Do you revisit your own stories?

[GuiltyCowboy]

I’m curious: Do you ever go back to your own stories and enjoy them as a reader would?

I’m not talking about rereading them with an eye to editing them, or to admire once more the many skillful turns of phrase, I’m talking about going back to them because the content is just so damn hot to you.

I’m a little surprised because, as a new writer, I thought the writing would be the thing, you know, and once it was done it was done, publish and move on. But I’ve found there’s one story I wrote that just really, really does it for me - and I find myself often going back to it for the pleasure of getting back into its particular headspace. How about you?

 

[MrPixel]

Yes. Many of my old stories make me smile as I reacquaint with the characters and situations. It's not a conceit to enjoy your own work product.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Do you ever go back to your own stories and enjoy them as a reader would?

Yeah, I’ve answered something similar before and it’s still true. My brain tells me that all my early stories, and even the ones from say a year ago, are trash. But they actually stand up to reading again mostly. Yeah they’re naive and a bit clunky, but I can see my current style emerging.

 

[Actingup]

Not 'as a reader would' really. It's hard to turn the editing eye off, or to not be embarrassed about the things that could have been done better. But if the stories have come from the heart (or the groin...), they should still resonate with the author.

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

Yes. Some stories have emotional beats I enjoy re-reading. The times I'll re-read a sex scene though is mostly to help ensure my in-progress story doesn't end up sounding super similar, in terms of arrangement, words, phrases, etc.

 

[iwatchus]

As @Actingup says, I have problems reading most of my stories because I find things I want to change. With one exception, but that one just makes me cry.

I do read when I am planning on writing a sequel or another story in that universe.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I’m a little surprised because, as a new writer, I thought the writing would be the thing, you know, and once it was done it was done, publish and move on. But I’ve found there’s one story I wrote that just really, really does it for me - and I find myself often going back to it for the pleasure of getting back into its particular headspace. How about you?

I've got a few favourites where the timing of the story remains perfect, guaranteeing a result. They're a bit Pavlovian in that sense, but I don't care, even when I know what comes next...

 

[lovecraft68]

I reread older stories if I'm scuffling with a new one, it can kick start the muse

Sometimes when I read them I'm like "Damn, I nailed that!"

Other times its "WTF was I thinking?"

 

[GraiceeGirl]

Yes, I reread all of my stories. A few I've reread many times. I know the ones with errors, and it doesn't bother me too much. Some make me laugh, cry, or even turn me on. My stories are all special to me.

 

[Erozetta]

Not really.

Occasionally I might revisit to try and figure out what went right/wrong while writing a new story, but I don't approach it "as a reader would."

 

[Statius]

Agree with Lovecraft above. Currently lost my writing voice and hoping I can get that back. Also bring a writer who sometimes does well, sometimes not, I look at past stories to see what I did right in my best ones, and where I went wrong in the not so good ones. And yes some have sentimental value.

 

[Nynah]

I tend to write what I like to read, so I do end up revisiting my previous work with some frequency. The reason I started publishing here on Lit was because the stories I was reading here were good, but didn't quite go the way I had envisioned so I decided to write my own.

 

[SkyBubble]

I reread stories of mine.

 

[UnexpectedLuggage]

My stories are based on fantasies of mine, so going back and reading them is sometimes exactly what I need if I'm randy and my wife's at work.

 

[StillStunned]

Like @Nynah, I write the stories that I'd want to read. So it's only logical that I'd reread them.

To me it's strange that a writer wouldn't want to enjoy their own stories.

 

[Erozetta]

Like @Nynah, I write the stories that I'd want to read. So it's only logical that I'd reread them.

To me it's strange that a writer wouldn't want to enjoy their own stories.

I enjoy them while I write them.

I write them to get them out of my head, I don't need them going back in.

 

[StillStunned]

I enjoy them while I write them.

I write them to get them out of my head, I don't need them going back in.

I'm my own favourite author. I don't just like to write out the stories that are in my head, I love crafting sentences and paragraphs. When I reread my stories, it's as much for the prose as for the plot or characters.

(I'm not saying I'm the best writer in the world. I'm just saying that I write things exactly how I enjoy reading them.)

 

[Erozetta]

I'm my own favourite author. I don't just like to write out the stories that are in my head, I love crafting sentences and paragraphs. When I reread my stories, it's as much for the prose as for the plot or characters.

(I'm not saying I'm the best writer in the world. I'm just saying that I write things exactly how I enjoy reading them.)

I actually just had this conversation with someone the other day. He said I should've had him read one of my recent stories because he saw a few things I could've changed to make the story into something he would've enjoyed much more. (And he's a friend, so he's allowed to say that, lol.) And I mentioned that I wrote the story I wanted to write and I wrote it the way I wanted to write it. I'm open to grammar fixes and name fuckups (looking at you Ray/Ron - for what it's worth, the guy he was named after is really named Ron, but the character was meant to be Ray.) but actual story path? Not so much unless it's a major mis-step with a character, which I have done before and fixed.

 

[stickygirl]

I don't just re-read my own stories, I'll re-read other author's books too. It's an exercise to a. boost my confidence and b. gain inspiration.
Like @EmilyMiller, when I go back to early work I can see the faults, but also see the progress I've made as a writer. For me, the pleasure in writing comes from improving the craft.

 

[hugh_jarce69]

Rarely. I love dreaming up the idea, planning it all out & writing. Editing can be a pain, as I’m always changing things. But once it’s published I feel it’s not really mine anymore. I find once it’s published the hardest thing to deal with as you’re out there in the open.

 

[Yogma]

Surprisingly - No.

Because I'm a very slow writer, and and even slower editor, I tend to live with a story for several weeks if not months, before it gets to the stage of being published. By that time it is practically seared into my brain.

 

[THBGato]

Do you ever go back to your own stories and enjoy them as a reader would?

Yep, absolutely. I'm a reader first, writer second. I've re-read all of mine several times. I write what I enjoy reading, so it's no shock I love reading what I write.

I’m talking about going back to them because the content is just so damn hot to you.

Not for the sex scenes though. In fact sometimes (only sometimes) I'll skip over those. I re-read for the emotional highs. Even though I know those moments are coming, I can still make myself tear up.

 

[stickygirl]

Not for the sex scenes though. In fact sometimes (only sometimes) I'll skip over those. I re-read for the emotional highs. Even though I know those moments are coming, I can still make myself tear up.

Yup. The sex scenes are simply tedious and remind me of how I struggled to find an unused adjective or metaphor.
The emotional moments though - gah I can't read the words 'Play well - for me.' ( Goalposts One ) without sniffing... like right now

 

[WhiteTailDarkTip]

Yup. The sex scenes are simply tedious and remind me of how I struggled to find an unused adjective or metaphor.
The emotional moments though - gah I can't read the words 'Play well - for me.' ( Goalposts One ) without sniffing... like right now

Totally. I sometimes wonder why I'm posting on Lit

 

[Erozetta]

The other reason I don't go back to my own stories often is:

I have x amount of time and I'd rather spend it either writing a new story or reading other people to try and find a new writer I like.

I do, however, read the stories of other people multiple times. I've read most of Altissimus's stories at least twice. I've read "Fossil Hunter" and "Lips of a Witch" by @WhiteTailDarkTip at least twice.

I've read "Every Dog has it's Day" by @lovecraft68 at least twice (same with his first Abigail book, I still need to finish the second to get to the third.)

I've read "Ms. Bonkers" by @LessThanAWord like five times.

I've read the first few chapters of "A Stringed Instrument" by @Bramblethorn twice. (I still need to finish it...)

I've read the first two chapter of "All Under Control" by @oneagainst twice.

And I'm just realizing I have very poor follow through on reading a series...

And more that I can't think of off hand but I'm sure will spring to mind as soon as I'm done editing this, lol.