Whether to “Update” Novels?

ByPhyllis Zimbler Miller

The other day a welcome connection from the past reached out to me via Facebook — prolific author Elaine Raco Chase.

We met years ago when I was active in the national organization Sisters in Crime and I started the Los Angeles chapter of the organization.

Elaine and I exchanged information about older novels and the interesting question of whether to update these.

Let’s look at this question of whether to “update” novels:

Say you wrote a romance that was published 30 years ago and was meant to be contemporary. Now 30 years later the romance is dated without the integration of ubiquitous cell phones, Google searches, etc.

If the romance is now being released as an ebook for the first time, should you simply put at the start of the ebook of the romance that it takes place in 1982? Or should you update the story itself to be contemporary with 2012?

Elaine has so many published books that she is utilizing both approaches — leaving some books as what she calls “classic” (in the time period they were written) and updating others.

What’s interesting about Elaine connecting with me now is that I have just started to update unpublished Rebecca Stone mysteries to 2012. (Working title of the first mystery: CAST THE FIRST STONE: BOOK 1 OF THE REBECCA STONE MYSTERIES)

As Rebecca Stone is a business reporter for a major Los Angeles metropolitan print newspaper, this “update” requires a lot of changes, especially in terms of how reporters now get information.

On the other hand, I’m working on an unfinished novel that was contemporary in 1995 (working title of THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE NATURE OF LOVE).

Because the novel is a family saga with parts starting at the beginning of the 20th Century, I have decided not to update the contemporary time period. I am simply clearly labeling each time period section of the novel.

And I have recently decided to turn the partial draft of what was envisioned as the sequel to the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT into a memoir of being part of the U.S. Army occupying West Germany (working title of IF IT’S TUESDAY IT MUST BE GERMANY: TALES OF AN AMERICAN OCCUPYING GERMANY). Obviously as a memoir I do not have to worry about “updating” this book.

If any authors or readers have opinions on this question of updating or not updating novels meant to be taking place in contemporary time periods, do leave your comments below.

And click here to check out Elaine’s books on her site now.

© 2012 Miller Mosaic LLC

Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of fiction and nonfiction books/ebooks. A new nonfiction ebook of hers is TOP TIPS FOR HOW TO MARKET YOUR BOOK ON AMAZON AND FACEBOOK and her newest fiction ebook is the thriller CIA FALL GUY.

Click here to visit her Amazon author page at amazon.com/author/phylliszimblermiller

She also has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the online marketing company www.MillerMosaicLLC.com

8 Comments

  1. I am amazed at your range of knowledge, Phyllis–and I really wonder when, or if, you sleep. I’m eager to see what others think about this situation. I suspect it will be different for each book.

    I’m also eagerly awaiting your memoir of your time in Germany with the U.S.Army. I spent four of the best years of my life with the Air Force in Germany…fond memories!

  2. I have a co-worker who has just republished her series entitled ‘of Sterling Quality’ from paperback to ebook, but she kept it as a classic.

    1. Herb — Thanks for sharing this information.

      Sometimes stories are very specific to a time period, which is one reason for keeping books as “classic” when converting to ebooks. Sometimes, though, I think it makes sense to “update” books.

  3. Bonnie — Thanks so much for this comment. As I said, this situation is a very interesting question for many published authors as well as unpublished authors with novels shoved in drawers or file cabinets.

    And I do so want to share what it is like for Americans to live in Germany as part of an occupation force! (I especially want to write about the Russian spy who watched us all arrive at the McGraw Kaserne Officers Club in Munich for the New Year’s Day reception.)

  4. I’m going thru this. I agree with Elaine that some can be updated well and others should be left alone and tagged classic. Years ago, the Alpha male was in mode, more than today’s hero.

    With newer market in erotica traveling in the same epub veins as early romance, Classic also separates the two for reader’s preference.

    1. Cait — I like your point that labeling a book as “classic” may provide info on the type of protagonists in such a book. As you say, trends in fiction change, and as authors we should consider how we might “clue” our prospective readers into the type of novels we write.

  5. Phyllis,

    I’ve heard a little on this subject of “updating” novels. I guess it’s up to each author on how they approach their work. I’m not sure how I feel about the subject to be honest, but your blog does give much to consider should I ever have to consider this.

    Thanks for all your helpful tips on navigating the world of the internet.

    Kathleen

    1. Kathleen —

      I’m glad you find my tips helpful for “navigating the world of the internet.”

      I don’t think there is one right answer on this topic — but it is important for authors to give some thought to the choices they make in this area.

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