When you're reprinting one of your own out of print books as an ebook for kindle, etc. is it kosher to actually revise said novel? Like say, in reviews of the original, critics pointed out some slow scenes. Would this be the time to speed them up? Like if they thought a certain character was too dark, would this be the time to lighten him up? Finally, if the book was kind of too old for YA back then--and YA is even younger now--what about not mentioning the book was YA at all when you put it out as an ebook? What I mean is, is this my chance for a DO OVER?
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Well, you might irritate fans of the original who buy your ebook to get back the book they loved. 
If I suddenly saw some book that thrilled me a decade ago for Kindle, I might snag it fast on impulse to re-read. If it had substantial changes from what I remembered, I might be a little put out.
Of course, you could always publish it as the "revised edition". You could even include the original with the book too. This is digital publishing, after all - you're not paying for pages printed! So you could revise, have the revised version be the main, and include the original inside as well, maybe with a couple thousand word essay on why you did the revision and what you felt needed changing.
Legality-wise, there should be no issue, I think? Once your rights revert, it's your copyright again. You can alter whatever you want. I think doing it in a way that recognizes and respects old fans might work best, though.
If I suddenly saw some book that thrilled me a decade ago for Kindle, I might snag it fast on impulse to re-read. If it had substantial changes from what I remembered, I might be a little put out.Of course, you could always publish it as the "revised edition". You could even include the original with the book too. This is digital publishing, after all - you're not paying for pages printed! So you could revise, have the revised version be the main, and include the original inside as well, maybe with a couple thousand word essay on why you did the revision and what you felt needed changing.
Legality-wise, there should be no issue, I think? Once your rights revert, it's your copyright again. You can alter whatever you want. I think doing it in a way that recognizes and respects old fans might work best, though.
Keep in mind that out of print does not automatically mean copyright returns to you.
Be very careful in terms of your contract and in obtaining a reversion of rights statement from the publisher.
Be very careful in terms of your contract and in obtaining a reversion of rights statement from the publisher.
Actually, the copyright should always remain with the author; it's the individual rights which are licensed and reverted.
Yes. Exactly. Also, check that you own the copyright of the edited version. While most decent publishing contracts allow this, I've seen a few which don't--which means that the writers affected can't use that edited text in any way even after rights have reverted to them.
AmsterdamAssassin
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Is that legal? If I have a text and I edit it to someone's suggestions, it's still MY text, isn't it?
I understand that publishers spend money on having the text proofread and copy-edited, but they can't hold right over that text after their licenses to rights is reverted to the author. Can they?
Well, you might irritate fans of the original who buy your ebook to get back the book they loved.
Of course, you could always publish it as the "revised edition". You could even include the original with the book too. This is digital publishing, after all - you're not paying for pages printed! So you could revise, have the revised version be the main, and include the original inside as well, maybe with a couple thousand word essay on why you did the revision and what you felt needed changing.
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I can think of a couple of OOP books that I would like to see available again, and I would really be annoyed if the writer had been messing with my memories. And there's no way to tell what parts of your work are memorable for others.
On the other hand, I'd be interested in the old/new versions to see how the story might have gone, especially with an essay on what you changed and why. Sort of like a 'Director's Cut' as an extra on a DVD.
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Since you have the rights and the paperwork documenting the reversion, yes you can revise and reissue. However, note that it is a revised version of an earlier work.
Mike Stackpole did an experiment with a self published ebook last November ("In Hero Years...I'm Dead" - great book, btw). He released two versions, one for $5 and one for $6. The $6 version has a long essay at the end, talking about the process of writing the book, what was involved in thinking it up, getting it down, then in the rather long story about how it was finally published. He wasn't sure how many people would buy the "extended edition" with his essay as the one special feature.On the other hand, I'd be interested in the old/new versions to see how the story might have gone, especially with an essay on what you changed and why. Sort of like a 'Director's Cut' as an extra on a DVD.
Last I heard from him, that $6 book was still outselling the $5 one by a substantial margin.
That implies to me that yes, absolutely - some readers are very interested in those "extra bits". Some rather largish chunk of fans who enjoy your writing will want to read that "other stuff" too. Definitely worth at least thinking about.
I would also check your agency contract, if you have one, as the agent who sold the original book may still be entitled to their share, even if you are the one doing all the work.
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Assuming the rights side is all fine, I see no reason why you couldn't do it as a "revised" edition.
It will add to your costs (your revisions will have to be edited), but if you think it will make it a better book, then go for it.
Even after you publish it, you can still revise it further, in case you want to tinker with the layout or anything like that.
It will add to your costs (your revisions will have to be edited), but if you think it will make it a better book, then go for it.
Even after you publish it, you can still revise it further, in case you want to tinker with the layout or anything like that.
They can't do anything with the edited text once rights have reverted; but if you don't have the rights to use that edited text, neither can you.
Another thing you can't do without permission (and probably cost) is use the publisher's final typeset text.
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You occasionally see revised versions of earlier works put out by assorted Big Name Authors.
This is almost always a mistake.
This is almost always a mistake.
Since I am a Little Name Author I doubt very many people will be attached to the original version of my book from 30 years ago. Since that book ended with the character in 1975 or so, I might even add an epilogue of what happened to him since the book ended--like you see in movies at the end. Otherwise, as I'm rereading the book for the first time in probably 20 years, I just see a lot I could fix, for instance, dialogue tags and excessive adverbs. Also, the character is almost fatally passive and introspective. I might want to make him a little less so.
There may be so many changes I'll have to retype the book in Word.