What if you publish your book and want to change it?
This is a question I’m often asked from soon-to-be-authors:
“What if my opinion changes?”
There’s a good chance it will.
🫣 Revisiting old writing can feel uncomfortable.
Since publishing Unfussy Life in 2021, a lot has changed.
I’ve grown — a lot.
There are sections in the book I cringe a little at today but I know it’s important to leave my work (mostly) as it is (more on this in a second). Because I can never know what writing will find someone exactly where they need it.
In the three years Unfussy Life has been out there, I’ve made some small edits to the book.
Here’s a summary of the primary book changes:
Change #1: When I first wrote it, I used lowercase “god” — as a middle finger to organized religion. I later realized this was a mistake — not the middle finger to religion part, but the use of lowercase. I updated all 8 instances of “god” to “God.”
Change #2: I didn’t like the words in this sentence — “nothing against” "…then for the love of all things baby Jesus (and I have nothing against baby Jesus), you could change how you do the holidays."
I changed this sentence to "…then for the love of all things baby Jesus (and I love Jesus, just not the one from church), you could change how you do the holidays.”
Change #3: “I want to be known for making writing easier for people. Unfussy writing, writing like a MOFO — at the heart of both is getting writing done and making it feel easy and approachable. If I want to be known for helping people write like MOFOs, then how I invest my time matters — namely, doing my own writing like a MOFO."
I changed this section to "I want to be known for making writing easier for people. Unfussy writing — at the heart is getting writing done and making it feel easy and approachable. If I want to be known for helping people write what's on their hearts, then how I invest my time matters — namely, doing my own writing." Since renaming my writing community from “Write Like a MOFO” to “The Intuitive Writing School Community,” this change was needed.
Write Like a MOFO was fun, but it was time to retire that name.
Note: If book revisions after publishing are extensive, you need to republish. I changed roughly 1% of the book, so I didn’t need to republish.
Other than these little tweaks that kept nudging me, I don’t go back and read my books. Once they’re done, I’m only looking forward.
The 42 times the word “wine” appears makes me cringe a little. But I’ve grown since then (more on this another day). “Fuck” appears 38 times, and “shit” takes the prize for 92 appearances.
Did I mention this isn’t a kids’ book? Unless you don’t mind them reading some spicy language.
If a book idea is coming through you – go with it.
Here’s why — just like you might love the older work from a particular author and not enjoy their new writing as much, or you might enjoy an author’s fifth book, but not their first, you need to trust that the writing will serve people when they need it most.
Everyone is on a unique journey, and their paths are different. Chances are, you might not even enjoy a book you read fifteen years ago. That’s because you’ve changed. But at the time, that book was exactly what you needed to read.
If you enjoyed this article, read these next:
