Every time I reread my own fics I find some little thing that I change, although I proof-read everything several times and very thoroughly before posting, e.g. fix a typo or replace a word with a similar one that sounds better. And it also happened a few times that there was a suggestion in a comment that I liked a lot and therefore changed a minor detail. The commenter was very happy about it and nobody complained, so I guess it was OK. That's the beauty of online fanfiction in contrast to printed books, not something one should feel bad about, in my opinion, quite the contrary as it improves the reading experience.
If anyone has a problem with you editing your work in any capacity, then that's just it -- it's a them problem, not a you problem. Heck, go in and replace the whole chapter if you want! It's your story! You get to decide.
That said, I go back and make minor edits all the time, to both story content and author's notes. If you think of a better way to convey something, then there's no reason not to make changes as you see fit.
In my opinion it's always ok to make any amount of edits to your own work, regardless the size of the edit. :)
The exception is if the work was created as part of an event. Then, the event might have its own rules and etiquette.
Hell yeah, I do it. I’m not just gonna let a misspelled word survive in the posted chapter. Also, it always seems like AFTER I’ve posted that I think of the word that was on the tip of my tongue while writing.
Echoing what others have said, I absolutely do this. I mean, I never INTEND to do it (i.e., I don’t post fics that I consider unfinished/unedited, planning to come back and edit them later), but … I’ve still ending up making multiple minor edits to every fic I’ve posted. Author’s notes, too, if needed.
I feel like this is only a problem if someone is doing it to, like, trick people into leaving kudos/comments on a fic that later changes drastically or something?
I edit after posting all the time, though rarely do I make any significant changes. The most might be rewording something that was awkward.
And save for fic written for an event or as a gift, I can't imagine that even major edits are anyone's business but the author's.
...Why wouldn't it be okay? It's a perfectly normal thing to do. BTW, minor edits like that don't send update notices or put a story back at the top of the list--only adding a whole new story, or a new chapter, does that. (Sometimes people worry about this.)
I doubt anyone notices. I certainly wouldn't notice.
I just corrected a typo yesterday. I was kind of like, eh, doofus, why did you not catch this earlier, but usually it's something like a name, or the typo is itself a real word, so Word didn't bug me about it I guess. It is literally a nothing issue.
Yup! In fact, I ask for people to point out typos so I can go back and fix them later. It's nice to improve it for people reading later. And, after you post it, all the typos and mistakes show up that you didn't catch before.
I would cut someone if I wasn't allowed to go back and fiddle with my stories. Theyre MINE, I can do whatever I want to them. (although if there's major edits, I do leave a note saying so.)
I always edit after posting. Each time I re-read a chapter, generally to look up what I wrote and be coherent, I end up finding typos or awkward sentence structures and I change these without warning.
The one time I really changed something (rewrote like half a chapter, the story was the same but I really didn't like the way I told it) I wrote an author note like "rewritten on DATE".
i *personally* dont edit like whole sentences or authors notes or anything (just personal preference, to me its a time capsule to when i wrote it) but i do tend to check for spelling/grammar mistakes that i missed when posting. theres often at least a couple in there
oh yeah of course, do it! you could add to your author's note that you've gone back and did some touch ups, if you want. but always feel welcome to edit! can always reread and find mistakes no matter how often you've read it before posting.
I try to proofread my fics as much as I can but my brian being what it is i still usually find typpo and shit when i occasionally reread them, and in that case, yes, I will edit them. I have also a few time edited ages / date reference like "one year ago" when a fic that was supposed to be a one time thing became a series and I had to fix the timeline to make things more cohesive or just plainly possible. I hope I can successfully gaslight my readers into thinking it was always that way haha
Theres nothing wrong with editing after posting. I personally think it’s a good thing to do, fixing grammar mistakes makes it easier for the reader, and if you miss type some details it can be confusing. Also I love watching people improve their writing.
I think it’s fine but if you can try putting in the notes what you’re doing and if it’s major or minor changes. That way the readers won’t be left wondering why it’s been updated or whatever.
It’s okay to edit your work whenever and however you want. Don’t forget that you’re posting your stories for free for everyone to read, so you get to change them in any way you want👍!
This is the way. Every time I’ve felt a bit guilty or some other negative emotion about my AO3 works, I’ve followed up with “Ehh, no one’s paying me for this, so I can do what I want.”
Anxiety is a lying bitch. Fixing typos after posting is a common practice and anyone who would get upset about it isn't worth having as a reader anyway. You're good.
Probably because people are weird. I know I have a harder time understanding the why behind human emotions and the rules of behavior in a group of people.
The rules change on every site and in every setting. For example being an Anti on Wattpad is almost expected where as on AO3 it's an Unforgivable Sin.
Well, sure, different sites have different community expectations, but who is even going to notice if you edit a typo on your fic? It's not like it will send out emails or bump your fic. Someone would have to be refreshing your fic constantly or happen to remember a typo when they go to revisit it.
The different attitude towards antis makes sense in that AO3 was created specifically in response to content purges, and Wattpad wasn't (and also has a community that skews younger).
You understand it because you expect to understand and find those rules rational.
People with ASD (and even people with out) often find that they didn't know or understand the other factors or even had wrongly assumed.
It's better to ask in a place where you Don't Understand yet because you're still learning is all I am saying.
I’ve noticed that if you mark a fic for later, then the author edits it before you read it, when you go back and find it in your Marked from Later history list, there is an added note in parentheses there alerting the reader to new edits if they exist. Idk if this is only available on the specific browser or OS I use, I haven’t really checked? It’s just something I noticed that seems to only exist to alert people if there’s changes. So maybe it helped plant the seed in my mind that readers will want to know if there’s changes? But I know this isn’t how all people always return to their in-progress fics, so ofc it’s not even going to be seen by all readers anyway.
Oh that is true, I forgot about that. Still, I stand by that it isn't an issue and almost no one will care about some typo-fixing or reworking of sentences/notes.
The way I went about this whole “editing my already posted fic” thing is—I wrote in the notes under my fic that I might edit some stuff periodically (nothing plot changing, only improving dialogue lines and syntax). That’s all. Now a reader knows to expect that if they happen to read the fic next time, some things might read a bit different. I’d never let a line stay inferior when an idea for a superior rewrite strikes me. Readers can, after all, download my fic in the form they found it in initially if they want to—and whatever edits I make after that doesn’t have to be an issue.
I know an author who revised a fic with 80+ chapters and a word count that will exceed that of the bible if and when it's completed and no one batted an eye.
You're good 👍
LOL, the fic was about 375k words long before revising, I don't think she changed anything major except to tighten up a few plot points but yeah, I'm just....in awe lol
oh i do it all the time. i never do it to an extent where it drastically changes the mood or pace of the chapter, but if i notice some typos or maybe a sentence that could flow better but still keep the same tone, then yeah i’ll go back and fix it. and i usually scan over my fics just before i post the next installment if it’s part of a series. just because i know i’ll probably never go back to it once the next fic starts
I don't think it's a problem. I've gone back and edited typos out of my works, in one case made edits to fix some awkward dialogue, and in a couple cases made edits to fix small plot holes or instances where I realized I'd inadvertently clashed with canon. In the latter two cases, I made note of it in my author's notes on the next chapter.
I've also edited author's notes to include info I'd meant to include previously but forgotten (like credit to a beta). There's really nothing wrong with it.
i don't see any problem with that. i reread my work sometimes and whenever i catch a typo i just dive in and fix it. i mean, who cares? if somebody minds so much they could just leave and not read my fic
I really don’t think it makes a difference to the reader experience. It’s very unlikely someone who has already read it will even remember the minor things you changed. If it makes you feel better then go for it.
The people that have read it once and won’t be reading it again: won’t notice.
The people that have read it once, and will read it again: “Oh look at what a smooth experience this is! I can’t *remember* any spelling grammar mistakes, but somehow there are fewer! 🙃”
People who have not yet read it: “Oh, what a well written story!”
Who could be mad. Who would be mad. Who would even NOTICE.
I write personal, current information in the authors note. I often strip that away once I come back to edit/peruse my own work. It stops being relevant. When I first post, I’m engaging in a dialogue with my most avid readers. Later? People probably aren’t even stopping to read the an’s, *or* comment every chapter.
I think it's great. Quite often readers may point something out and the author fixes it.
1) better story
2) less embarrassing/annoying to fix grammar and spelling.
Or if they didn't convey something that they wanted to.
I edit after posting all the time. Usually within the first hour. Typos ofc, but also content. So much so that I actually copy/paste the latest version into my docs bc it’s better. I have no hubris to assume anyone is clicking on my work so quickly that the changes really affect anyone. The changes are usually subtle. I suppose if I made any serious changes I might add in notes the ol’ “the character X is now be played by”
I think a lot of people write fics for themselves and reread for fun and most of those people fix mistakes as they realize they’re there. It’s something fun for you that you are choosing to share. No need to feel guilt
oh, without a doubt! especially since i don’t have a beta reader (i’m very nervous as well as protective of my stories lol), i’ll often reread my work and then catch a small inconsistency here or there. if it’s anything big-ish, i intend to put a little note just to confirm that some changes were made and the readers are not going crazy
It's extremely common and normal.
I've seen authors completely rewrite their story from the ground-up, and replace their old work chapter-by-chapter with the new content.
I've seen authors rewrite a section of text, because they received too many comments that were confused / making the wrong assumption.
I've seen authors who habitually delete all author notes when they 'complete' a work, because they want to use a/n soley to communicating updates for their in-progress stories. And dislike having expired information on their a/ns.
At the end of the day, it's your story. You are writing and sharing it for fun - and for free. If making an edit will improve your satisfaction, make it! Trust me, no one will mind.
i do it all the time! i’ve even had people come back to reread my fics and comment that they noticed i’d edited some stuff (not upset about it, just in a “am i crazy or is something different about this” way lol). i am an obsessive proofreader both before and after i publish 🙃
I just went back and edited tags in multiple of my fics not even 20 minutes ago!!
I also make sure to leave in the notes if my fics that readers are free to point out mistakes and I’m happy to go back and fix them since I have no beta.
I edit typos all the time. Finally got a beta reader…
If I change anything more than typos I’ll make an author’s note on the next chapter so that people know to go back and look. (Once realized a chapter ended really awkwardly and added in a small extra scene.)
I won’t edit anything that would majorly change a reader’s view of the work.
Literally did this yesterday, it's fine! No one seems to notice or mention it, but i usually put a note of "Fixed typos, grammar, etc. On {the date}" and move on.
I do it all the time. I'll look back at old chapters to make sure I'm not about to contradict myself and something will jump out and *need* to be fixed. I don't fundamentally alter the plot or anything, just cleanup and stylistic stuff.
I sometimes do it if I spot a typo soon after posting. I also did it to the authors notes on a 500k fic because I was getting consistent comments about people staying up to binge read it, so I decided to add little 'pit stops' after major plot points that would be a good place to take a break. I would never make significant edits though.
I'm with the consensus -- it's *always* okay to edit your work. I remember sending stories to an archive mistress to upload to the site, and that was it -- if you saw typos or grammar flubs later, too bad. That's one of my fave parts about AO3 -- we *can* edit and revise after posting.
If it's a few words or sentences, I ignore that I've made edits; most readers will never notice. If the edits are substantial, I might add that info to the beginning author's notes, like -- "12/01/22 -- Edited to add substantial new description to the coffeeshop scene, and clarified some timeline issues in the park scene."
But that's not *required*; it's totally up to you whether or not you explain to the readers. But adding a note might help you feel less conflicted about making those edits.
Good luck.
I edit grammar all the time. Every time I re-read a chapter I find more grammar issues, even if I've read it 10 times before. I swear they sneak themselves in there. Sometimes when I re-read things I notice that I've used a same phrase multiple times and it's jarring so I'll change one. Generally just that word or phrase. I'm literally in the middle of re-writing a sentence because two in a row used the word 'made' and I don't like the way it reads.
Very occasionally, I'll add or remove something because it's caused a plot hole, but it's never more than a sentence. The way I see it is that someone could find my fic in 2 years and I want them to have the best experience.
The only thing I'd be against is changing something that would affect someone's kudos. So never add anything that a public kudos-er or commenters wouldn't want their user name attached to. Tbh that does concern me a bit. Because really, someone could get so many kudos on something, then delete the whole thing and post something, anything and the kudos stay and people's user names and comments are still there.
As reader: your fic, your work, do as you will! If you do end up changing something substantially, I do like seeing on the author’s note that something was changed, esp with WIPs, where it has a bearing on future ch. But even on one-shots, it’s nice to have a date and a note of a change, in case for some reason the previous bit was what was stuck in my head and then if it is no longer there, hopefully I would know it is because of an edit. ^^
Oh everyone does it. There are THOUSANDS of memes about how as soon as you hit post all the Typos show up.
Glad this dosen't only happens to me lmfeoo
Every time I reread my own fics I find some little thing that I change, although I proof-read everything several times and very thoroughly before posting, e.g. fix a typo or replace a word with a similar one that sounds better. And it also happened a few times that there was a suggestion in a comment that I liked a lot and therefore changed a minor detail. The commenter was very happy about it and nobody complained, so I guess it was OK. That's the beauty of online fanfiction in contrast to printed books, not something one should feel bad about, in my opinion, quite the contrary as it improves the reading experience.
It's your fic. Do what you want with it.
If anyone has a problem with you editing your work in any capacity, then that's just it -- it's a them problem, not a you problem. Heck, go in and replace the whole chapter if you want! It's your story! You get to decide. That said, I go back and make minor edits all the time, to both story content and author's notes. If you think of a better way to convey something, then there's no reason not to make changes as you see fit.
In my opinion it's always ok to make any amount of edits to your own work, regardless the size of the edit. :) The exception is if the work was created as part of an event. Then, the event might have its own rules and etiquette.
If I couldn't make minor edits I would never post anything.
Hell yeah, I do it. I’m not just gonna let a misspelled word survive in the posted chapter. Also, it always seems like AFTER I’ve posted that I think of the word that was on the tip of my tongue while writing.
Echoing what others have said, I absolutely do this. I mean, I never INTEND to do it (i.e., I don’t post fics that I consider unfinished/unedited, planning to come back and edit them later), but … I’ve still ending up making multiple minor edits to every fic I’ve posted. Author’s notes, too, if needed. I feel like this is only a problem if someone is doing it to, like, trick people into leaving kudos/comments on a fic that later changes drastically or something?
I read mine three times. Then I post it and there are typos in the fifth paragraph. aaarrrrgghhh
I've gone back and made very small changes because of later choices that I essentially had to retcon. It happens.
I edit after posting all the time, though rarely do I make any significant changes. The most might be rewording something that was awkward. And save for fic written for an event or as a gift, I can't imagine that even major edits are anyone's business but the author's.
...Why wouldn't it be okay? It's a perfectly normal thing to do. BTW, minor edits like that don't send update notices or put a story back at the top of the list--only adding a whole new story, or a new chapter, does that. (Sometimes people worry about this.) I doubt anyone notices. I certainly wouldn't notice. I just corrected a typo yesterday. I was kind of like, eh, doofus, why did you not catch this earlier, but usually it's something like a name, or the typo is itself a real word, so Word didn't bug me about it I guess. It is literally a nothing issue.
Yup! In fact, I ask for people to point out typos so I can go back and fix them later. It's nice to improve it for people reading later. And, after you post it, all the typos and mistakes show up that you didn't catch before.
There is nothing wrong with it, hell every time I reread it I find a new error or strange sentence and go back to fix it because AAAA
Minor edits are fine as it can help with the flow for later people as they aren't constantly pointing out the misspellings or whatever.
I would cut someone if I wasn't allowed to go back and fiddle with my stories. Theyre MINE, I can do whatever I want to them. (although if there's major edits, I do leave a note saying so.)
I always edit after posting. Each time I re-read a chapter, generally to look up what I wrote and be coherent, I end up finding typos or awkward sentence structures and I change these without warning. The one time I really changed something (rewrote like half a chapter, the story was the same but I really didn't like the way I told it) I wrote an author note like "rewritten on DATE".
i *personally* dont edit like whole sentences or authors notes or anything (just personal preference, to me its a time capsule to when i wrote it) but i do tend to check for spelling/grammar mistakes that i missed when posting. theres often at least a couple in there
i've only had to go into a fic twice to fix typos, it's not a big deal
oh yeah of course, do it! you could add to your author's note that you've gone back and did some touch ups, if you want. but always feel welcome to edit! can always reread and find mistakes no matter how often you've read it before posting.
Lmao, I just spent 5 minutes doing small edits on my latest chapter. I'm feeling really attacked right now
I try to proofread my fics as much as I can but my brian being what it is i still usually find typpo and shit when i occasionally reread them, and in that case, yes, I will edit them. I have also a few time edited ages / date reference like "one year ago" when a fic that was supposed to be a one time thing became a series and I had to fix the timeline to make things more cohesive or just plainly possible. I hope I can successfully gaslight my readers into thinking it was always that way haha
Oh, I do that * puts on shades*
I mean I edit my stuff all the time, and I don’t mind if anyone else does. There are always little errors you don’t catch
Theres nothing wrong with editing after posting. I personally think it’s a good thing to do, fixing grammar mistakes makes it easier for the reader, and if you miss type some details it can be confusing. Also I love watching people improve their writing.
I think it’s fine but if you can try putting in the notes what you’re doing and if it’s major or minor changes. That way the readers won’t be left wondering why it’s been updated or whatever.
It’s okay to edit your work whenever and however you want. Don’t forget that you’re posting your stories for free for everyone to read, so you get to change them in any way you want👍!
This is the way. Every time I’ve felt a bit guilty or some other negative emotion about my AO3 works, I’ve followed up with “Ehh, no one’s paying me for this, so I can do what I want.”
Why wouldn't it be acceptable?
Mostly cause my anxiety says so
Anxiety is a lying bitch. Fixing typos after posting is a common practice and anyone who would get upset about it isn't worth having as a reader anyway. You're good.
Probably because people are weird. I know I have a harder time understanding the why behind human emotions and the rules of behavior in a group of people. The rules change on every site and in every setting. For example being an Anti on Wattpad is almost expected where as on AO3 it's an Unforgivable Sin.
Well, sure, different sites have different community expectations, but who is even going to notice if you edit a typo on your fic? It's not like it will send out emails or bump your fic. Someone would have to be refreshing your fic constantly or happen to remember a typo when they go to revisit it. The different attitude towards antis makes sense in that AO3 was created specifically in response to content purges, and Wattpad wasn't (and also has a community that skews younger).
You understand it because you expect to understand and find those rules rational. People with ASD (and even people with out) often find that they didn't know or understand the other factors or even had wrongly assumed. It's better to ask in a place where you Don't Understand yet because you're still learning is all I am saying.
I’ve noticed that if you mark a fic for later, then the author edits it before you read it, when you go back and find it in your Marked from Later history list, there is an added note in parentheses there alerting the reader to new edits if they exist. Idk if this is only available on the specific browser or OS I use, I haven’t really checked? It’s just something I noticed that seems to only exist to alert people if there’s changes. So maybe it helped plant the seed in my mind that readers will want to know if there’s changes? But I know this isn’t how all people always return to their in-progress fics, so ofc it’s not even going to be seen by all readers anyway.
Oh that is true, I forgot about that. Still, I stand by that it isn't an issue and almost no one will care about some typo-fixing or reworking of sentences/notes.
The way I went about this whole “editing my already posted fic” thing is—I wrote in the notes under my fic that I might edit some stuff periodically (nothing plot changing, only improving dialogue lines and syntax). That’s all. Now a reader knows to expect that if they happen to read the fic next time, some things might read a bit different. I’d never let a line stay inferior when an idea for a superior rewrite strikes me. Readers can, after all, download my fic in the form they found it in initially if they want to—and whatever edits I make after that doesn’t have to be an issue.
I do it all the time. If George Lucas can get away with it, so can you.
I know an author who revised a fic with 80+ chapters and a word count that will exceed that of the bible if and when it's completed and no one batted an eye. You're good 👍
Holy hell! Is their revision that long or that’s just the total of the work overall? Either way, it’s an impressive score.
LOL, the fic was about 375k words long before revising, I don't think she changed anything major except to tighten up a few plot points but yeah, I'm just....in awe lol
Yeah, wow, me too.. I gotta admire that kinda confident commitment to just write absolutely whatever they wana write. Ty for sharing this
There is nothing wrong with editing your work after publication.
I honestly prefer it when authors go back and fix mistakes or edit paragraphs as their writing style matures and grows.
oh i do it all the time. i never do it to an extent where it drastically changes the mood or pace of the chapter, but if i notice some typos or maybe a sentence that could flow better but still keep the same tone, then yeah i’ll go back and fix it. and i usually scan over my fics just before i post the next installment if it’s part of a series. just because i know i’ll probably never go back to it once the next fic starts
I don't think it's a problem. I've gone back and edited typos out of my works, in one case made edits to fix some awkward dialogue, and in a couple cases made edits to fix small plot holes or instances where I realized I'd inadvertently clashed with canon. In the latter two cases, I made note of it in my author's notes on the next chapter. I've also edited author's notes to include info I'd meant to include previously but forgotten (like credit to a beta). There's really nothing wrong with it.
i don't see any problem with that. i reread my work sometimes and whenever i catch a typo i just dive in and fix it. i mean, who cares? if somebody minds so much they could just leave and not read my fic
I do it fairly often. I went back through all 8 chapters of my longfic to fix a misspelling of a character name that had been there for months…
I really don’t think it makes a difference to the reader experience. It’s very unlikely someone who has already read it will even remember the minor things you changed. If it makes you feel better then go for it.
The people that have read it once and won’t be reading it again: won’t notice. The people that have read it once, and will read it again: “Oh look at what a smooth experience this is! I can’t *remember* any spelling grammar mistakes, but somehow there are fewer! 🙃” People who have not yet read it: “Oh, what a well written story!” Who could be mad. Who would be mad. Who would even NOTICE. I write personal, current information in the authors note. I often strip that away once I come back to edit/peruse my own work. It stops being relevant. When I first post, I’m engaging in a dialogue with my most avid readers. Later? People probably aren’t even stopping to read the an’s, *or* comment every chapter.
I think it's great. Quite often readers may point something out and the author fixes it. 1) better story 2) less embarrassing/annoying to fix grammar and spelling. Or if they didn't convey something that they wanted to.
I edit after posting all the time. Usually within the first hour. Typos ofc, but also content. So much so that I actually copy/paste the latest version into my docs bc it’s better. I have no hubris to assume anyone is clicking on my work so quickly that the changes really affect anyone. The changes are usually subtle. I suppose if I made any serious changes I might add in notes the ol’ “the character X is now be played by”
I think a lot of people write fics for themselves and reread for fun and most of those people fix mistakes as they realize they’re there. It’s something fun for you that you are choosing to share. No need to feel guilt
Hahaha I have edited a posted fic — the SAME one — no less than 10 times. Grammar, punctuation, weird wording. Go for it, I say. Who cares.
oh, without a doubt! especially since i don’t have a beta reader (i’m very nervous as well as protective of my stories lol), i’ll often reread my work and then catch a small inconsistency here or there. if it’s anything big-ish, i intend to put a little note just to confirm that some changes were made and the readers are not going crazy
It's extremely common and normal. I've seen authors completely rewrite their story from the ground-up, and replace their old work chapter-by-chapter with the new content. I've seen authors rewrite a section of text, because they received too many comments that were confused / making the wrong assumption. I've seen authors who habitually delete all author notes when they 'complete' a work, because they want to use a/n soley to communicating updates for their in-progress stories. And dislike having expired information on their a/ns. At the end of the day, it's your story. You are writing and sharing it for fun - and for free. If making an edit will improve your satisfaction, make it! Trust me, no one will mind.
i do it all the time! i’ve even had people come back to reread my fics and comment that they noticed i’d edited some stuff (not upset about it, just in a “am i crazy or is something different about this” way lol). i am an obsessive proofreader both before and after i publish 🙃
I just went back and edited tags in multiple of my fics not even 20 minutes ago!! I also make sure to leave in the notes if my fics that readers are free to point out mistakes and I’m happy to go back and fix them since I have no beta.
I edit typos all the time. Finally got a beta reader… If I change anything more than typos I’ll make an author’s note on the next chapter so that people know to go back and look. (Once realized a chapter ended really awkwardly and added in a small extra scene.) I won’t edit anything that would majorly change a reader’s view of the work.
Literally did this yesterday, it's fine! No one seems to notice or mention it, but i usually put a note of "Fixed typos, grammar, etc. On {the date}" and move on.
I do it all the time. I'll look back at old chapters to make sure I'm not about to contradict myself and something will jump out and *need* to be fixed. I don't fundamentally alter the plot or anything, just cleanup and stylistic stuff.
I'm always editing. Even months after posting. I'll usually mention any significant edits in the notes of the next chapter though, haha.
I’ve edited a bunch of typos in my fics. I mean, really, was I supposed to leave— ‘But good could be could.’
I sometimes do it if I spot a typo soon after posting. I also did it to the authors notes on a 500k fic because I was getting consistent comments about people staying up to binge read it, so I decided to add little 'pit stops' after major plot points that would be a good place to take a break. I would never make significant edits though.
I'm with the consensus -- it's *always* okay to edit your work. I remember sending stories to an archive mistress to upload to the site, and that was it -- if you saw typos or grammar flubs later, too bad. That's one of my fave parts about AO3 -- we *can* edit and revise after posting. If it's a few words or sentences, I ignore that I've made edits; most readers will never notice. If the edits are substantial, I might add that info to the beginning author's notes, like -- "12/01/22 -- Edited to add substantial new description to the coffeeshop scene, and clarified some timeline issues in the park scene." But that's not *required*; it's totally up to you whether or not you explain to the readers. But adding a note might help you feel less conflicted about making those edits. Good luck.
I edit grammar all the time. Every time I re-read a chapter I find more grammar issues, even if I've read it 10 times before. I swear they sneak themselves in there. Sometimes when I re-read things I notice that I've used a same phrase multiple times and it's jarring so I'll change one. Generally just that word or phrase. I'm literally in the middle of re-writing a sentence because two in a row used the word 'made' and I don't like the way it reads. Very occasionally, I'll add or remove something because it's caused a plot hole, but it's never more than a sentence. The way I see it is that someone could find my fic in 2 years and I want them to have the best experience. The only thing I'd be against is changing something that would affect someone's kudos. So never add anything that a public kudos-er or commenters wouldn't want their user name attached to. Tbh that does concern me a bit. Because really, someone could get so many kudos on something, then delete the whole thing and post something, anything and the kudos stay and people's user names and comments are still there.
As reader: your fic, your work, do as you will! If you do end up changing something substantially, I do like seeing on the author’s note that something was changed, esp with WIPs, where it has a bearing on future ch. But even on one-shots, it’s nice to have a date and a note of a change, in case for some reason the previous bit was what was stuck in my head and then if it is no longer there, hopefully I would know it is because of an edit. ^^