Rewrite or not to rewrite? That is the question.

I’m in a bit of a dilemma. First off, I have to admit it is a dilemma that most writers would probably welcome. When my first book, Under Abnormal Conditions, was published in 2003, I was on top of the world. I was waiting for Oprah to call and checking the New York Times Bestsellers List every Sunday Okay, I was a bit delusional, but I was excited. I had reached my goal of becoming a published author by my 30th birthday so I figured the rest would be easy.

Not so fast.

Blinded by hubris, I was taken advantage of by unnamed Publish On Demand Publishing company and my book fell completely flat. The fact of the matter was that all the agents and publishers that turned me down were right. I wasn’t ready and I pressed the issue. As anyone in publishing knows, having a book that doesn’t sell is worse than not having a book published at all. The whole time I was also under the impression that I had signed with a reputable publisher. I did not. Whenever I did query other agents and publisher seeking placement for my next book, I’m sure I wasn’t taken seriously at all.

The more I learned about the industry, the more I knew about the mistakes I had made and not to repeat them. Flash forward to 2012. Including Under Abnormal Conditions, I’ll have four books in print by the end of July. Each book has been better than the last, and now that I am writing full-time, I have the time, energy, connections and resources to continue to grow as a writer.

So what is my great dilemma?

After the rights to Under Abnormal Conditions reverted back to me in 2010, I rereleased it as a self published book. Again, the sales went nowhere. After a lot a hard work, I found a publisher that believed in me enough to sign my second novel, Mask of Shadows. To help with marketing and promotion, I added a preview of the new book at the end of Under Abnormal Conditions, and made it a free download. On the surface, it was a smart move. I gave away something in hopes of building a fan base who would want to actually buy the next book. There was one question I didn’t ask myself:

What if the fan base I am trying to connect with doesn’t like the free book?

I am not one of those people who believes that just because something is free, it doesn’t have to be up to par with the items you pay for. I respect myself and my readers more than that. I want my first book to read just as good as my latest work. My reviews for Under Abnormal Conditions average about three stars. It’s not terrible, and I know that I’ll never please everyone, but it can be better. Knowing what I know now, should I take the time to review, revise and rerelease my beloved first book? While I will always love that book in its current form, I know I can make it better. Do I take the time, make the improvements and attempt to reconnect with the readers that may have been turned off by the unpolished, and maybe even unprofessional, version of the book, or do I leave it in the past and continue with my newer material?

Having the print rights to my first two books, gives me the opportunity to ensure continuity (book covers, tying up and connecting any loose ends between them). It will also help when I decide to release the third book in that series; otherwise, I wouldn’t necessarily worry about the issues with the first book. I am leaning toward joining a writing group at my local library and workshopping it before moving on to a professional editor. The problem is, the more time I take to work on this old project, I’m not producing any new material. The whole point of building a fan base is to give them new material. See the problem?

Rewrite it, or let it stand?

I’m asking for comments and opinions.