Errors and omissions

I recently read through one of my stories and realised that I had overlooked an important point in the narrative. I suspect that many authors and not only those on this forum have had a similar reaction after their works have been published. Has anybody else had similar thoughts and wished that they could go back and change something when they spotted an oversight or when an obvious error was pointed out by another member in one of the comments?

Yes is the honest answer. But surely experience, honesty and constructive criticism/comments helps us grow as writers?

Well if it is a simple oversight just contact an admin and we will amend stuff for you, quite a few people have asked me to change stuff in the past, which I have done with no problem

Yes and the admins are quick and very good about it. They have saved my stories a few times and it is very much appreciated.

CS

If you can look back at your old stories and not see a way to improve them, you're probably not growing as a writer. So relax about it and go write a better (but different) story.

I suppose I might fix some typo that changes everything, but in general I don't revise any published story. Why? I don't know! It's a guiding principle I can't logically defend.

Guy

If I submit a story straight after writing it, I usually regret it. I find it's better to let it "rest" for a few days, then re-read it before submitting. It's all too easy to make a slip even then - like using a modern turn of phrase in an earlier time period, or having a character who mysteriously changes name mid-story.

When I write a story, I write it in a Doc File. I go over it several times like that. When I'm convinced that I like what I have and, I think all the errors are out, I change it to a Txt file. Once again, I go over it several times and check to see if anything was dropped.

Note: This can happen sometimes when the change is made.

I then save it to another drive, delete the Doc file, keep the original Txt file where it is, and wait a while before sending if off. Once it's gone I delete the original and I have the saved Txt copy.

I sometimes still find errors. It's bound to happen here and there. Spell check doesn't help either all the time, because you can have a wrong word that spelled properly, but a totally different meaning.

Example: Council and Counsel.


So true. Some of my first stories I actually laugh at.

B

And here I thought I was somehow unique, that you were my own private editor. You mean, you do it for OTHER authors too? I feel... cheated upon.


Pink can attest that I must NEVER check my work. Well, not until after it's published, at least.


When I look back at my early work, I find that it holds up very well in comparison to my later work. (Hmm... maybe NONE of it is any good). The only thing I would do differently in those early stories is less "Whack! Whack! Whack!"

Who on earth would want to be whacked?!?


Guilty as charged! And very appreciative Pink!

I generally proof read my stories many times before sending them in, fixing any typos as I spot them. However, no matter how many times I proof it, there often seems to be one that slips my notice. And this becomes glaringly obvious only once the story has been loaded!

I'm with everyone else here. I check, re-check, let the story rest a while and all that, but there are still errors.

I will say that the temptation to send something in too quickly before the 'rest' period is responsible for most faults.

I've even had to recall audio recordings where on listening back I've noticed that I went flat or the timing wasn't good enough, so I never learn. Come to think of it these could always be better, so I guess one has to just accept that the perfect is the enemy of the good