I can't reread my own story

MissPaige36

✨Senior Forum Citizen✨
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
351
Points
103
I noticed once I had written like 10 chapters of my novel, that I could barely read 3 chapters before I got bored or hated the writing.

And that would explain the lack of traffic I've been getting this past few weeks too, even though I’m uploading more. So here's the question: Should I rewrite my first 10 chapters? (I’m at 15 now and I’m happy with those five but not the other 10)
Because not being able to read your own fiction says a lot about you as a writer.

I've already started re-writing my first chapter since that (and chapter 2,4 and 5) are my least favorite. My words are all over the place and there's a lot of grammar problems.
 

Jemini

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 27, 2019
Messages
1,897
Points
153
I tell you, re-writing the 1st chapter of my series was easily the best thing I ever did. Sometimes it winds up being exactly what your story needs.
 

MissPaige36

✨Senior Forum Citizen✨
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
351
Points
103
I tell you, re-writing the 1st chapter of my series was easily the best thing I ever did. Sometimes it winds up being exactly what your story needs.
I can see that happening. Like I've changed the structure of my story and the latest chapters need to reflect that. And I'd rather do it now than later too. The first chapter is so messy if I try to read it.
 

MajorKerina

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
347
Points
83
I took a quick look at your stuff. There’s a little bit of awkwardness and a few sentences are fragments which you could make flow a little better with minor fixes. But your writing is already better than 99% of stuff I see. And I’ve written 10 million words and been through a bunch of stuff with editing. Your story is interesting and I’m curious to see more. The rough parts are just like dirt on a window. They can easily be cleaned off with small changes and reveal the wider world outside with full clarity :-)
 

The_Everdistant_Utopia

Mapmaker | Writer | Lorekeeper
Joined
Dec 23, 2018
Messages
203
Points
133
Ah, well... I can relate to the feeling of not being able to reread my own stuff, but it's rather because I'm too lazy to reread my own stuff.
 

MissPaige36

✨Senior Forum Citizen✨
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
351
Points
103
I took a quick look at your stuff. There’s a little bit of awkwardness and a few sentences are fragments which you could make flow a little better with minor fixes. But your writing is already better than 99% of stuff I see. And I’ve written 10 million words and been through a bunch of stuff with editing. Your story is interesting and I’m curious to see more. The rough parts are just like dirt on a window. They can easily be cleaned off with small changes and reveal the wider world outside with full clarity :-)
This made me really happy, you don’t know how sweet this comment is to me. Thank you.

Since my genre is um *cough* BL *cough* there's not a huge audience. But I feel glad that you think so. But perhaps rewriting the first few chapters and making them clear is good for future readers yes?
 

K5Rakitan

Level 34 👪 💍 Pronouns: she/whore ♀
Joined
Apr 15, 2020
Messages
8,168
Points
233
I rewrote my first few chapters of my story after going several chapters in. I don't remember exactly when I did the rewrite, but it was worth it.
 

TheTrinary

Hi, I'm Stephen
Joined
Nov 23, 2020
Messages
975
Points
133
I noticed once I had written like 10 chapters of my novel, that I could barely read 3 chapters before I got bored or hated the writing.

And that would explain the lack of traffic I've been getting this past few weeks too, even though I’m uploading more. So here's the question: Should I rewrite my first 10 chapters? (I’m at 15 now and I’m happy with those five but not the other 10)
Because not being able to read your own fiction says a lot about you as a writer.

I've already started re-writing my first chapter since that (and chapter 2,4 and 5) are my least favorite. My words are all over the place and there's a lot of grammar problems.
I've found the times I'm excited to write/read it are the times it works. It's hard to be your own critic sometimes, so be thankful when you have a strong reaction either way, it's very telling.

Remember, you are writing for yourself first and foremost.
 

MissPaige36

✨Senior Forum Citizen✨
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
351
Points
103
I've found the times I'm excited to write/read it are the times it works. It's hard to be your own critic sometimes, so be thankful when you have a strong reaction either way, it's very telling.

Remember, you are writing for yourself first and foremost.
Completely agree. That's why it's best to at least rewrite the first 5 chapters
 

morhamza

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 29, 2021
Messages
117
Points
83
I can't read my own stuff either, and honestly I can't judge if it's good or bad, I just start yawning and fall asleep as soon as I read past a certain point. Without question I'll rewrite the story, so I'm just leaving everything as is until I finish the story, after all, there is still a lot to figure out and making changes as I go just makes the writing process more cumbersome than it needs to be.

I'm not used to writing webnovels, so the attitude of trying to retain user interest while I'm still writing is new to me. Typically I only worry about that when writing the fourth or fifth draft, I'm currently writing the first draft. Making revisions as I write is a habit I had to work to abandon, but apparently it is necessary for writing webnovels.

Well, a lot of comments on here already told you the merits of making the revisions, and these are people more successful than I, so I say go for it.
 

Mysticant

Resident Ant
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
274
Points
58
I don't mind rereading what I write, I take stuff in with some benefit of doubt whereby I chose to develop in this direction. I guess my beginning has already some implications to my plot ending so it is not easily changeable. Maybe more details I guess.
 

Cipiteca396

🌺🌑🐉🪶 Anxiety Overdrive
Joined
Jun 6, 2021
Messages
2,143
Points
153
I like rereading my chapters whenever I happen to visit them looking for stuff I need to copy into a new chapter. It's super helpful for remembering my 'style' considering I read so many other people's stories. And if I notice a mistake or plot hole, I just fix it on the spot.

The big problem is I don't really know if it's good or bad since I'm so damned biased about it though. :unsure:
 

BenJepheneT

Light Up Gold - Parquet Courts
Joined
Jul 14, 2019
Messages
5,344
Points
233
I don't see rereading your own chapters to be favourable nor detestable. Whenever I read my past work I just sit there and wonder how I can make it better. If your consideration makes for substantial positive changes, then that's proof of improvement.
 

MajorKerina

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
347
Points
83
This made me really happy, you don’t know how sweet this comment is to me. Thank you.

Since my genre is um *cough* BL *cough* there's not a huge audience. But I feel glad that you think so. But perhaps rewriting the first few chapters and making them clear is good for future readers yes?
That sounds good :-). And you’re welcome. One of the key issues with an author rewriting a work is often perspective. When the story is fresh and recent it’s hard to look at it objectively and rigorously edit things so what you have in your head is expressed the way you want.

When I look back on the millions of words I’ve written years ago it’s super easy to just plunge the knife into something from 2012 and turn it into the best version of itself. It depends on how easy it is to divorce yourself from a clarity reading of your writing. One possibility is to read it aloud, have someone else read it aloud or, if that isn’t comfortable for you, have one of the text to speech programs online read it. This is a huge help for me with figuring out what sounds right and what sounds weird.
 
Last edited:

MissPaige36

✨Senior Forum Citizen✨
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
351
Points
103
That sounds good :-). And you’re welcome. One of the key issues with an author rewriting a work is often perspective. When the story is fresh and recent it’s hard to look at it objectively and rigorously edit things so what you have in your head is expressed the way you want.

When I look back on the millions of words I’ve written years ago it’s super easy to just plunge the knife into something from 2012 and turn it into the best version of itself. It depends on how easy it is to divorce yourself from a clarity reading of your writing. One possibility is to read it aloud, have someone else read ig aloud or, if that isn’t comfortable for you, have one of the text to speech programs online read it. This is a huge help for me with figuring out what sounds right and what sounds weird.
I should try out the speech to text version, yeah. Don’t have friends that would be willing to read it, I think.
 
Top