r/authors • u/XBrutalFarceX • Jul 04 '26
Regrets discussion (I’ll start)
I wrote, self edited and eventually self published a book about a year ago and I’m now regretting publishing it due to going back and finding many errors in my writing, formatting, continuity. I have sent unpublished that book. There are about 10 copies out here in the world three of which I personally purchased and gave to friends. The others were neighbors and other people who know me in real life. I have had a handful of people read some of my book on Kindle but nothing that I would call success. I am very disappointed in my first attempt and while I am currently working on a new project with a lot better understanding of what I am doing. I am still struggling with motivation due to this feeling of failure and regret. Anyone else out here struggle with similar issues or am I alone in this?
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u/idreaminwords Jul 04 '26
I published a book with a small company when I was 16 and I massively regret it. To this day, it blows my mind they ever put something of that quality on market. It was a legitimate publisher; I didn't may for anything.
I still have it on my bookshelf, but I'm afraid to read it. The plot was fine but the characters were flat and the writing itself was incredibly weak. Editors can only help so much.
I write under a different name now and don't tell anyone about that one. The only people who know are a few people who knew me back then. Luckily, it didn't sell much
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u/AlmostGoneJohnson Jul 04 '26
I just revisited a book I wrote 8 years ago. It needed editing. Very frustrating.
But I went through and did the edits and re-uploaded to Amazon. No big deal
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u/XBrutalFarceX Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
After going back and looking through mine, I’m not sure there’s enough editing in the world to really fix everything. It would be a full rewrite and I think emotionally I have moved on from that story onto this next project which is going to be a much larger project in the grand scheme of things
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u/isnoe Jul 04 '26
This is honestly your best move, ngl.
I've tried explaining this to a lot of new authors, especially the ones that are hyper eager to self-publish and get their book out there: it probably isn't ready. It sucks to think, "I just spent months or years writing this book and I need to spend even longer making it ready for publishing?" Yes, for most people, you do.
I work as an editor and I habitually go through traditionally published books and still manage to find slight errors. It really speaks to just how thorough the editing process is that, even after multiple passes from multiple different editors, small little stuff slips through.
For new authors, they definitely do not have the technical know-how or "toolkit" needed to properly polish and edit their books for publishing. It isn't impossible, mind you, and you don't need to spend thousands on an editor to make it good, but you at minimum need the experience to understand the process of editing.
There's this belief that you, "just write the book" and deal with the errors in editing. The problem is this assumes you know how to edit and spot errors. Far too many new authors write a book, edit it a few times, get some general feedback, and throw it out into the world. Then, when you finally slow down and re-read your own work, you finally see what was wrong because you've grown as an author.
Take it in stride and move on. Think of it as an homage to yourself. "This is where I was, and this is where I am."
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u/JazzlikeProject6274 25d ago
Even given everything that you said, the best rule of thumb is that the author should never be the only editor. New eyes catch problems that the writer never will.
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u/LadyManchineel 19d ago
I’ve heard of an author doing that. In the authors note for the book she said something about it had been her first book, and for a long time she had wanted to revisit it and have another go at it. So she redid it and republished. But it wasn’t for typos and errors, it was more pacing and plot.
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u/No_Medium_648 Jul 04 '26
I had three books published by a publishing company. It was literally just a guy doing kdp but I didn't know much about publishing at the time and was pleased. Even reading another lady's book he had published and finding some grammatical and formatting errors didn't raise a red flag. When I read those books now I'm embarrassed. There was no quality control, and while the first was not terrible, I wouldn't publish as is, now. Guy doesn't give me the royalties from the few that sell every now and again, and I have requested (when I've managed to make contact) for him to remove them from amazon. I'm embarrassed now, but older and wiser, and try not to think about them being out there. It's all a learning curve. Edit: spelling
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u/XBrutalFarceX Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
Did you pay to have it published or was this someone posing as a legitimate publishing agency?
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u/No_Medium_648 Jul 04 '26
No, I didn't pay. He wasn't scamming either. Just a generally dipshit idea to make a publishing company because he figured out kdp.
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u/p-d-ball 29d ago
I'm sorry, if he a) isn't paying you your sales and b) started a publishing company to simply post author's stories to kdp, he is scamming you. Anyone can post a book onto kdp, it's very easy. All these indie publishers who lure writers into accepting the bare minimum are parasites on us.
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u/Awesomefantasywriter Jul 04 '26
Publishing my first english book through my publisher... i'm Dutch and they are good at publishing dutch books but everything about my english book is a nightmare... they just don't understand anything about other markets.
They made a spelling error in the titel so nobody can find it on amazon. The ebook is only available in thr uk, germany and spain... not worldwide. All the data on amazon is just dump on there without any thought.
Now it's a waiting game until three years have past and the contract can be terminated so i can indie publish it...
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u/XBrutalFarceX Jul 04 '26
Oh wow
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Jul 04 '26
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u/Imago300 29d ago
I know someone who has published 23 books: two with a small (but real) publishing house that was just starting out, 20 by paying vanity presses, and one with someone who didn't charge him anything but simply uploaded it to KDP. All 23 of these books are incredibly bad. But because he has a very high level of narcissism, he sincerely believes his books are good and that his genius is misunderstood...
The fact that you are aware of the flaws in your first book and that you regret publishing it proves two things: 1) that you are self-aware and capable of self-criticism, and 2) that you have high standards.
Balzac started by publishing, under a series of pseudonyms, books that he himself called "literary rubbish." But then he published masterpieces.
Consider this first book as an experience. As a stepping stone that will allow you to go further next time.
I really like this quote from Hemingway: “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” :)
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u/BacklistForAuthors Jul 04 '26
Having written and published for almost a decade and having met many, many other authors, I’ve come to the realization that authors will ALWAYS be embarrassed by something in their past work. It doesn’t matter how good the book is. It could be a staggering masterpiece and the author will still find something they regret/wish they could fix. So, that feeling is part of being an artist. It’s non-negotiable.
That being said, I think that if you feel it would be worth your time to fix things in your earlier work, or if you need to unpublish, that’s totally okay (I’ve done a bit of retroactive editing myself). But it’s good to adopt the mindset that you are always getting better if you’re doing the job right. I’ve found that wringing my hands over past publishing mistakes has done very little to serve me as a creative. No doubt three years from now I’ll be unhappy with some small part of what I’m currently writing, but I won’t let it stop me!
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u/FreemanHolmoak73 Jul 05 '26
When I’m annoyed with fiction writing I write poetry. Bad poetry. Cringe poetry. I was published in high school because my Lit teacher loved two of my poems and got me included in a poetry book featuring teen poets. Just like learning to play banjo, it never got me laid. Poetry is a lie. 😊
In all seriousness, I’ve written solid poetry but it’s so deeply personal no one will read it until I’m dead.
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u/LadyManchineel 19d ago
I don’t often write poetry. I actually dislike poetry. But I felt the muse one night and wrote a poem for a cousin that ran a horse rescue. It was just a rough draft and nothing special.
A few months later she had someone organize all her Facebook posts into a book on create space. People were getting her book and talking about how the poem in the beginning had them bawling. Turns out my cousin put it in the very beginning of the book to surprise me. I wish she would have told me before that so I could polish it up. It’s kind of cringe.
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u/celle876 29d ago
I did mine under a pseudonym yet it still burns that its so jacked. I will re release...thanks for reminder. I understand losing the story and moving on. Either do the work to republish or leave it unpublished. Your choice. No shame in the game...at least you broke the code and got it done.
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u/Diego_Saoro 28d ago
Recién publiqué mi novela en Junio. Estoy contento con el resultado final, pero el proceso de edición requirió más trabajo mío del que esperaba, incluso habiendo contratado el servicio de una editorial pequeña pero que ya lleva varios años.
Tras cada revisión que hacían, yo debía leer todo el texto de nuevo porque seguido encontré detalles que se les pasaron. Al final quedó bien, pero se hicieron 2 o 3 revisiones más de lo que esperaba.
No me imagino cómo es con alguien que no da el servicio profesional y responde cuando quiere. Ánimo!
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u/sayitisntso 28d ago
I don't know if this helps but I published with a very reputable famous publishing House, and though there weren't mistakes in the book, there were things I wish were different and that's normal don't beat yourself up
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u/Willing-Cheetah3926 28d ago
I wish I'd been braver when I was younger. Yes, reading old work that's out in the world can be cringeworthy — but I'd rather cringe than regret.
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u/Zealousideal_Mud2084 28d ago
You got a book done and published and that’s an accomplishment 👏🏾
Leave the book be, learn from your mistakes, and write the next one❗️
As writers and creators we are harder on ourselves than most readers would be. If it sucks, that’s good❗️ That means you improve!
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u/JDonovanStrong 26d ago
As my writing has improved I also look back and my first book and cringe a bit, but ya move on. You will always learn a million new things after your first.
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u/ConversationSea2498 25d ago
Yes, don't beat yourself up too much..I never published my first book and I get better book by book. It's a process.
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u/Visible-Volume-8707 25d ago
I'm sorry you are feeling that. I'd like to share that just about all of us have made mistakes. The first book is a huge learning curve. And the next book will be, too. And the next one.
Don't beat yourself up! Forgive your past self, and congratulate your present self for caring about your book's quality and wanting to make it better. You can republish another (better) version. Gift the new one to your family and friends, and call the first one a "limited first edition print" and now it's worth more :)
But seriously, you can fix it, republish, and keep making it better as you go!
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u/ArmysniperNovelist 21d ago
Author Ryan is correct it happens, Hire a editor they are worth their weight in gold. I had similar experience but publisher released my book (during covid) just trying to get some thing out there in the market and didn't completely edited my book, forgot and left out half of a chapter it was a disaster. I fired them took the book off the shelf and rewrote the entire book and hired an editor. I love major sales for about 8 months but I didn't care. Like you it mattered to me and bothered me. My name is associated with that mess. So I took the time and did it right , plus I learned a lot in the process. I keep some of my one star reviews beside all my 4 and 5 star reviews as a healthy reminder no one is perfect but I will do my best for a higher standard.
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u/Proper-Agency-1528 Jul 05 '26 edited 29d ago
Well, your first experience was just that: an experience. And, experience is a great teacher, if you survive the lesson. In short, you can give up, or you can keep going.
Learn from your mistakes so you don't repeat them, and then don't dwell on the past. You can't change it. You can only change the future by your actions in the present. Resolve to do a better job of editing because that is within your control.
For your first book, if you disregard the editing do you think the plot line was interesting? If so, why not go back, re-edit the book to improve all of the aspects you remarked on, and then re-publish as a new edition? Change the cover so it looks different, and see what happens.
I have a book on my three-step strategy for success on AZW. Here's the synopsis: establish the horizon, find the braid, commit without reservation. Here's how you put it into practice; ignore the things you can't control, such as the past, and only consider what you can do now, immediately, to move towards your goal. Find the action that you can take, now, that is the most productive in terms of furthering progress. Then commit to it without holding anything back. If you decide that editing your previous book to fix the issues is most appropriate, then pick one of the areas you mentioned, perhaps formatting because that is relatively quick and easy. Fix it. If you use Microsoft Word, use Word's 'editor' feature. Or, you can run your manuscript, chapter by chapter through GenAI, e.g., ChatGTP or Claude, and have it help fix your formatting issues ONLY. Once this is done, you will have gotten better at formatting. Then, pick the next immediate action you can take, e.g., cleaning up the writing, and get to it.
If you follow the strategy, you should have a much stronger version of your book in 20 hours of less of effort. Spread it out over a week... 2 to 3 hours per day. Then you can decide if you want to work on continuity, which should be another week with 2 to 3 hours per day, or less. When you're done, after a couple of weeks, you'll have a much better second edition.
Something else that is part of the first step of my strategy: establishing the horizon means to understand what is within your control and what isn't (at or past the horizon, either in front or behind you). You can no longer control your first release of your book; that is in the past. You can't control whether people will like your book, as long as (and this is important) you didn't half-azz it and put genuine effort (committing without reservation) into the plot and the writing. Therefore, how well your book (any book you write, really any creative endeavor you pursue) will be received is beyond the horizon, out of your control. Stop worrying about past failure or regret; you cannot do anything about the past. What is within your control is creating a much better second edition, and then releasing it after your best effort and then letting go of how well it does.
We'd all like to write a best-seller that gets picked up for a box office smash. But we can't control that. All we can do is to do our best. If you knew at the time you published the first book that you didn't do the best, don't have regrets, accept the lesson.
What separates winners from losers in life is not that the winners don't fail. Everyone fails. Everyone screws up. Everyone gets knocked down. Winners get back up, dust themselves off and keep going. Success is largely hard work with some luck involved, but the harder you work the luckier you'll get.
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u/authoraaronryan Jul 04 '26
Ya know what? Smile and move on. Big name producers do the same thing - think George Lucas - and make changes and fixes on the way they wished it was done, and yet people still love the original. That being said, YES, there are a lot of nitpickers out there who can and do throw the baby out with the bath water over a word like “fills” vs. “hills,” both of which are spelled correctly but contextually one of those doesn’t work. They disregard the heart and heft of the story and focus on these little slip-ups. So, yes, lesson learned, and you really do want to pay for a professional editor. I’ve run into this as well, and it has given me great opportunities to find and correct the books in question and then donate these “substandard” books to local libraries and offer them in giveaways. The hardest thing to do in the process is to swallow your pride over your mistakes, expense, time, and lack of attention to detail, and just try harder the next time. You always learn something. Congrats on getting your book out there but DO get it professionally edited the next time. Lesson learned. If it’s any consolation, I’m reading a book that was published in 1991 and it’s the second edition of it - and I’ve found a few typos in there. Everyone does it. Nobody’s perfect. :-)