Ten ways to know you've made it as a writer

By Pamela

10. People endure the painful process of getting inked with an image symbolic of your book.

The Mockingjay from The Hunger Games.

9. Children dress up as your book's characters for Halloween.

Harry, Luna and Ron

8. Reese Witherspoon plays you in a movie based on your memoir. 

Cheryl Strayed | Reese in Wild

7. Your book goes through an insane number of printings and experiences various cover art. (My edition is the 22nd printing!)

6. A section of an amusement park is devoted to your book series.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

5. Someone pays an amazing artist to sculpt your book.

4. You get a street named after you.

Author of The Maltese Falcon

3. You get a drink named after you.

Hemingway Special

serve in a cocktail glass

2 oz. white rum

1/4 oz. maraschino liqueur

juice of 1/2 lime

1 oz. grapefruit juice

Squeeze lime juice into a shaker, add remaining ingredients and shake briefly with a glassful of crushed ice. Serve in a frosted cocktail glass. 

2. Your book signings draw crowds reminiscent of a rock concert--well, almost.

1. Your childhood home gets converted into a museum.

Flannery O'Connor's childhood home, Savannah, Georgia.

What's your benchmark for success?