Edit Structural Errors
Related to the previous point, it's crucial that when starting to edit your novel you start with the big-picture, structural problems in your piece. After completing the first draft of a book, editing any structural errors can help to make your book more cohesive and understandable. It can also help to make the story easier to read and more enjoyable for your readers! After you make these large thematic and structural errors, you can refine your novel, by taking a look at smaller details. This includes things like grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. This type of editing can help to improve the flow and readability of your novel. Plus, it can help to make your novel more professional and polished. Overall, editing structural errors is an important step in the writing process and should be done after the first draft of a book is finished. For more tips on how to edit your novel, click on the button below!
Use Beta Readers
Using beta readers after finishing draft one can be incredibly helpful for a few reasons. First, beta readers can provide valuable feedback on your work, giving you an outside perspective on what works and what doesn’t. They can also help you identify any plot holes or inconsistencies in the story. Plus, having another person read your work can help you catch any typos or errors that you may have missed while editing. Overall, beta readers can help you determine if your story is engaging and enjoyable to read, which can be invaluable information as you revise and refine your work!
After completing the first draft of your story, it is important to take a step back and review your work. Make sure that your themes and characters are engaging and that your writing is clear and concise. With careful consideration and effort, you can ensure that your book will be a huge success!