D&D Beyond's tools for putting together homebrew monsters are great and make the process a breeze. However, I've noticed that even if you create a new version of a monster with updated statistics and cleaned up language, the old one will remain in the publicly published homebrew list. It would be better for both content creators and those looking to use the monsters if we were able to update the listings rather than duplicate them.

Additionally, some monsters I like to send to other players and DMs for review before considering publishing them. However, it seems that no one is able to view the listings unless they are published first, which ties into this same discussion.

This seems like a feature that could be easily added and would improve the community content sharing features of the service.

Homebrew cannot be unpublished once published because it could be in use by somebody - and if it that was the case - the person using it will almost certainly not like it to suddenly change without warning - and find their plans ruined or altered in a way they couldn't account for.

You could easily leave the older versions of the monsters in the Encounter Builder or Initiative Tracker without keeping them on the published list. Additionally, it should be assumed that DMs are adaptable, and that further changes made by content creators are to better balance and refine the content rather than break or "ruin" it in any meaningful way.

This is why you never press publish till it's really ready for public release to your liking.  Releasing to the public is the operable term here.   Once you publish something it's out of your control.  You can't presume your "improvements" are what people who've added it to their collections are what they want.  Save your really cool names for things you've tested out under the name "Cool thing name TEST" or "really lame thing I'm giving away while I'm working some things out" if you need to publish them before they're prime time ready.  As an adaptable DM sometimes we need to adapt to parameters of the systems available to us. 

Systems can and should be adapted. Allow those who've added the old versions of the monsters into their collections to keep them in their own homebrew library, or publish it themselves, while allowing the original creator to update the original listing as they see fit. You say "improvements", using quotations, as though they wouldn't be, but nobody would have access to some of these unique and original monsters without the creative intent of the original creator, anyway. There is ownership there. Should I really expect publishing a hundred different versions of my monster to be the best solution available?

You can make excuses for why the current system is the way it is, but tradition is rarely a good explanation. We should want to see this tool evolve. This appears a simple yet significantly constructive change to me. Even with the extra suggestions I've made to counter these other points, I doubt it would take much effort.

Beyond seems short staffed, so working on this will take a lot of effort and will detract from working on more important projects. As much as I like them to improve homebrew, I want them to focus on the core rules and options first, such as Epic Boons and Spell Points.

There is no point in publishing homebrew just to have it be reviewed by a few people. If you need someone to look it over, you can just create a faux campaign and have people join that campaign to review your private homebrews that way.

Quote from XXXGammaRay >>

There is no point in publishing homebrew just to have it be reviewed by a few people. If you need someone to look it over, you can just create a faux campaign and have people join that campaign to review your private homebrews that way.

Or just copy and paste all the text from the homebrew into a forum post in the homebrew section.

Quote from Lkdltn >>

D&D Beyond's tools for putting together homebrew monsters are great and make the process a breeze. However, I've noticed that even if you create a new version of a monster with updated statistics and cleaned up language, the old one will remain in the publicly published homebrew list. It would be better for both content creators and those looking to use the monsters if we were able to update the listings rather than duplicate them.

 
If you view the homebrew details page for the homebrew you are looking to update and click "create new version" then make your changes, save then click share with public, your new version will replace the old one in the public homebrew listings. My guess is you have missed a step somewhere resulting in a duplicate. 

D&D Beyond is actually doing what you ask - you just messed up. You can raise a support ticket using the Contact Us link at the very bottom of the page. Include a link to the accidentally created duplicate and ask for it to be taken down. If nobody has added it, they can remove it. Then you can follow the correct process to create the new version the proper way which will update the listing.

Quote from Lkdltn >>

Additionally, some monsters I like to send to other players and DMs for review before considering publishing them. However, it seems that no one is able to view the listings unless they are published first, which ties into this same discussion.

 
As others have mentioned: You can either share publicly using the system in place or you can post details into the Homebrew forum using copy/paste or screenshots or whatever. This is why the site has a Homebrew forum. Even if you share publicly you can also make a post there as well linking to it - it's a discussion forum and you can use it to drum up discussion and get feedback from others.

Quote from Lkdltn >>

You can make excuses for why the current system is the way it is, but tradition is rarely a good explanation. We should want to see this tool evolve. This appears a simple yet significantly constructive change to me. Even with the extra suggestions I've made to counter these other points, I doubt it would take much effort.

 
The system is the way it is due to logic and decency. It has fluff all to do with tradition, and nobody has said it is tradition, so please don't belittle us that way. 

Adding a public homebrew to our collection is something we pay for. We buy this privilege through a Hero or Master subscription. If somebody adds homebrew it's because they've read it and want to use it as is. It's not just for DMs either. I might add some homebrew monster statblock because it's for some low level beast I can have as a companion, or could be used for an NPC - these an be added direct to my character sheet under Extras. Or it might be a homebrew spell my character uses. Or a homebrew background etc. A DM may have built an encounter around it or a player uses it as part of their character. If your updated version is forced on DMs and players many people would be angry. It might be we don't want your updated version and want to continue using the version we actually added - something we actually paid to be able to add. It might even be the only reason we got the subscription. It wouldn't be fair to anyone to do this - least of for D&D Beyond who then have to deal with angry customers who may demand subscription refunds. 

No, the system they currently have is best. Content creators can choose to create a new version, which can replace the listing in searches, but the current user can continue using the version they chose to add and just get a notification there's been an update. They can review the updated version and make a choice on whether to add the updated version or continue with the one they currently have. This way it is fair for everyone involved: site, creator and user.

Quote from Cyb3rM1nd>>

If you view the homebrew details page for the homebrew you are looking to update and click "create new version" then make your changes, save then click share with public, your new version will replace the old one in the public homebrew listings. My guess is you have missed a step somewhere resulting in a duplicate. 

D&D Beyond is actually doing what you ask - you just messed up.

You're correct. Upon further review, I am able to replace my published, listed homebrew with the newer version. However, I am also correct, as the system functions precisely how I said it ought to, given my mistaken knowledge of the system.

As others have mentioned: You can either share publicly using the system in place or you can post details into the Homebrew forum using copy/paste or screenshots or whatever. This is why the site has a Homebrew forum. Even if you share publicly you can also make a post there as well linking to it - it's a discussion forum and you can use it to drum up discussion and get feedback from others.

While part of my consideration had to do with others reviewing my content, the primary purpose of my comments were for what I perceived to be a feasible improvement for the system. I will look into consulting others on the forums for feedback. I appreciate the suggestion.

Adding a public homebrew to our collection is something we pay for. 

All the more reason to want to see the toolkit being proactively improved.

No, the system they currently have is best. 

While the system did turn out, to my mistake, to already involve the features I suggested, this is something that should never be stated about any system, no matter how good. It may be the best currently available, but there are always improvements to be made. If I was committed to doing so, I could find plenty of small things to nitpick, though I've only done the reasonable thing and made a suggestion for a part of the system as it was relevant to my use of the tools.

You will stop growing the moment you believe you no longer need to. Perfection is an unachievable ideal, but one we should still strive to be as close as possible to, incrementally. But that's just philosophy.

Anyway, here's one of the creatures I was thinking of, now updated, and that I'm fairly proud of: Swamp Snake.

Something else I would like to do is update a published creature's name; is that possible or will it require a separate listing?

Yes, if you create a new version you can update the name of the homebrew.

Excellent. Then here is my also freshly updated Caulamong demon.

I believe that covers all the original intentions of my thread. Thank you for the assistance.