For a woodworker who is trying to expand the number of items that he can create plans are very important, but plans are also important for preserving a unique creation. If you want to woodwork for a living there is going to come a point in time where you begin making your own unique creations that you want to sell. Many of these creations are going to involve several different steps and without the necessary set of drawings and measurements you are going to have a hard time replicating your creation again when you want to make another one.
When you are creating your own plans the most important thing to get down is all of the dimensions involved. If you are putting angles on certain pieces draw the pieces and indicate what angles are going where. You need to know exactly what you did step by step. After all of the dimensions and drawings are complete make a special point to describe any additional steps involved such as sanding the wood and staining or painting it. Be as detailed as you can with each of the steps because you don't want to forget something important. The last step that you have to complete is to make a detailed list of all of the materials that are involved in the project. Group the different materials by how you would find them in the hardware store so that they will be easy to shop from. While a material list may not seem important for your own personal plans, it is. You won't remember everything used in the project and a list is a great way to jog your memory when you try to think back on the project.
When you are creating something from a set of woodworking plans make sure that you read through all of the steps before beginning. While the plans should be in an order that makes sense, sometimes you will find steps that should have been completed earlier, and at other times there are going to be extra materials that weren't included in the list and you want to have those before you start building. After the first read through you can start from the beginning of the directions and follow along step by step. If there is a technique that you don't understand, make sure that you go back and learn how to do it before continuing on with the project. Even the smallest steps usually make a big difference in woodworking plans and you would do well to follow them closely, especially the first time you are making a new item.