Cross Your Fingers

19 Mar Cross Your Fingers

“Cross your fingers”

That was the last line of the email I just read.

So I have to admit, I’ve probably ended hundreds of e-mails with that very line (or some witty variation, like “fingers crossed!”)

I feel like I should be here telling you there’s more to this whole book selling business than luck, but I’m afraid my e-mail history begs to differ.

The craziest part is that it never stops. I can’t tell you how many times I say (not to mention think) cross your fingers–from submissions to cover art, marketing plans to launch, from sales to sales, and then of course there’s sales. Reviews! Publicity! Blurbs!! Did I mention sales?!?

I’m not making you paranoid, am I??*

MWA HA HA HA ha ha ha ha!!

Seriously though, do you believe in luck? Or do you think you make your own luck?

Despite my finger-crossing ways, I’m a firm believer in making your own luck.

And in recognizing opportunity when it comes knocking.

I see how hard everyone in the book-making process works–my authors, their editors, all of the teams who largely go unappreciated (except for the acknowledgments section of the books).

(Um, and me!! I work really hard too!!)

But at a certain point, I like to think of it as a kind of zen moment, you’ve done everything that you can, and you just step back and say ok. Whatever is going to happen will happen.

And at that point, there’s nothing more you can do.

Except CROSS YOUR FINGERS. Hello?!?!?! Didn’t you read the title of this post???

Are you superstitious? What rituals do you do? Let me know in the comments.

In the meantime, I’m going to go practice opening the door with my fingers crossed. You know, in case opportunity comes knocking or something.

*I feel like fully half of my clients might think this post is about them, but it’s not. I wanted to make everyone paranoid. Ok, really it was just time to do another post.