Sneaky re-edit of first page?

[M.V.]

Are you ever tempted to go back and have another go at your first page, or first few pages that readers get as a free sample? With kindle and createspace paperbacks this is so possible... just wondering? I've done it once and I don't see the harm.

[Lionelson]

I've done it before. It's actually acceptable to do that because you want to give a good first impression to your potential audience.

Changing my first few pages actually increased my sales quite a bit.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Seems a dirty trick to play on those who have already bought your book. Or, as you said, sneaky. I wouldn't be happy as a reader to find that an author put out a better written version of their book after I bought it. Why not try to get a "good first impression" when you first publish the book?

[Lionelson]

I agree, some buyers of the paperback version may feel cheated. But e-books would update itself, wouldn't it? Correct me if I'm wrong. I never really re-read my books that often to notice any changes.

But personally, I don't think it's cheating the buyers. If you have a product you'd like to sell, you would do anything to fix any flaws it has so that future buyers can have a better quality version of it regardless if someone else had bought that product beforehand.

Besides, if someone else bought the book because they loved the old version of the intro at the time they purchased it, they have nothing to lose. They would still enjoy reading the intro.

[G.G.]

I've seen it done many times. I don't see anything wrong with doing some corrections on a book that has been published already. I had mine edited after it was published. Some people liked it better before the corrections because to them it felt more authentic, more like a journal from someone not around here.

No, Lionelson, eBooks don't update themselves unless you ask Amazon and they'll do it only if they think the changes are substantial enough. The only thing about changing it after it's published is that you may have reviews with concerns about something that's not there anymore from people who bought it before your changes.

The only way I would call it a 'dirty trick' is if you fix that part only. It wouldn't actually reflect the book/writing accordingly. People might think they get a well edited version, just to find out the only edited parts are the ones offered in the intro.

[Robert]

G.G. wrote: "eBooks don't update themselves unless you ask Amazon and they'll do it only if they think the changes are substantial enough."

Kindle readers can also manually get updates to their books as well through "content and devices" in their Amazon accounts. If authors make less than "substantial" edits, readers can still get free updates this way. And it's not just indie authors who use this; I've seen updates posted to ebooks put out by big-name publishing companies as well.

That said, I agree it's always better to get it right the first time, as I learned harshly through experience. I'll share my embarrassing story. Part of my first book was set in Pittsburgh, PA. And I typed it about half the time as "Pittsburg." And I SWORE I caught that in editing, but lo and behold, I didn't. I saw it right after it posted to kindle. So then in a panic, I went back to the source file and CTL-F'd "Pittsburg" to replace it with "Pittsburgh." Uploaded into kdp, updates accepted, and none the wiser. Everything good, right? Wrong. Like I said, about half the time I got it right in the first place, and MS-Word did exactly what I told it to. So all the times I HAD spelled it correctly, it now read "Pittsburghh." And I didn't catch that for a few days, and by then it was too late. And now I have a review calling me out on that--rightfully so.

But going back and posting an update is still better than just leaving the errors present in perpetuity. You can do this with ebooks, and it's free to your readers. So if this is a concern, it may be a good idea to wait to put out the print edition until you know you've got it right.

[Colin]

It is worth remembering that besides a few minor typographical changes, making any adjustments to a novel does require a re-print and a new ISBN. I don't know what constitutes the difference between a few minor changes, but I would say that as soon as you start changes who paragraphs, pages or affect page numbering then you should be looking at a new edition.

It's worth checking the rules on ISBNs and amendments before making any changes at all.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

My Kindle does not update. I've seen authors post on social media, "I rewrote parts of my book with extra chapters and better written passages. Check it out!" Yet, I still see the same version I bought.

I seem to be in the minority on this topic. I can't help, though, as a reader feeling ripped off when someone rushed to get a book out, then went back and "fixed it" leaving me with their original version. As a writer, I can't imagine doing this to my readers. It's unprofessional. I understand the temptation to rush a book out there and start selling it right away, but it's better to refrain and get it right before publishing. What are the chances that the first buyers of the book will come back and buy more of your work if the book you rushed to get out there is full of typos or the writing is mediocre?

To clarify, I don't think there's anything wrong with finding a typo or two later and fixing it. It happens. But, if you are rewriting whole passages because the wording was poor or you have several people pointing out your errors after you published, you might consider slowing down on your next book.

[Christina]

Robert wrote: "Kindle readers can also manually get updates to their books as well through "content and devices" in their Amazon accounts. If authors make less than "substantial" edits, readers can still get free updates this way. And it's not just indie authors who use this; I've seen updates posted to ebooks put out by big-name publishing companies as well."

Readers would have to ask Amazon for an update, meaning they would need to know if an update is available. When you check the box that allows automatic updates, that is only going to happen when the author has made changes that Amazon has deemed significant as GG pointed out above. If an author makes changes and doesn't contact Amazon, nothing happens. If they do and Amazon determine the changes to be minor, no automated update is available.

As to what is considered "sneaky," I agree that making corrections to things that might have slipped through is fine. I've gone in and corrected typos, most of which Amazon determined too minor to push an update. But rewriting that significantly changes the readers' experience should be treated as a major update. If you feel a book needs a significant rewrite, changing just the first few pages that show up in the preview will do you more harm than good in the long run. The preview should be an indication of the overall book.

[Robert]

Christina wrote: "Readers would have to ask Amazon for an update, meaning they would need to know if an update is available." True. Unless they just periodically or compulsively keep checking all their library, they wouldn't know unless the author tells them somewhere.

Dwayne- I agree with everything you said re: professionalism and taking your time. But it seems like we all agree that if you find a typo and fix it, that's ok. So somewhere on the continuum between changing "teh" to "the" and rewriting the whole thing is where we draw the line.

At a certain point, I agree that ethically one should at least indicate it as a new edition. And because of the ease and flexibility of the ebook format, it's harder define where that point is-- or at least harder to get consensus on where it is.

[Lila]

Robert said: "So if this is a concern, it may be a good idea to wait to put out the print edition until you know you've got it right."

That's a good point, Robert. We have the option now to publish an ebook before the print version is available.

Imho, changing typos is ok. Adding a phrase, changing a spelling or an inconsistency, or, in my case, omitting needless words, is just another round of editing. I think it would be fine. Anything more, like adding a scene or changing order of scenes or anything to do with plot, is probably a rewrite and indicates a new edition.

Colin says: "It's worth checking the rules on ISBNs and amendments before making any changes at all."

Thank you for that reminder, Colin. I have already released a 2nd edition of my first novel; I felt there were enough changes (mostly in typs & formatting) that my readers should know that this is a different version. I need to go back and see what the rules are.

I'm really loving this thread. Thanks, everyone! <3

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Lila wrote: "...I felt there were enough changes (mostly in typs & formatting) ..."

I'm gonna break one of my weird little rules and mention I've been reading your book lately. (Yeah, I know. I'm probably not your target audience, but - I bought it months ago and I'll read about anything). Anyway, I haven't noticed a great many typos. A few here and there, yes.

Just wanted to toss that out there.

And tell Morgan Maxwell from a guy who has always had facial hair - *raspberry*

[Amie]

I made a handful of tiny edits in my ebook back in November. Just stronger word choice in three spots after a couple readers pointed out the term wasn’t historically accurate for a greeting in the 1800’s. (My book had been professionally edited too and that little flaw had went under the radar.) Anyway, I felt 100% better and guilt-free because I was making the story better and removing a possible annoyance for my readers.

I think most people understand wanting to put their best foot forward. If I had changed 10% of my book, for sure, it would be a new addition. But 5 to 10 words collectively over 450 pages? Nope. If anything, if the book did perform extremely well in the future, having possession of that early release would be more valuable because only 500 or so ebooks went out into the world like that.

If a reader complained, I suppose I could part with $0.99 to $2.99 and send them the new version. But I wouldn’t turn away future readers and future sales as if I had to live with a tiny mistake like that for forever.

[D.M.]

I just published my first book using Createspace, and I have seen a couple of errors since the publishing, but honestly I decided that adding an extra 149 dollars to my charge for the book wasn't as worth it as just trying harder next time. Being more thorough with it.
If I could go back, I don't think I really would have changed much besides spacing, etc. but that still would have taken place before I let Createspace have its way and shape my margins to fit the trim.

[Lila]

Dwayne said: "I'm gonna break one of my weird little rules and mention I've been reading your book lately. (Yeah, I know. I'm probably not your target audience, but - I bought it months ago and I'll read about anything)..."
Well, you're not the first man to read my book, but it still surprises me. ;)

Dwayne said: "Anyway, I haven't noticed a great many typos. A few here and there, yes.
That's good to know! If you ever have the time, I would always appreciate any notes of the few typos you did find. (My email is dillerdesigns@gmail.com.)

Dwayne said: "And tell Morgan Maxwell from a guy who has always had facial hair - *raspberry*"
:D lol That's hilarious!

[B.A.]

I agree with what Dwayne said about about editing a book after it is published. Fixing typos...yes, maybe change two or three words, but if you do more than that, it's a second edition. When you rewrite that first page, it isn't the same book, so make it a second edition and make it so others can update it if they want.

I also agree with not putting out a print edition if you are self editing until you have the e-book in the best shape possible. I've been reading a lot of indie books and there are very few which don't have major errors which take you out of the story with a "what just happened here?".
When I run across the third major error in the first chapter, I'll stop reading and give it a poor review. I do overlook typos and occasional incorrect words, but I don't over look incomplete sentences, two sentences mashed together which don't make sense, people magically going from one place to another within a paragraph, a person turning into another person in a scene with only two people, etc. I've seen all of those plus in published books. As a reader, I don't want to edit your book, I want to read it. I also dislike having to read something three times because it doesn't make sense.

The other thing is, you do the best you can but there comes a time when you have to let it go. Also, remember, the more you write, hopefully, the more you will improve, so don't fret too much over those first few books. I know I would love to redo my first book, but it will stand as it is until I get enough out there, and have a decent following, then I'll go back and redo the first books.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

B.A. wrote: "I agree with what Dwayne said about about editing a book after it is published..."

I feel like I really want to add here - I do get it. I have a couple of early short stories I'm completely unhappy with and wish I could redo them. I will not. I may, eventually, unpublish those. I might also write a new story with the same concept, taking a little more time to work it through. If so, I will be sure to give it a new title and new cover. So, yeah, I understand the temptation to fix up something that has been published. Other than reading them over from time to time and fixing stray typos, I don't change anything.

[G.G.]

Ok, but a new title and new cover may sound even more sneaky since people who bought and read the original might spend money for the 'enhanced' same story. I'd hate to fool my readers doing that.

It feels like no matter which way you look at it, people will see wrongs and rights, but by keeping the same title at least, I personally think it's less dirty. People who already read it either liked it or not, but they won't be tempted to buy it again at least. And let's face it, if you change it, the chances for anyone to know you did are slim to none. As long as you don't just 'fix' the preview part, no harm is done.

B.A. It's the goal of every author to make their changes available, but Amazon doesn't see it that way. For instance, CB changed his PDF to accommodate people like me with bad vision. That should have been a major change, yet, no matter how many times I downloaded the book, I always got the same old version. I even deleted the old one and bought the book again. I should have gotten the new version, but I still got the old one. I finally asked Amazon to make it available to me and I stated my reason. They did, but if CB would not have told me of the changes, what would have been the odds that I found out and actually ask Amazon? ZERO.

To answer someone else's question, it takes a lot for the ISBN to have to be changed. You can always fix your mistakes and if there are more than just typos changed, yes, call it second edition. You can still keep your ISBN without problems.

[D.J.]

G.G. wrote: "it takes a lot for the ISBN to have to be changed..."

This is incorrect information, it doesn't take a lot. You need a new ISBN if you change more than standard proofreading errors. Such as removing or adding more than a paragraph worth of text, you need a new ISBN. Anything that would require you to change the edition number also requires a new ISBN for the new edition.

Even adding a new preface or acknowledgements at the beginning would technically require a new ISBN.

[G.G.]

Sorry, my bad. I assumed it would be similar to copyright. A few years ago, after my update, i asked them if i should re-register, and they told me that unless i added a complete new chapter, I didn’t need to. Of course, ,those are two entirely different entities. :/

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

G.G. wrote: "Ok, but a new title and new cover may sound even more sneaky since people who bought and read the original might spend money for the 'enhanced' same story."

I didn't say "enhanced". I said a new story. That means - using the same concept with a different plot, different theme, different characters, everything changed except the basic concept.

Holy moley...

[Genevieve]

On ISBN - You only need a new edition and a new ISBN if there is more than 5% changes in the book. I learned that with my non-fiction book (about Inuit dogs), now in its third edition (2016) as new material was uncovered and science advanced enormously since the first 1997 edition.

[KD]

Genevieve wrote: "On ISBN - You only need a new edition and a new ISBN if there is more than 5% changes in the book. I learned that with my non-fiction book (about Inuit dogs), now in its third edition (2016) as new..."
When I retired my first attempts at publishing, first and second of a trilogy, I decided to spend the money on a copy editor, (can be expensive) which shaved about 6 -7 pages off the first and second books and made the story much better, so less is more as they say. Re-sized the books and re- titled the first book and had to have new a ISBN for both books.

[GRWilson]

Some questionable advice being offered in this thread, in betwixt all the self-promotion. And I'm certainly not pointing at you G.G. || :)

I had to laugh when I saw the accusation "dirty trick" being introduced into the discussion. Real authors don't engage in anything that could remotely be called "dirty tricks". Only those myriad scam merchants clogging up Amazon Kindle during the 2013-15 period were into that type of behaviour.

Many authors end up over-complicating the ISBN issue due to feelings of insecurity. When in fact the simple application of common-sense would answer most queries.

Golden Rule: Every UNIQUE INSTANCE of your book MUST carry its own ISBN.

You can make (in theory) almost as many typo corrections you want, without having to assign a new ISBN ... so long as those edits do not change the nature / meaning of the product. Such as materially altering the story line or chapter headings, etc.

But, just as soon as you make any changes that materially alter the product from its original version (e.g., to its meaning, context, or presented facts) then you must assign a new ISBN.

For example, you can change the design of your book's cover without having to change the ISBN. If the changes are motivated by marketing strategies, then no ISBN change is required.

But ... if the cover redesign is radical enough to constitute a clear departure from the original ... thus turning the book into a new product ... (the opposite of giving a new look to the same product) ... then clearly a new ISBN will be needed. And naturally that includes any resizing.

To determine what it is ("new look" versus "radical departure") would require third party assessment. Most often by the person or entity who is actually fulfilling orders.

In all cases, New Editions of your book are deemed "new products". Therefore each new edition release will require its own ISBN. So if you add or delete a paragraph, the release must be marked as a "New Edition" which implies a new ISBN.

[Moronke]

I totally agree that it is unprofessional to re-edit after you have sold the old version.

I didn't think it was unprofessional until now. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.