For runes drawn yourself, or anything similar for that matter. Once you put in your energy/intent, how do you know they are doing their thing? I have done a couple I can feel the energy of sorts, but unsure if it's doing what it's supposed to do.

You may know all this anyway but I hope some of my reply is useful.

I think it depends on what system of rune work you're following as to what the advice would be on next steps. And I think it may also depend on for what purpose you've done what you've done.

Perhaps a general tip would be to not worry about the desired outcome too much. A common bit of advice is once you've done a bit of magic work that is aimed at producing a desired outcome, forget about it, so that your worrying mind doesn't send the magic arrow off target. A similar tip is to approach such things with an attitude of experiment or play, rather than be too intense or attached to what happens. That may ironically make it easier for the energy to have its effect.

I guess when you see any of the results manifesting, you'll know it has worked. Patience is often encouraged as things can take time to manifest.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach and others will come at this from a different angle.

I don't specialise in rune work but I have used ones drawn myself on card for divination for a long time. I've also used runescripts and occasional rites with them without activating them specifically although ever since since I read a well known book on runes many years ago that described activating them and using them in physical postures (as I recall) ,I've had a deeper relationship with them, if that makes sense.

The one stand out time I knew without doubt that my rune magic had worked was when I lost my cool with a neighbour living in the room above me and did an intensely focused rune rite to get rid of him asap, with no conditions attached. I woke from deep sleep that night to find the building on fire, we all evacuated and it turned out he'd set fire to his room to cover up from our landlord the fact he'd covered every inch of all his walls and ceiling with cutouts of naked ladies from porn mags.

That was probably far too dramatic evidence that the runes had done their job. Perhaps we don't all want that kind of evidence