For the past four books, my process has been to begin with a bare-bones draft. I revise a lot. So it's clean. But I leave it about 10-15k short of my eventual target.

At the finish line, I write myself an editorial letter. A lot like what my editor might write me. "This relationship needs work" and "that technique became important, make sure to put subtle references to its use in several spots."

I might have about 8 big picture items.

Then I run through and "bulk up" the draft a bit. Descriptions at the starts of chapters. Expanding character details on anyone who doesn't come off the page. Layering in those editorial notes. Inevitably, this expands it by 5-10k.

For contracted work, I almost always leave the remaining 5k-10k for whatever my editor will likely want more of in the story. That romance is falling short? Let's add a scene or two. The friendships need work? There's room for that.

For draft work? No one's bought it work? MIGHT NEVER SELL WORK? That's where some beta reading helps. Writing group. All of that. Honing the pieces that don't make sense. Overall, though, I have two big goals in a final read through.

First: clarity.

Clarity is the most underrated god of the writing universe. Are your paragraphs CLEAR? Are your descriptions evocative enough to be seen? Do we get the point of that chapter? Clarity, clarity, clarity.

And then the other thing for me is just... does that book have an "it-factor." Is it just a blast to read? Or does it make the reader stop and think? Does it scare? Does it push? Does it make you want to turn the damn page?

That's really it.

And then, of course, I go through several rounds of edits. One from my general editor. Several copyedit rounds. A final read. It's a lot. But that's been my process lately. I've liked that first draft style a ton. It gives me so much room to work. Been digging it.