Writing and reading

[azziria]

A question for those of you on my flist who are writers: how much (or how often) do you re-read your own stories? Is it a write-post-forget thing for you, or do you often read through your own back catalogue?

Personally, because I write what I want to read, I quite often go back and read my older stuff. What's good is that I'm often pleasantly surprised at how good I find it, or I find a passage or turn of phrase that makes me think "Did I really write that? Because it's really quite good...". I guess that's because time gives me some objectivity and distance and the chance to appreciate the writing when I'm not totally wrapped up in the creation process.

So... post and forget, or re-read?

Comments

[kare.livejournal.com]

I sometimes go reread, but not often (if I do, it's often with some specific purpose). In fact, I'm weird (probably) because other than LJ, I don't archive my stuff anywhere. There are fic from past fandoms that have been lost now and it's okay with me because they existed in the moment I wanted them to exist in.

I'm the same with my LJ though. I know some folks archive/back up/reread posts, but I seldom do unless it was some major life event. It wouldn't bother me at all if say tomorrow LJ crashed and ate everything, posts, fic and all. I'd just start fresh.

[azziria.livejournal.com]

I sometimes like to look back to see what I was doing or thinking on a certain day years back.

But I think the fic thing is unusual, though. Although I can see the benefits of living in the moment :)