How can I properly retcon something

[SirDogeTheFirst]

While writing the new chapter of my book, I realized I made my character reveal a piece of information he shouldn't have. It's been more than a dozen chapters since, so what would be the most suitable way of retconning that?

For context, my character revealed his source of powers, which cause powers greater than he can realistically fend to go after him.

 

[melchi]

Depending on who he revealed it to it might not cause trouble right away. But if you wanna retcon just edit.

 

[ThatStrangeFamiliar]

Could be a simple edit to fix. Could lead to an interesting situation if you decided to keep it.

If nothing comes from the revelation, it could be a hint that the character who learned the information has more complex motives, doesn't work for who they say they work for, etc, etc.

 

[Agentt]

That often happens in mangas, the novels accidentally say such lines and the manga draw this scene beautifully. After that the novel author tries to ignore the fact he every wrote that line and all characters behave as if it never happened and that makes it very awkward for the manga who announced this using fireworks.


So yeah, just ignore it. Hope your readers forget about it.

 

[J_Chemist]

hi. hello. i have experience. im currently retconning an entire volume. again. for the second time. hi. its me. resident failure here to assist you with all of your examples for why you are someones 13th reason.

Just edit the chapter. Make the revision and tell your readers "hey I fucked up. that thing was wrong and it never happened or exists anymore", then make your change. It's not hard. There's no rule saying you can't edit things or make updates. There's an edit button for a reason. Use it. Please. I beg of you. Stop being lazy and edit your mistakes. I thank you and all of your readers thank you.

have good day. bye.

edit: to add, since you mentioned that "it happened a dozen chapters ago". Welp, shit sucks. Better get to editing all of those dozens of chapters to eliminate that minor detail. Have fun. I'm currently doing that for 40. Do better next time. Meanfuckingwhile this is the second time I'm revising an entire 40+ chapter volume because I'm a retard.

 

[SirDogeTheFirst]

hi. hello. i have experience. im currently retconning an entire volume. again. for the second time. hi. its me. resident failure here to assist you with all of your examples for why you are someones 13th reason.

Just edit the chapter. Make the revision and tell your readers "hey I fucked up. that thing was wrong and it never happened or exists anymore", then make your change. It's not hard. There's no rule saying you can't edit things or make updates. There's an edit button for a reason. Use it. Please. I beg of you. Stop being lazy and edit your mistakes. I thank you and all of your readers thank you.

have good day. bye.

With majority suggestion, editing the chapter it is.

 

[QuercusMalus]

Either just go back and edit it, or, make up a new source of his powers and make him have been wrong- as in 'I thoughtI got powers from X, but it was actually Y'. This way both the characters and readers can have the rug pulled out from under them.

 

[greyliliy]

You can always go back and edit earlier chapters. I'd leave an author's note saying that you did it on both the actual chapter & the latest chapter, if you do, though.

But if you don't want to edit, you can always make it work. Create a reason why no one went after him despite what they knew.

 

[Zagaroth]

Heck, I've retconned the naming of things.

Author forward on next published chapter: "Hey, I'm renaming X to Y going forward, and editing in name changes during my revisions sweep"

In the chapter where X (Now Y) is introduced, edit the name change into that chapter and then edit into the forward: "What you see as Y you will sometimes see as X, I am doing a revisions sweep where I am changing X to Y."

Heck, I've been sneaky a couple of times and edited in some subtle additions that are potentially forgettable details and then treated them as established facts for the next chapter I wrote. There was over 100K word distance between them, so easy to forget in that time. :)