When I was a child I was always good with numbers. Top in maths at school, that kind of thing. Gradually, as a love of literature and writing took over, my interest in numbers’ purity began to wane. I believe I can date the start of that decline to mid-way through my A-levels and then the semi-crisis of the final exam… (I’d been to the pub beforehand…)
Investment in structure and process remained however, and this has — probably in equal measure — been both a boon and a hindrance in my writing life.
I’d started 2024 with the intention of making it ‘a big year’, whatever that might have meant — and on reflection, it probably meant nothing other than to prove the vacuity of such ambition. Even so, I find myself wondering ‘how was it?’…
How do you answer a question such as that — other than to respond by saying that it felt pretty good?
Well, maybe numbers do have a role to play — though I offer the following very much tongue-in-cheek:
- 12 books published (under my Coverstory books imprint):
- 6 were my own (four of these the coincidental culmination of long-term projects)
- 6 were either other writers’ books or anthologies
- 1 live performance of Crash
- 230 posts on Substack, with over 33,000 views
- 107 posts on iangouge.com with c.3,300 views
- 79 posts on coverstorybooks.com with c.9,000 views
- 104 submissions made / competitions entered:
- 4 instances of publication
- 4 short- or long-listings
- waiting to hear on at least 30
- over 20 writing / poetry group meetings chaired
- mentoring at 2 public writers’ retreats
But what does all that mean?
It points to hard work, dedication, effort — but at the end of the day is little more than a statement of quantity: “Never mind the quality, feel the width.” “Lies, damn lies, and statistics…” etc. etc.
I don’t offer the numbers above as anything other than a response to my own desire to dig them out. I’m not intending them as a boast, to be used to compare, or perhaps even as a measure (bizarre as that might seem). I know I’ve done ‘a lot’ — I just wondered how much.
And I can’t help but think the true measure of achievement lies elsewhere i.e. in none of the above — and if so, is what I need to identify and where I should really be focussing?
Given I struggle with folk boasting about how many subscribers they have or how much money they’ve earned, I’m aware there’s a certain hypocrisy in my quoting numbers to you. My only mitigation is to argue that the majority of the above relates to ‘input’, proof of putting in the hard yards.
But I know what some of you will be wondering: how does all that effort translate into cash, wonga, moola? Well, taking into account all associated costs for things like software, websites, subscriptions etc: + £1,200
Not enough to trouble the tax-man. Maybe I should hire a publicist for 2025, one prepared to work on piece rates, a share of ‘the profits’..!
Perhaps next years’ numbers will be pretty similar — though I may need to find more ‘meaningful’ metrics in 12 months’ time… That is, if I’m inclined to try and ‘size’ it once again…
Assuming you do so, how do you measure ‘achievement’..?
Ian Gouge - Writer 