Week 12 of 13 · Phase 4: Assembly and Review

Compile and self-edit.

No new writing this week. You assemble the full manuscript into a single document and run the Self-Edit Checklist. The book becomes a book.

The Assignment

Compile the full manuscript and run the Self-Edit Checklist.

This is an assembly and editing week. The goal is to take everything you have written across the last eleven weeks and turn it into one continuous, polished manuscript. No new drafting. No new chapters. Just read, edit, and check.

Read the full manuscript once, beginning to end. Use the checklist below as you read.

Word count target: No new writing. Editing and assembly only.
The Framework

Assembly Order

Combine all sections into a single document in this exact order.

  1. Title Page (Title, Subtitle, Author Name)
  2. Copyright Page (placeholder is fine for now)
  3. Dedication (if applicable)
  4. Table of Contents
  5. Introduction
  6. Chapters 1 through 10 (in order)
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. About the Author
  9. Back-of-Book Call to Action Page

The Self-Edit Checklist

Read the full manuscript once. Check each item.

  • Does every chapter open with a story or scenario? No chapter should start with a definition or a lecture.
  • Does every teaching chapter include an actionable exercise or framework?
  • Is your Unique Mechanism referenced by name at least once in every teaching chapter?
  • Are there any chapters that repeat content from earlier chapters?
  • Does the book maintain a consistent voice? Read Chapters 1, 5, and 10 back to back to check.
  • Is every client story or case study anonymized or used with permission?
  • Does the Introduction set up the book accurately?
  • Does the final chapter deliver on the promise made in Chapter 1?
  • Is the back-of-book CTA clear, single-focused, and compelling?
  • Remove every instance of "I think," "I believe," "in my opinion." State your positions with authority.
  • Remove every instance of "very," "really," "just," "quite," and "actually." They add nothing.
  • Check every chapter opening and closing. Openings should pull the reader in. Closings should push them to the next chapter.
If You Get Stuck

I've compiled my manuscript. Here's my Chapter 1 opening and Chapter 10 closing: [paste both]. Does the book's arc feel complete? Does the ending deliver on the opening's promise?

Open Dave Open Paige
Completion Check
You are done when: You have a single document containing your complete manuscript in the correct order. You have run the Self-Edit Checklist and addressed every item.

Finished Week 12? Unlock Week 13.

Marking this week complete unlocks the next module immediately. Move at the pace that fits your life. The 90-day window is the ceiling, not the pace.

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