2015 Numbers

I think a lot of entrepreneurs are scared to talk about numbers--meaning cash. Hell, most people I know are scared to discuss what they make, and that probably stems from some underlying insecurity that what they make defines who they are.

I, however, am far too arrogant to think such nonsense.

So, what I want to start doing each year is tracking my revenue on a yearly basis (I do this on a daily basis, but nobody has time to update that much).

So, briefly, in 2014, I made about $4,400.

My goal for 2015 was to hit $6,000 which would be an increase of 36%--an astounding increase for year over revenue, even if a modest increase in actual cash. That's the joy of making almost nothing the year before.

My plan going into 2015 was to put out six books and focus on building a mailing list. I had around 200 people on my list going into 2015. Mostly friends. My friends are poor, so they never buy my books. I need new friends.

So how did I do?

My 2015 pre-tax operating income was: $21,282.

An increase of 483%.

Yeah, not a millionaire yet--fo sho. However, at this point, I'm among less than one percent of the population to ever live to make that much money from writing novels. I'll take it.

My mailing list ended up at 4,400. An increase of 2,200%. I think. I'm not that good at math.

Focus this year?

1) Continue building mailing list.

1 A) Optimize mailing list to increase sales of back list.

2) Focus on Facebook advertising for box-sets.

3) Optimize backlist by updating covers for The Devil's Dream series, and creating multiple box-sets for Nemesis series.

4) Spend a few minutes each day reading about the business. (this could be more specific, I know).

5) Write and publish six books while averaging 90 minutes per day at the act of writing.

6) Pray and sacrifice to the writing Gods that Bookbub is good to me this year.

Some brief thoughts on last year: 

1) Writing is tough. It's really tough, man. Sitting down and staring at the keyboard day in and day out is not fun, at least not for me. It's worth it, though.

2) I'm extremely lucky I found my passion. A lot of people live their whole lives not knowing, I think. I'm also extremely badass for having the nerve to keep this up for the past 9 years. A lot of people quit when they don't see immediate results. You should not talk to those people.

3) Drops in a bucket add up. For nine fucking years I've sat here staring at computers, hunched over, ruining my spine and my eyes, just trying to tell stories that would make people want to keep turning the page. Every one of those days has been a drop, and the bucket is starting to feel a bit heavy when I lift it.

4) The only way to succeed is to keep learning. Everything I do is not a success or failure, but an opportunity to learn. 

As always, I didn't edit any of this. Sorry. That I'm not sorry.

Now go out there and be someone!