Finishing your first draft can feel like climbing Mount Everest—exhilarating, exhausting, and utterly rewarding. As a self-published author who’s guided dozens of writers through this process, I’ve learned that the key isn’t perfection—it’s persistence.

The idea of perfection slows us down and opens up our energy to the input of others – others that might not ever have written a book in their lives. Or the old ideas of writing a book must look a certain way or be difficult and full of struggle.

Yet those old ways are just that – old beliefs and ideas. We are here for the new ways of writing with ease and flow!

Understanding that persistence is necessary to finishing your first draft of your book, and that maintaining that persistence can be overwhelming in the fast-paced world that we live in, is committing to yourself (sometimes multiple times a week or month) that you are going to write and finish your book.

Most writers give up after a while, or become so bogged down in ‘what a book should look like’, they forget that by taking one step at a time and staying focused on the end goal (a finished book!) is how to stay motivated.

Also, honoring our wins helps us immensely. We don’t celebrate ourselves for achieving goals as much as we should, and those wins can help us achieve even more.

If you’re ready to start writing today – and finish your book in 3 months – check out my 1:1’s here.

Here’s how to cross the finish line for your book’s draft.

Tip 1: Set Micro-Goals
Forget “write a book.” Break it down:

• Daily: Aim for 500 words (about 1 page), or
• Weekly: Celebrate hitting 3,500 words (you can easily type 3,500 words in 3 hours once you get flowing)

Tip 2: Silence Your Inner Editor and Critic
Your first draft is a “vomit draft”—messy but necessary. Save revisions for later.

Tip 3: Try the Pomodoro Technique
Write in 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks to maintain focus.

Tip 4: Create a Visual Progress Tracker
A simple chart or app like Scrivener can motivate you to keep going.

Tip 5: Lean on Accountability
Join a writing group or hire a book coach (like yours truly!) to stay on track.

Tip 6: Write Out of Order
Stuck on Chapter 5? Skip to Chapter 10. Momentum matters more than sequence.

Tip 7: Reward Yourself
Finished 10K words? Treat yourself to a coffee, walk, or Netflix binge to celebrate your accomplishment.

Choosing one or two of the tips above can help you achieve your goals and feel good about your writing progress.

And remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to exist. Need a roadmap? My Video Writing Course breaks the process into bite-sized steps and helps you get back into your creative flow.

Acacia Lawson is a bestselling self-published author and book writing coach. She’s helped 50+ writers finish their drafts through her online course, book groups and 1:1 coaching.

If you’re ready to start, finish and publish your book in 3 months or less, check out how Acacia will help you by booking a call here.

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