These are words most authors may not want to hear. Throughout one’s writing career, many authors are faced with the challenge of redoing a story they probably did years ago. Oh the agony!
*laughs*
Looking at old mistakes and wondering, how the hell did this book get published? Or, if you’re fortunate, not much is wrong when you look at your old manuscript. Perhaps it just needs some tweaks or here’s the best part, you do nothing, you send the new publisher the information they need and it comes back out PERFECT!
Yeah okay, that doesn’t happen often, but hey one can dream.
Still, I’ve seen many authors talk about re-doing an old book. They say, what the heck was I thinking? I didn’t know how to place commas? Run on sentences, head hopping, all the things wrong with an old manuscript will make your head spin, but no worries authors. For old and new scribes, it’s only part of the growth process. Did you know spotting your own errors shows how far you’ve come? You’ve learned how to become savvier with grammar, you know head hopping a hundred different times in a story might be a no-no, and you can tell when you’ve told a lot of the story and not shown a damn thing. Yes, this, my fellow authors is part of the process.
That’s what I was told anyway by many an author or editor. I look at my past work and I cringe. And don’t get me started on how many I have. Unfortunately, I’ve had four publishers close their doors so a lot of my books from those along with several others that outgrew their contracts make plenty of re-dos. Honestly, I’d love to revise and self-publish them myself. A lot of them I wish I could wave a magic wand and poof!
*New manuscript fully edited and ready*
One can only dream.
So, until they come up with a program that makes that happen, take those works that need fixing and get to work, because it’s all part of you growth, Hopefully the second time, a reader will find your revised manuscript and become a fan!
Any authors seeing this post, share your thoughts about revisions. Do you have the hang-ups about them like I do? And readers, how do you feel about re-reading a book again once it’s been revised?
Thanks for listening!