What’s in a number?

As humans we’re often fascinated by numbers. 

 

The weight of a boulder. The height of a mountain. The depth of an ocean. The speed of sound. The speed of light. The amount of chocolate chips in the largest chocolate chip cookie in the world. The amount of money some movie earned.

 

When you write, there are several numbers that can come to mind. 

 

How many words have you written? 

How many books have you published? 

How many awards have you won?

 

Other numbers can haunt us.

 

How many typos were in that first draft? 

How many books have I sold? 

How many books do I need to sell to break even? 

How long will it take to finish my next book? 

How long will it take to make it? 

How many reviews have your books gotten?

 

This year marks ten years since I published my first book, Only Human.

 

Ten years.

 

A decade.

 

It sounds big because it is big. It’s a significant amount of time from any angle you look at it, as long as it’s a human perspective. Ten years is nothing to the world, the solar system, the galaxy, or the universe.

 

But to a human? It’s pretty big. It’s not huge. But you can’t deny its weight and not just because it’s trendy to be able to put 10^th anniversary on anything you do. It’s not many things we willingly stick to for a decade unless we love it...which is why it still feels like I’m getting started.

 

Some people have asked me, “how does it feel to have made it?” I can’t answer that question because in my eyes, I have not made it. Not by a long shot. I have over twenty projects at different stages of development. I don't have a TED Talk. I haven't given a commencement speech.I haven’t had a movie, show, or video game adaptation to become part of the zeitgeist, which means that only do I want an adaptation, I want it to be good enough to have people know my characters by name and for the work to live with them...and for fans to still say, meh, the book’s better.

 

Last year was not a busy one on this blog. This isn’t a complaint or an apology, it’s just a statement based on fact. I had nine blog posts including one for Mom, two for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona, two for March of the Writers, and one guest blog post. This post alone means I’m 9 blog posts away from being more active than last year.

 

Is it a resolution?

 

No.

 

Is it a promise?

 

No.

 

It’s me saying I’m in a better place now than I was a year ago and we’ll talk about that and a lot more things as we go along the year.

 

In 2022, I was able to publish a grand total of one book to continue my yearly tradition of publishing something on Mother’s Day. For this year, there will be a book published on that date...and the plan is to publish a couple more.

 

I’ve known to start a year off with a long list of resolutions or goals or things I will do in a year. I’m not in the mood for any of that. I just want to write and keep having fun. I also want to share that fun with people if only to encourage others to also have fun.

 

The first post on this blog was in May 11, 2013. That’s almost a month after I published Only Human which is as telling a sign as I think I can offer in regards to my writer journey. There’s a lot of winging, a lot of improvising, a lot of guessing, and a lot of doing something for the sake of doing it along with a lot of discovery in my writer journey of who I am as writer, a creative, and a human. My books, my blog, and what I do on social media are all reflections of who I am. Is there book promotion? Sure. But it’s not the majority, because although I love selling my books and making sure I’m not in the red, what drives me is discovery and connection with you and with myself.

 

Right now we’re connecting on some words you’re reading on your phone or computer and to some degree, we’re connecting. Last year I won my first award with my writing and it felt nice to have some sort of validation. On that note, I promise I will continue submitting my work because I know that if I write well enough, it can open doors to what matters: connecting with people. Please note I said people and not just readers.

 

Yes, I want to connect with readers.

 

Yes, I want to win awards.

 

Yes, I want sales.

 

Yes, I want to get more reviews.

 

Yes, I want writing to eventually pay the bills.

 

But it all goes back to connecting. I want the means to do more of what I love and reach more people so we can talk about books, writing, and the words that connect us.

 

Ten years.

 

It’s huge.

 

It’s a blip.

 

It’s whatever we make of it.

 

This may be the first of many blog posts for 2023 or it just may be a captured moment. Regardless, it is also a genuine Thank You for joining me on my first decade as a published author. Now let’s see if I can keep you guessing and keep you reading.

 

Peace, love, and maki rolls