How did you, or would you handle this? Rewriting already published series.

[OddLove]

I've been writing and publishing parts of an ongoing series I'm working on, but recently I've discovered I much prefer writing longer stories even if they take forever to finish.

I'm still invested in writing the story I've been publishing, but the two issues I'm having is, 1. The quality of writing in the first half is pretty bad because I was just starting, and 2. Since I was rushing to get new chapters out, the story developed serious inconsistencies that requires rewriting massive chunks of the story to correct them.

At first, my plan was to combine everything, edit stuff, and post the full story, as well as leaving up the original chapters. But now, since I'm going to be rewriting huge chunks of it and much of the story will be different, it would just be like an 'Alternate Reality' where the characters are the same, but when, where, and how much of the events unfold won't be the same.

Has anyone else dealt with his conundrum? What would you do?, leave up all the old stuff as well as publish the new and updated story? Or delete all the old stuff before publishing the new and updated story?

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I would rewrite the story and publish it integrally, and then request a deletion of the old chapters. There is no point in leaving the old version up if you feel you messed it up a lot. Just make sure you inform your readers what's going on in the foreword of the integral story.

 

[filthytrancendence]

There was a moment where I decided it would be a good idea to re-write 'A Wind Blew Through Me' in third person. The total of what I have published is close to 100k words.

I got about 1000 words into the first chapter, realized it sucked, realized the entire impulse is just... bad. For both simple and complex reasons. If you're the kind of nerd like me that likes the philosophy of that question, hbomberguy has a video that's tangentially applicable and CJ the X has a video that is extremely pointedly directed at this impulse called 7 Deadly Art Sins. If you have any interest at all in the philosophy of art, every single one of CJ's videos is mandatory viewing.

In summary, you ought to let your old work be your old work. In one sense, it's a snapshot of old you. That has inherent value. Also, there are probably people that love it the way it is. Even if you hate it. And destroying that version is a net loss to the world.

Rather than applying your new skills to your old work, apply your new skills to a new work. Let the flaws in your old work stand as a testament to your growth, and your past courage to put imperfect but completed work into the world.

 

[Rob_Royale]

At first, my plan was to combine everything, edit stuff, and post the full story,

Do this and have the originals deleted. This way what you have for the readers is your best work and what you are happy with.

 

[lovecraft68]

I have a very long series from 2010-2011. years later I look back at all the issues and sometimes think I'd love to rewrite and do it justice.

But that would take lot of time and then I wouldn't be writing anything new.

There's a line in that series where the brother says, "Tunnel vision, Meg. Never backwards, never sideways, always forward."

I guess I buy my own bullshit because I'd rather move ahead than go back.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

My first advice is to finish the story entirely before you post any part of it. Otherwise you relinquish all control.

That being pointless right now, my next piece of advice is to finish the story and then sent a PM to Laurel asking her to replace the existing parts with the new completed file. I have done this with four stories that were submitted originally as chapters or parts.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Has anyone else dealt with his conundrum? What would you do?, leave up all the old stuff as well as publish the new and updated story? Or delete all the old stuff before publishing the new and updated story?

I'd leave it all as it is, and write another story - which might be a rework of the first one, but only you will really know that. Readers probably won't notice and won't care, and you'll have two stories. A raggedy old version and, one hopes, a silky smooth new one.

What's so brilliant about the old story that you want to keep futzing with it? I don't get that, the way people keep messing about with the same old story. Is it really that brilliant? Write something new, that's what will make you a better writer.

 

[GrantBricksly]

I have dealt with this myself. I had a story published... then, while writing a new story, connected to the previous one, I needed to have something happen in the past, but it conflicted with details in the first story. So, before I published the new story, I simply adjusted/rewrote sections of the original story to accommodate the new details.

For me, it was a small section that needed to be changed, not large chunks. And it was just details, not "bad writing." But still, I changed it, uploaded the edited file. And then once that went live, I published the new story.

In your case, I would finish your story. Make sure you have everything how you want it. Then, I'd decide if you are submitting it as one large story, or breaking it up into chapters.

If you are doing chapters, then you could just upload an "edit" to the ones already there.

If not, I would do what everyone else suggested, and just have the old ones deleted, and upload the new story.