What to Do in the First 90 Days After You Finish Your Manuscript

Finishing your manuscript is a huge milestone. For weeks, or maybe months, you’ve poured your energy into shaping words into chapters and chapters into a complete story. When you finally type “The End,” the sense of relief is real.

But then comes the big question every first-time author faces: Now what?

The first 90 days after finishing your manuscript are some of the most important in the entire book publishing process. What you do in this window determines not just how smoothly your book moves toward publication, but also how well it supports your long-term goals.

This post will walk you through the key steps to take so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

Step One: Rest, Then Revisit

It may be tempting to dive straight into editing, but your first step should be rest. Give yourself a week or two away from the manuscript. This distance allows you to return with fresh eyes, making it easier to spot gaps, redundancies, or areas that need clarity.

When you come back, read your book as if you were your ideal reader. Does it flow? Does it deliver on the promise you intended? This self-review sets you up for the next stage.

Step Two: Line Up Professional Editing

Every book, no matter how well-written, needs editing.

This is where many authors new to self-publishing for beginners can feel overwhelmed. There are different types of editing:

• Developmental editing – big-picture improvements on structure and flow.

• Copyediting – sentence-level clarity, consistency, and accuracy.

• Proofreading – the final polish before publishing.

  
  

Factor the cost to self-publish a book into your budget here. Editing is often one of the most valuable investments you’ll make.

Step Three: Explore Your Publishing Options

This is where the real planning begins. Will you go fully DIY, or work with one of the many self-publishing companies that can help manage the process?

If you’re learning how to publish a book on Amazon, you’ll want to familiarise yourself with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). It’s one of the best self-publishing platforms for beginners because it offers global reach and print-on-demand services.

Other platforms like IngramSpark, BookBaby, or Draft2Digital may also be worth considering, depending on your distribution goals.

Step Four: Begin Thinking About Marketing

One of the biggest mistakes new authors make is waiting until their book is published to think about marketing.

Instead, use these first 90 days to:

• Build a simple email list of readers interested in your journey.

• Share small “behind-the-scenes” updates on social media.

• Collect early feedback or testimonials from trusted readers.

• Sketch out a launch plan, even if it’s basic.

The more intentional you are now, the easier it will be to market a self-published book later.

Step Five: Partner With the Right Support

At Is Your Book Ready?, we believe no author should have to navigate this journey alone. We’ve worked with first-time authors who came to us after finishing their manuscript, unsure what the next step should be. With editing guidance, publishing strategy, and a clear marketing plan, they moved from overwhelmed to confident and launched a book that worked for them and their business.

The first 90 days aren’t just about preparing your manuscript. They’re about preparing yourself for the next phase of authorship.

Your Next Step

If you’ve recently finished your manuscript, congratulations, you’re closer than you think. But don’t let the momentum fade. The choices you make now will shape everything that follows.

📅 Book your free consultation today: https://www.isyourbookready.com/consultation

We’d love to hear your story and help you bring it to life, with clarity, purpose, and a plan that works for you.

Let’s talk about your next step.