Hello Writers and Editors
I have to admit it: I’m weird. I actually like statistics. They’re useful; they help me wrap my mind around things.
What things? How my business is doing financially, how I’m doing financially, how well my books and articles are selling, and (sometimes most important) “what the @$#@#$@ is that scientist/cop/talking-head really saying?”
Other word people, the ones who teach English, are sometimes even weirder! My wife is an instructional designer. She’s worked for years at the local university. Every semester, just about at the end of the semester, there’s a flood of English teachers wanting help with their grade-books.
The Problem
Even though they spend lots of time trying to avoid math, they threw “all the math” at their grading scheme. Things get complicated quickly.
The Solution (this works for us freelancers too…)
Take some time to learn and think about the numbers we’re going to use and the way we’re going to use them.
The Secret
If you really hate the numbers, you can hire someone to help you, but you still need to know enough to talk to that person/those people intelligently.
You don’t have to know all the details on how to calculate everything (there are statistics that nobody in their right mind calculates by hand…). But it really helps to know how to interpret the data, to know what numbers you’re looking at and what they actually mean.
Some resources
As someone who loves data, uses the numbers, and has seen a few heads explode from trying to understand the numbers here a few numbers/stats related areas that are worth paying attention to, with helpful links (they’re not the only sources, but if you need them they’re a place to start)
Book sales numbers, how’s your work doing in the market?
Business finance, are you as a company/freelancer doing well and what should you improve?
Personal finance, how are you (personally) doing on the road to riches (or at least a comfortable life…)?
General statistics, what’s that guy talking about? And while we’re at it, how do I win at poker?
Usually, we don’t need to fear numbers. With a little understanding and help and we can deal with them just fine. They help us understand life and make excellent decisions.
Without a basic understanding, numbers become unruly and cause stress. We have enough of that already, so why let the numbers add more (incidentally, numbers are a bit like check engine lights and that pile of dishes in the sink; ignoring them won’t make things any better).
You don’t have to love them. But learning to use the numbers leads to success.
What are your writing/publishing-related numbers questions?
