I think putting the design on computer was the biggest help to me in making lures. If you sketch it, scan the sketch to a file, copy/paste the design, so you have 2, flip one horizontally so you have a template for each side, a top view and bottom view template are also useful. You can just reprint the file and have the body profile, lip shape, hardware attachment points, location of ballast on a piece of paper you can cut into a template. You can put any notes in the file like amount of ballast, wire/screws used.
Try to find an easy way to get the same shape and weight ballast every time. Search Mark Poulson's posts about ballast. I don't like pouring lead. Finding a 1/4" diameter lead wire you can cut to a set length greatly speeds up making a bait.
I agree with ultimately trying to get to make lures from a resin or even PVC boards (see the pinned post). Wood can vary (grain, density, buoyancy, moisture content) from piece to piece and even within the same the same piece. I wish I had focused more of my early efforts in body materials other than wood. Resins and PVC are less subject to water penetration and expanding/contracting in different temperatures. Expansion/contraction of wood can make the clear coat crack. Making one master to make a mold is easier in the long run. Non-wood bodies are more durable.
I also think I focused too much on the paint job at first. Now, I make the lure, seal it, attached hardware, and test before I waste time on painting a dud. Supreglue makes a good quick sealer for testing. Some of my most effective lures are all white or all black
If you want to see a reputable handmade lure, look at Mike Shaw's MS Slammer. There are a few models that range on the larger side. I have several and really like them.
Last note, never underestimate the importance of safety (eye protection, a good mask, gloves, hearing protection, proper vetilation ). Most people, including myself, lose focus on safety over time. Imagine being in the ER with- a piece of a Dremel disk in your eye, lungs full of sanding dust and paint particles, a missing finger from the saw, burns on your feet from pouring lead in sandals, etc.