As an author, how do you feel when you reread your novels?

[Seaspecter]

Cringe. The most uncontrollable amount of cringe.

The older the story, the more I cringe.

This is why i'm glad I started writing when I got older. I was such an edgelord when I was a kid.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Complete aside, but I went to see this with a friend when it came out (I was 16 back then!) And while I enjoyed the movie, it was a pretty awkward experience seeing it at the theater.
I have been lead to believe the same happened to many who watched The Watchmen at the theaters (I enjoyed reading the comic, but didn't see the movie yet)

That said, picturing you quoting this scene made me laugh out loud, probably because I burst out laughing when it happened during the movie.

Rereading the quotes on IMDB, that movie had a lot of funny banter for what it is.

Don't think I had the line exactly but was close. A few times I had it exactly though, even the inflections once.

 

[GreenLemonShark]

Honestly, when I reread my stuff, I usually end up thinking, “Hmm… I could’ve done that part better.” That’s why I don’t do it too often, otherwise, I start obsessing over tiny details and trying to perfect things that don’t really need it. I’d rather spend that energy on writing a new chapter or working on a new story. When I do reread, it’s usually for nostalgia or because I need to remember something from a earlier chapter so I can call back to it in a newer chapter. ?

 

[AstreiaNyx]

I deleted them

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I deleted them

based

 

[l8rose]

Can Authors Enjoy Their Own Stories As Readers?
​

1. As a writer, how do you feel when you reread your novels?
2. Do you enjoy stories you've written yourself?
3. How do you enjoy stories whose plots, characters, world-building, and morals you already know in detail without having read them?

Yes, yes we can. Although the surprise is gone, it can still be fun.

1. Depends on which story it is. For my older stuff, it's kind of like 'eh, this is okay but I wish I had done this instead...". The newer stuff usually has me feeling happy and content to read it. I also reread the stuff I'm currently writing as a way to ensure I'm not borking my own continuity (as occasionally, I forget to note things).

2. Yes, I do. Especially my three main Dragon Age fanfictions (I swear I will eventually finish rewriting Lyrium Blue), the two things I have on here and Black Veil. The only story I've written that I don't like to reread is Truthteller as it's got some funk and not in a good way.

3. I'm lucky, I have the memory capabilities of a spoon. I often forget things. I'm not kidding. I once bought 90 eggs because I kept forgetting I had already bought eggs. It was like the old dementia commercial with the old guy leaving oranges around the house. Memory issues aside, I enjoy the stuff I come up with because it's what I like. I write for myself (which probably explains why it degenerates into bad smut at some point) and just happen to share with others.

 

[Deleted member 166465]

I feel like I'm with you on this. often I find re-reading a story I did puts me in editing mode. "OK let's change this part... there done. Oh dang it, there's another one..." mumbling to self.
I have also found that I feel frustrated by some of the way shows are written on TV or movies for example. And often I want to just do my own story instead, because sometimes when I watch crappy shows, I fear them throwing in a curveball somewhere. Like an example is, OK ... lately I've been watching Strange New Worlds. And MOST of the episodes are amazing and kick ass. BUT they have fail episodes too. Like the musical singing episode was major cringe factor. And cringe factors make me want to just go write my own story where I know I can write it so they don't F it up. And another example in that same series is... OK, I'm very into romance and wanting a dating sim like story to work, so when they write episodes that are messing with peoples feelings of romance that REALLY bothers me. Because I like romance. So when SNWorlds (star Trek) wrote up the episode where Nurse Chapel dumps Spock by introducing her fiance and new 'date' that she's going to marry after he basically dumped T'Print for her, that made me more upset.

Kind of can relate. I dont have a TV or watch movies or shows since 2010 aproximatedly. They bore to death, most of the time I know what is gonna happen. I auto block out the music in the "dramatic scenes" so it has no effect on me. I find it all so boring, the altruistic characters are ridiculous, the too much of a genius with insane armor plot is so repetitive, the "evil" for dumb reasons is so pointless.
There is no substance behind, just a bunch of unrealistic hiper emotional garbage, cant stand it.

Cringe. The most uncontrollable amount of cringe.

The older the story, the more I cringe.

I dont feel cringe at all. My stories are too emotionally plain or too based on the actual feel of society (not the irrational maniacs that act like they know better or are gonna save the world), to induce cringe, I am just, boring.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

I try really hard never to read my books, especially if they've already been in print for 3-4 years.
I'm going to always second-guess myself, or think I could have added this, or deleted that, or expanded a certain plot, or whatever.
Once you finish the book, just let it go, everyone.
If you're not entirely happy with it, so what?
This is why we write sequels. ?

 

[MajorKerina]

I always find that my stuff is not as bad as I thought it was in the earlier years some of it's rough with the sentence construction but the feeling is there

 

[Supperset]

No

 

[nbea]

Can Authors Enjoy Their Own Stories As Readers?
​

1. As a writer, how do you feel when you reread your novels?
2. Do you enjoy stories you've written yourself?
3. How do you enjoy stories whose plots, characters, world-building, and morals you already know in detail without having read them?

1. I feel like it depends! Sometimes I go back and really enjoy the earnestness and the quality is better than I expected, other times it's very dated just based on life experiences and generally being before my egg cracked. A lot of after-the-fact realizing that I sure did write a lot of things from female perspectives and enjoying the archetype of very androgynous, fluid characters.

2. Lately I've been taking more pride in it. There's a sort of 'cooldown' period where the memory of writing and how I was feeling/what I was experiencing at the time goes away and I can enjoy it with a new pair of eyes.

3. There's still a lot to enjoy- clever writing you're proud of, bits of foreshadowing, finding new meaning you may not have intended but subconsciously seeped in. It's good to reflect on if you can get yourself to.

 

[Bartun]

I always come to the same bit I've written, read, and re-read it all over again. I just love it so much.

 

[Garolymar]

The first couple of weeks I can read a chapter and be fine or even like it, and then if I go back far enough I start to hate it. Especially if I've written newer chapters, I will start to nit pick all the tiny choices I made. So after a certain cut off point I stop reading old chapters cause I just end up hating everything I produce regardless.

 

[Aikii]

Can Authors Enjoy Their Own Stories As Readers?
​

1. As a writer, how do you feel when you reread your novels?
2. Do you enjoy stories you've written yourself?
3. How do you enjoy stories whose plots, characters, world-building, and morals you already know in detail without having read them?

For some reason I always re-read my novels to spot some mistake... I kept acting like a reader who does know the novel i make lol

Me? Loved by Luck? Yeah, I Don’t know About That

Lairn Elcrest is just a lazy guy who loves to sleep and mess around. He has no idea that the world itself seems to favor him coincidences, timing, even miracles just… happen. No presence, no aura, no ambition. And yet, somehow, he keeps shocking everyone with “accidental” victories. In a...

www.scribblehub.com

 

[DireBadger]

I had a stroke; thus, re-reading my novels felt like they were brand new in some ways.
I was like... "Damn, this guy is really good!" and then remembered it was me. I actually told my wife, and she said "Duh".

 

[FRWriter]

1. As a writer, how do you feel when you reread your novels?
   50% Cringe, 40% Nostalgia, 10% Regret. I reread some parts frequently because I am too lazy to keep notes about important characters, items, and mechanics I've introduced. I enjoy it, but I also cringe a lot. Still, I refuse to edit/rewrite those parts. I want to keep my story as a personal journal of my personal improvement.
   
   
2. Do you enjoy stories you've written yourself?
   Yes! I only write stuff I personally enjoy. Since I release a lot of chapters, sometimes I genuinely forget things and get a little nostalgic when I remember a few details.
   
   
3. How do you enjoy stories whose plots, characters, world-building, and morals you already know in detail without having read them?
   It all depends on how they interact with each other. I love fanfiction, so most characters I write/read about are already relatively well known. It's all in the details, execution, and finally going beyond what's known. If you use well-known elements, you have to go beyond what's already known and add your own spin to them.

 

[VanVeleca]

I explode into a billion pieces anytime I catch a spelling mistake that I didn't pick up earlier.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

I explode into a billion pieces anytime I catch a spelling mistake that I didn't pick up earlier.

I demand my editor and proofreader return every penny I gave me, with interest.

 

[Shorgoth]

My writing is fractal in nature with superposed meanings, so each time I read it, I tend to discover new hidden meanings throughout, thing is, while I admire the world architecture and chatacters I tend to obsess over fixing the small details I missed in prior modification so I always end up stoping and start correcting it instead of taking time to actually read it.

 

[KUWABARA]

Reading Yellow Typhoon makes me smile and reading the mostly finished first draft chapters of its sequel gets me hyped.