Things That Helped Me Complete My First Book

I’m finally, officially an author everyone!

Me!

Read for free.

A week ago, I dropped my first book.

I’ve started writing and ended up not completing more books than I can remember, from when I was a kid and fell in love with reading.

I had the ideas and the interest, but I never finished.

I would argue that one reason why I didn’t finish any book before this one, is because this book wasn’t just a random, interesting idea to me.

It was born from pain. That pain turned into passion. The passion turned into a mission. And the mission involved the creation of this book.

I’ll come back to the story of my book, but I want to share a few things that helped me complete and finally put this book out into the world for anyone who’s currently in the middle of writing a book (some are particularly useful if you’re writing a non-fiction book).

1. Write for one person

Just one person. You can even make it personal. Imagine your (future/present) daughter or son asking you the questions your book aims to answer. How would you answer them?

For me, I imagined just one university student coming up to me and asking me questions. This helped me give my writing the personal, almost intimate style I wanted it to have. I wrote to them. I wrote to help them.

It made my writing feel real and flow easier.

2. Finish first, perfect later

Many of us writers often get stuck because we try editing as we go. But this often only leads to making never-ending edits on Chapter 1, when Chapter 2 hasn’t even been started. If you have perfectionistic tendencies (like me), this is the ultimate trap.

Because editing involves looking at what you’ve written with a critical eye and making it as up to par as possible. Critiquing and editing something you’ve only just written would only make it hard for your words to flow freely, because you’re judging them hard as they appear on the screen (or paper).

And then we wonder why we have writer’s block! LOL.

Something I also realized is that when you do write Chapters 2 and 3, you would still likely go back to change or edit something in Chapter 1 in order to make the book more cohesive.

So instead, think of it as drawing before adding colour. Your first draft is not supposed to be perfect. It’s a draft! Let it be messy, let it be full of unfinished thoughts, ideas and sentences. Just keep moving forward.

As you move forward, keep a notebook (physical or digital) where you can write any ideas for edits that come up for a chapter you’ve already written. This was something that helped me keep up my momentum, instead of going back and forth.

3. Have a list of “whys”

This one may be pretty obvious but have a list of strong reasons to finish your book, that you can return to when the initial excitement and dopamine levels drop.

Because trust me, sometimes motivation will leave you stranded in the streets. And that list will be what you stare at when writing your book feels like pulling teeth and it’ll remind you why you can’t give up on this.

Some things from my “why” list

So, what are your strongest reasons for writing your book? Who is it dedicated to? Write the list!

4. Accept that creation is messy

I once saw a quote that said, “The birth of anything worthwhile is messy.” And there is so much truth in that when you really think about it.

Childbirth is very messy. Producing food in a farm is messy. Pottery (which is one of my favourite artforms) is messy. Healing and creating a new sense of self is messy. None of it is easy.

So, creation is messy, creation can be uncomfortable, creation can feel like bleeding. Why would creating a whole book be easy?

Writing a book is not always (maybe ever) clear-cut, pretty or like a ride in the park.

Sometimes it’s uncertainty. It’s self-doubt. It’s wondering if you even have the right to be doing this. It’s wondering if what you’re saying even makes sense, if it’ll be useful, if it’ll be interesting, if it’ll keep the reader’s attention.

Sometimes it’s changing your mind. It’s deleting pages you spent hours writing. It’s spending hours doing research and discovering that there’s no evidence to back up the thing you thought was right.

Sometimes it feels frustrating. Other times it feels fulfilling.

But most of the time, it’s just about showing up anyway, because you believe deep inside that what you’re creating IS worthwhile. And all the messiness is just part of the creation process.

5. Forget about stage 5 when you’re at stage 2

Keep your eyes on the game in front of you. Many people end up not completing their books because they allow anxieties about things like getting the book out there, publishing or marketing it, to freeze them or keep them stuck.

I did this too. I mean, the thought would definitely come up from time to time. Because writing a book is one thing but getting it into the hands of readers is another thing entirely. And of course, you want your book to be read, that’s why you’re writing it.

I worried about the usual things too:

“How will I get this book published?” “What if no one buys it?” “How will I market it?”

But none of those questions helped me write the next paragraph. What mattered at that point was the chapter in front of me. And I had to constantly remind myself of that.

My tip? Write your book for yourself first. Publishing, marketing or visibility is not your business at the moment. Why worry about publishing or marketing a book that does not even exist yet?

If any ideas come up, you can note them down, but you will cross that bridge when you get to it. Without the burden of an incomplete Chapter 5 on your shoulders. With an already completed book in your hands.

So, let the lion’s share of your focus be on crossing the bridge that’s currently in front of you.

6. Choose your first readers with care

If you want to work with beta readers, be mindful and intentional about selecting them! Objective feedback is important and helpful, but don’t select someone who gives you destructive feedback all in the name of being “objective.”

The first people who read your work can either strengthen your confidence or make you question something that simply needed more time to be developed. Or question if what you’re writing even makes any sense!

Choose people who can understand what you’re trying to create and who can give honest, constructive feedback.

I had three beta readers. One was my friend and the other two were basically strangers who I met on social media. They were university students who I believed could give me objective, helpful feedback, since my book is for university students.

And I’m grateful that all three of my beta readers did give me useful feedback that helped me strengthen my book! (One of them even basically did more than I expected by proof-reading my work, giving feedback on my grammar and punctuation, which I really appreciated.)

But before those three readers, I had sent the introduction of my book and chapter one to someone who I respected and who I thought would be able to give me helpful feedback, but what I got back was so unhelpful that I just quietly revoked their access to my book.

It was clear that they did not really understand what I was trying to create. So well, just be careful who you pick to be your beta readers.

7. Take a break and return after a while

If you already have a first, second, or third draft and you’re just struggling with refining your book, you might need to step back, take a break and return back after a while.

If you’re anything like me (somewhat intense, perfectionistic tendencies, with a talent for over working at things), this might be exactly what you need to get your book completed.

Especially if you’re feeling stuck or just demotivated. Distance gives you fresh eyes and maybe even a different perspective. I don’t mean you should forget or just abandon the book forever. But just give it some time, like a week or two, then come back and see how it feels.

This could help you realize how much progress you’ve made and see what final edits you actually need to make to finish the book (with clearer, more relaxed eyes). It definitely did that for me.

I don’t have all the answers. I’m not exactly an expert, but I finished and self-published my first book, and these are the things that helped me.

If you’re struggling to complete your book, I hope something here helps. Just take it one step at a time! You’ve got this!

Back to the story of my book…

Image by author

My first book, ***Your First-Class Blueprint*, was born from the pain of being a high-achieving university student and student president who eventually got burnt-out and realized that in the university system (and the system of the world generally), no one really cares much about how you’re doing, they care more about your outputs and results.

But, as I came to find out, the catch is that if you’re not doing well inside, everything outside will eventually fall apart!

I did graduate with a First-Class degree in Psychology, but I crossed the finish line running on fumes. Months after my final semester (around November 2025), I started writing my book.

At first, it was just a simple attempt to write a few tips from my time in university, but it eventually became the opportunity to create the framework I wish I’d had back in school. The framework I realized many other students need and deserve to have;

how to succeed academically without destroying yourself, neglecting yourself or losing yourself.

Writing this book really helped me put pieces of myself back together.

Pain turned into purpose, into a mission, and into creation.

After my graduation, in May 2026, I also created ***Human Behind the Student***, a WhatsApp channel aimed at supporting students (rather, the humans behind students).

A place for the parts of university that no one really talks about.

A space for the tired students, the students who need to be reminded that they are more than their grades, and the students who may look fine on the outside but aren’t.

So, if reading this piece has helped you, or if my story resonates with you, then it would mean the world to me if you’d help me get this book into the hands that need it:

Purchase a copy for yourself, or for a student you care about!

See more details about the book or purchase a copy here

~Keno 🩵