Should I delete my story?

[HHHawkeye]

I've recently come back to a story I initially started a while back, but after having written more and restructured the plot, I've realized that there are a couple of issues with the sort prologue I prematurely posted:

1: It's mis-labeled and won't work with this site's automatic grouping of stories together, because I labeled it as "Prologue" rather than "Chapter 0" or something.

2: I stated something in the story that I've later realized can't be true in the story, so I'll have to rewrite that.

3: It just doesn't work that well as a wholly separate part from the chapter I'm writing now anymore.

Should I delete it and then re-add it to the beginning of the new Chapter 1 when I'm done with it, or is there a better solution to these issues?

 

[oggbashan]

Edited it so that it fits with the later part and in the Notes, ask for the edited version to be retitled.

 

[HHHawkeye]

Edited it so that it fits with the later part and in the Notes, ask for the edited version to be retitled.

Will this bring it back to the "new" section, or will I have to finish Chapter 2 before the complete Chapter 1 will be noticeable?

 

[Emirus]

https://www.literotica.com/s/tales-from-the-embassy-prologue

Hi Hawkeye,

Exactly as Ogg has said. I wouldn’t delete and re-submit unless the alteration makes a dramatic difference which, from what you say, it won’t. I’ve just read the story and liked it. An interesting idea. Let’s see the Ch.02 soon.

Add the link to your signature so people can find the story without searching your name.

Emirus.

 

[Emirus]

Will this bring it back to the "new" section, or will I have to finish Chapter 2 before the complete Chapter 1 will be noticeable?

The edited version will remain where it is now. But I would submit it before Ch.02. Although it shouldn’t make any difference. It will probably be about a week before the edited version appears.

As the word edit to the existing title and put the new title in the notes.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

You have a choice.

You can resubmit an edited version, using, for instance ‘chapter 0’ vice ‘prologue’. Include the word EDIT in the title and give an explanation in the administration box. It won’t get any priority, but it will eventually happen.

The other is to rewrite totally, add what you have published it to the beginning of the new chapter 1 and, when you submit, ask Laurel to remove the original.

Good luck.

 

[HHHawkeye]

Given that Chapter 1 is going to be much longer than the "prologue" I posted, it's sounding like I'm going to want to just include the rewritten prologue with Chapter 1 and then delete the original.

 

[Nexte100]

I'm kind of new here so take what I'll say with a grain of salt, but based on what I'm reading, I think you'd be better off just deleting your current chapter and resubmitting a new one as "Ch. 01"

Most of the reason folks want to edit existing work as opposed to resubmitted comes down to retaining their reader scores, # of reads, faves, comments, etc. From the looks of it, you recently submitted it, so I don't think you'd be losing much there. Additionally, I noticed your current prologue installment is a single page, which usually *lowers* scores, if anything. If you care about reader scores, try to shoot for at least 2 full pages. I've read that 2-3 is sort of the sweet spot, and based on my own experience, this is true. So pulling this chapter and adding content for Ch 1 to it could actually bring your scores up.

You also are correct when you say that your story will not go on the "what's new" board if it is edited, so if you add a substantial amount of content to the prologue through an edit, you'll probably need to reference the substantive change in your next submission up front in a writer's note or something to make sure your readers are caught up.

One other note - since Laurel (site admin) reviews *everything* that is submitted, edits get much lower priority in the approval process. The one relatively minor edit I made to one of my chapters because I misstated the color of a characters eyes took 3-4 weeks to update. Then again, I had a different and more substantial edit go through in 7-10 days, so that may depend partially on how you explain the edit. I'm not sure if Laurel has some form of triage process.