The Re-Release of "At Second Glance" - A Writing Journal

The first time I put up At Second Glance on Wattpad I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know how the site worked, I didn't know how to construct a story, characters, or a plot. I was basically just throwing it out there for feedback and for others to see. Later, I soon realized the story needed major editing, including major plot changes and revising (and in some cases, deleting). I was soon faced with a decision: edit the book and leave the old version up for the sake of the Wattpad readers, or remove the current version, edit the book, and re-upload it later. Now that the new version is almost fully uploaded, I figure it'd be a good time to look back on the consequences of that choice.

Firstly, there was the obvious disadvantage of loosing my readers. Looking back, it seems by the time I'd realized that I had a readership, they'd already come and gone. Uploading during the summer worked in my favor: a lot of the teenagers were on the site without school on the brain. I didn't realize how hard it would be to gain readers back or to find new ones. The rate of reads and comments has dwindled from the first time I uploaded. I have to start from scratch.

However, the advantages definitely outweigh any of the disadvantages. I'm proud of this story and I want to show it off. While I know I'll still edit, and it will shift, this is a fairly complete stage. At this point I'm ready for  criticism on the work I've done since the first draft. Frankly, this is far more important to me than any number on a computer screen. By starting from nothing again, I've become very humbled and I know I have to prove myself just like anyone else. I'm glad for this new start, especially with the work I have to show for it. 

Ever been in a similar situation? What would you have done in my situation? Have you read a version of At Second Glance (new or old)? Leave a comment below!