Statistics are not fun, Dad
He was right about so many things, but not this
When I was in college, I struggled with statistics. In fact, I had to take three Stats classes, for two significant reasons:
#1: Statistics was a required course for my selected major(s)
#2: I didn’t do well enough in the first two Stats classes I took (see #1 above)
In my defense, the first two Stats classes I took were within the Engineering curriculum I had enrolled in. (This is the moment you ask yourself, “Engineering? What was she thinking?”)
Technically, I didn’t fail them both. I failed the first time, got a D the second time. But by Junior year, after struggling to achieve even a 2.0 GPA, I realized I was not cut from the same fabric as the other STEM students that particular school attracted. (I know, right? I was slow to pick up on that.) I moved home, took courses locally, and ultimately transferred to a liberal arts college that … wait for it … had a Stats requirement for graduation. And that D in my second stats class? Didn’t matriculate. Cool.
Since I was home, my father, who WAS an Engineer, was more than willing and able to help me through. He gave me this black and white cartoon book called, Statistics Can Be Fun!, and the for many, many reasons, it started to make sense to me.
(Sidebar: It should be noted that not all Stats classes are created equally; there’s no comparing the syllabi for an Engineering Stats course and a Marketing Stats course. But I digress.)
Back to statistics starting to make sense … not only did I get an A in my third Statistics class, but the professor pulled me aside and asked me to become a Statistics tutor. Can you believe it? I still can’t. It’s one of the truths I tell when I play the “Two Truths and a Lie” icebreaking game. I was a Stats tutor.
But are statistics fun?
Nope. Sorry, Dad. They are not.
Not in 2021 they aren’t (there’s the predictable COVID-19 mention).
Not ever if you’re a writer on Medium, which you likely are if you’re reading this, looking at your story stats (unless you’re one of the approximately 7- 9% that make more than $100/month on the platform).
Not in any situation where you cannot easily see the right stats.
Take querying for instance (I am a writer, after all). I have sent query letters to 43 agents. Not a single one of them has asked to see the manuscript. Only one of them got back to me with something actionable: your word count is too small. My word count is too small.
So after six months of querying, one agent decided to tell me something I could do something about. 1 in 43. 2.33% of agents have given me actionable feedback.
And none of them told me what Lisa Zeidner told “me” last week on The Writer’s Center Virtual Craft Chat: Publishers aren’t buying YA books with male protagonists.
0 in 43. 0% of agents told me that.
In case you’re still with me, there’s nothing fun about that.
So what? Why are you telling me this?
Ah, now we’re talking. Some of you might remember that I’m on a hero’s journey. For those of you who do not, here’s the short story: I’m a writer, journeying towards a destination.
Today, as I feel as if I’m in the belly of the whale.
I think what I feel most is remorse. I didn’t know my book wasn’t long enough (technically, it checks the boxes that “expert” recommend). I didn’t know my book, with a male protagonist, wouldn’t sell.
I can’t take back all those queries. But more imporantly, I can’t take back the time and effort I put into this book. This book that I love. That my 26 year old niece loves. That my 19 year old son loves.
Statistics are not fun.
