+<!doctype html><html lang=en><head><meta content="IE=edge" http-equiv=X-UA-Compatible><meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv=content-type><meta content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1.0,maximum-scale=1" name=viewport><title>2023: year in perspective</title><link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/atom.xml rel=alternate title=RSS type=application/atom+xml><script src=https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/slideout/1.0.1/slideout.min.js></script><link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/site.css rel=stylesheet><meta content="2023: year in perspective" property=og:title><meta content=website property=og:type><meta content="Summary of ebooks and tools written, marketing efforts and misc items." property=og:description><meta content=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/ property=og:url><meta content=https://learnbyexample.github.io/images/books/gumroad_sales_2023.png property=og:image><meta content=1188 property=og:image:width><meta content=753 property=og:image:height><meta content=summary_large_image property=twitter:card><meta content=@learn_byexample property=twitter:site><link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/favicon.svg rel=icon><link rel="shortcut icon" href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/favicon.png><body><div class=container><div class=mobile-navbar id=mobile-navbar><div class=mobile-header-logo><a class=logo href=/>learnbyexample</a></div><div class="mobile-navbar-icon icon-out"><span></span><span></span><span></span></div></div><nav class="mobile-menu slideout-menu slideout-menu-left" id=mobile-menu><ul class=mobile-menu-list><li class=mobile-menu-item><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/books> Books </a><li class=mobile-menu-item><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/mini> Mini </a><li class=mobile-menu-item><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tips> Tips </a><li class=mobile-menu-item><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags> Tags </a><li class=mobile-menu-item><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/about> About </a></ul></nav><header id=header><div class=logo><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io>learnbyexample</a></div><nav class=menu><ul><li><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/books> Books </a><li><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/mini> Mini </a><li><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tips> Tips </a><li><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags> Tags </a><li><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/about> About </a></ul></nav></header><main><div class=content id=mobile-panel><div class=post-toc id=post-toc><h2 class=post-toc-title>Contents</h2><div class="post-toc-content always-active"><nav id=TableOfContents><ul><li><a class=toc-link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/#books-updated>Books updated</a><li><a class=toc-link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/#tui-apps>TUI apps</a><li><a class=toc-link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/#blog-posts>Blog posts</a><li><a class=toc-link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/#book-sales>Book sales</a><li><a class=toc-link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/#newsletter>Newsletter</a><li><a class=toc-link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/#fictional-reading>Fictional reading</a><li><a class=toc-link href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/#goals-for-2024>Goals for 2024</a></ul></nav></div></div><article class=post><header class=post__header><h1 class=post__title><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/2023-year-in-perspective/>2023: year in perspective</a></h1><div class=post__meta><span class=post__time>2023-12-29</span></div></header><div class=post-content><p><strong>TL;DR</strong>: Updated six programming ebooks, created four interactive TUI apps for exercises, wrote blog posts, recorded YouTube videos, newsletter prospered, read 100+ novels, and so on. Had a great year in terms of ebook sales despite worries over AI tools 😇</p><span id=continue-reading></span><br><h2 id=books-updated>Books updated<a aria-label="Anchor link for: books-updated" class=zola-anchor href=#books-updated>🔗</a></h2><p>This year I focused on updating my existing ebooks instead of working on a new one. I managed to revise 6 out of my 13 published works so far. Examples and exercises were added and improved. Typos were corrected, sections added for new features (if any), new book covers, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTv2U3HnAL4NdoeZIhEAPgPhojD8kvRdQ">promo videos</a> and so on.<ul><li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/py_regular_expressions>Understanding Python re(gex)?</a> — Learn Python Regular Expressions step-by-step from beginner to advanced levels with 300+ examples<li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/learn_gnugrep_ripgrep>CLI text processing with GNU grep and ripgrep</a> — Example based guide to mastering GNU grep and ripgrep<li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/learn_gnused>CLI text processing with GNU sed</a> — Example based guide to mastering GNU sed<li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/learn_gnuawk>CLI text processing with GNU awk</a> — Example based guide to mastering GNU awk one-liners<li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/learn_perl_oneliners>Perl One-Liners Guide</a> — Example based guide for text processing with Perl from the command line<li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/learn_js_regexp>Understanding JavaScript RegExp</a> — Learn JavaScript Regular Expressions step-by-step from beginner to advanced levels with hundreds of examples and exercises</ul><br><h2 id=tui-apps>TUI apps<a aria-label="Anchor link for: tui-apps" class=zola-anchor href=#tui-apps>🔗</a></h2><p>Last year, I had learned a bit of <a href=https://textual.textualize.io/>Textual</a>. My aim was to create interactive apps for practicing exercises from my ebooks. I wrote the following apps:<ul><li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/TUI-apps/tree/main/PyRegexExercises>Python re(gex)? exercises</a> — 100+ exercises for Python Regular Expressions <ul><li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/TUI-apps/tree/main/PyRegexPlayground>Python re(gex)? playground</a> — interactive playground, also includes a cheatsheet</ul><li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/TUI-apps/tree/main/GrepExercises>Grep Exercises</a> — 50+ exercises for <code>GNU grep</code> (or alternate implementations like <code>ripgrep</code>)<li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/TUI-apps/tree/main/SedExercises>Sed Exercises</a> — 50+ exercises for <code>GNU sed</code><li><a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/TUI-apps/tree/main/AwkExercises>Awk Exercises</a> — 80+ exercises for <code>GNU awk</code></ul><p>And I also added more exercises for the <a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample/TUI-apps/tree/main/CLI-Exercises>Linux CLI Text Processing Exercises</a> app.</p><br><h2 id=blog-posts>Blog posts<a aria-label="Anchor link for: blog-posts" class=zola-anchor href=#blog-posts>🔗</a></h2><p>Most of my blog posts this year were related to book and interactive app announcements. So, not really a choice to pick favorites from:<ul><li><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/python-regex-surprises/>Python Regex Surprises</a><li><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/mini/cli-text-editing-with-ed/>CLI text editing with ed</a></ul><p>I also posted some <a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tips/>weekly programming tips</a> (Python, Linux, Vim).</p><br><h2 id=book-sales>Book sales<a aria-label="Anchor link for: book-sales" class=zola-anchor href=#book-sales>🔗</a></h2><p>Revenue from ebook sales were about 10% lower than last year. At the start of the year, I'd have been satisfied even if it had been 50% lower. I wasn't writing new ebooks and AI tools were all the rage on social media. Somehow, I got lucky with self-promotion posts for my <code>GNU awk</code> ebook and the rest of the months weren't too shabby. Here's my Gumroad revenue chart for 2023:<p align=center><img alt="Gumroad sales in 2023" src=/images/books/gumroad_sales_2023.png><p>You can clearly see when the <code>GNU awk</code> ebook was updated. Sales on Gumroad was actually just a bit higher than last year. It was on Leanpub that sales were much lower, almost half compared to last year. Profits reduced more than 10% since Gumroad increased their fees. Overall, I'm still earning more than I need and I'm hoping that next year wouldn't see too much drop in sales.</p><br><h2 id=newsletter>Newsletter<a aria-label="Anchor link for: newsletter" class=zola-anchor href=#newsletter>🔗</a></h2><p>I started a newsletter, <a href=https://learnbyexample.gumroad.com/l/learnbyexample-weekly>learnbyexample weekly</a>, two years back. I've managed to send an email every Friday without fail so far and I'm proud of that. Sometimes I had to schedule issues weeks ahead. Total subscriber count crossed 1000 earlier this month and some readers are even paying me monthly despite this being a free newsletter.</p><br><h2 id=fictional-reading>Fictional reading<a aria-label="Anchor link for: fictional-reading" class=zola-anchor href=#fictional-reading>🔗</a></h2><p>I enjoy reading fantasy and science-fiction novels. I read 100+ SFF books this year despite aiming for less than 100! Anyway, I wrote a post listing <a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/escapist-reviews/lists/2023-favorite-sff-novels/>my favorites here</a>.<p>I even participated in NaNoWriMo. I only wrote 20K words, but I did have some fun. The novel went nowhere though and it is languishing now. Not sure if I'd get back to it someday.</p><br><h2 id=goals-for-2024>Goals for 2024<a aria-label="Anchor link for: goals-for-2024" class=zola-anchor href=#goals-for-2024>🔗</a></h2><p>There are seven more books I need to update. Hopefully I get them done in a year, though I won't be pushing hard. If I crave to write some new books instead, I'd switch over to them. Or even do something else entirely. After more than six years writing tutorials and books, I sure can do with a break.</p><br><p>Here's wishing you a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2024 👍 😇</div><div class=post-footer><div class=post-tags><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags/python/>#python</a><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags/linux/>#linux</a><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags/command-line/>#command-line</a><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags/javascript/>#javascript</a><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags/perl/>#perl</a><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags/ebook/>#ebook</a><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags/newsletter/>#newsletter</a><a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/tags/career/>#career</a></div><hr color=#e6e6e6><div class=post-nav><p><a class=next href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/programming-deals-2023/>Festive offers for books on Python, Linux, Regular Expressions and more →</a><br></div><hr color=#e6e6e6><p>📰 Use <a href=https://learnbyexample.github.io/atom.xml>this link</a> for the Atom feed. <br> ✅ Follow me on <a href=https://twitter.com/learn_byexample>Twitter</a>, <a href=https://github.com/learnbyexample>GitHub</a> and <a href=https://www.youtube.com/c/learnbyexample42>Youtube</a> for interesting tech nuggets. <br> 📧 Subscribe to <a href=https://learnbyexample.gumroad.com/l/learnbyexample-weekly>learnbyexample weekly</a> for programming resources, tips, tools, free ebooks and more (free newsletter, delivered every Friday).<hr color=#e6e6e6></div></article></div></main></div><script src=https://learnbyexample.github.io/even.js></script>
0 commit comments