Published authors, do you ever think, "Oh, I should have..."

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KCathy

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It seems like I'm constantly adding plot elements or changing things around with my WIP, but that's probably because I'm trying to come up with a workable book outline by Sunday.

It got me wondering, though, do you ever consider your published work(s) and think, "Oh, I should have added a scene in which Tom is pitchforking hay when Anita sees him from the house and is stunned by his muscular back." Or, "Preensworthy would have said something at the press conference about the nuclear threats in the 50's. Why didn't I add that?"

Is it hard for you to leave well enough alone when you're really, truly done for good? (This would apply if your book is out of your hands now but hasn't hit stores yet, by the way.)
 
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scope

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It seems like I'm constantly adding plot elements or changing things around with my WIP, but that's probably because I'm trying to come up with a workable book outline by Sunday.

It got me wondering, though, do you ever consider your published work(s) and think, "Oh, I should have added a scene in

Don't we all?


Is it hard for you to leave well enough alone when you're really, truly done for good? (This would apply if your book is out of your hands now but hasn't hit stores yet, by the way.)

No, never. At the point you describe I'm just glad it's all over with abd I can relax a bit abd move on to the next work.
 

ChaosTitan

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As I continue working on books in the series and expanding on characters/background/mythology, I have the occasional wish to go into the first book again and add another tidbit. To include more foreshadowing, or to mention a fact sooner. I can't, obviously, but I do think it.
 

Cathy C

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Yep. I could pick up one of our books off a shelf today and find something I'd do differently. I just consider them "done" when I send in the style edits. Copyedits don't count because you really don't get to make substantive changes.

But always. :)
 

Claudia Gray

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All the time. You have to not let it trouble you too much; it's inevitable.
 

C.M.C.

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Hasn't happened to me. Once I finished writing it, the last thing I wanted to do was think about it any longer. I was very happy to have my mind back to myself.
 

maestrowork

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What is done is done. Especially if the book is already published. :) Nothing is going to help it now. And I'm not going to do the George Lucas -- tweaking a 25-year-old book to death.

"What might have been" is a really tricky thing.

I'll leave that to the movie version... ooh, imagine the rewriters I can influence!
 
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