Republishing a Novel by Marilyn Levinson

Publishing a novel is always a joy. Republishing one might even be better. Months ago, when one of my publishers underwent a serious upheaval, I decided it was time to take back all my books. They had been with that publisher for a number of years and sales were dismal. This was partly my fault because my focus was on writing more books and promoting them. However, I knew it was time for a change. 

Much to my surprise, two publishers I knew approached me, wanting to republish my books. Every one of them! I was delighted. Many of my older books had never received the right kind of marketing and exposure over the years. Now my books would be edited again, receive new covers, and be presented to new readers.

A publisher's offer to republish an author's book is an act of validation. It's saying the book has  great characters and a wonderful story, and they're willing to take a chance that readers will agree. With today's many publishing options available, an author herself can decide to republish a book that's gone out of print because she believes it deserves a new lease on life.

In a way, the books we've written are our children. Like children, they go out into the world and take on  lives of their own. A good book is timeless; it has staying power and doesn't have to have been written in 2024 for it to be popular. Classics like Goodnight, Moon and the mysteries of Dame Agatha Christie continue to read by thousands. Hopefully, many republished books will find a large reading audience too.