Get Lucky Every Day (Delilah S. Dawson)

I have a strange affliction every spring.

The behavior confuses everyone from the neighbors who slow down to watch me to the army guards at Arlington National Cemetery, who couldn't quite decide if I was a threat when they caught me doing it.



I like to find four-leaf clovers.

If I'm walking along and see a ripe and promising patch of clover, I'm compelled to stop, squat, and hunt for treasure. And the thing is? I'm seriously good at it. I find dozens of four-leaf clovers every year, and it's extremely rare that I'll stoop over a burst of bright green and quit before I've found what I'm looking for. If you buy one of my books and email me your address for a signed bookplate, the chances are good that you'll find a pressed clover in your envelope.

I'm a creature who thrives on hope. Writing can be a bleak exercise, lonely and riddled with rejection, but I'm always putting my eggs in the next basket, getting excited about the next book or project. Hope is what keeps me going. Writing a is actually a lot like looking for four-leaf clovers: It's only over when you give up. As long as you keep looking, as long as you're looking with a positive outlook, it's only a matter of time before you find one. You will eventually get lucky.

Spring is always a well of hope for me, especially after a long, dark winter. Standing outside in the sunlight, toes unfurled in soft green grass while hunting for bits of luck, has become a ritual. Passing on that luck to others brings me joy. I love the thought of someone buying a book from me at a con or opening an envelope and finding an unexpected four-leaf clover.

The funny thing about four-leaf clovers is that people say the same thing about them as they do about writing a book. Wow! I can't believe you can do that! I've never done that! It's impossible!

The secret? It's not impossible. It's a game of time on task, positive outlook, and hunting for patterns. The clovers are there, I promise you. You just have to seek them out. This spring is a great time to start. You might get some strange looks, but it's worth it, knowing luck is in your pocket.


Comments

  1. Me too! I love suddenly stopping, bending over, pulling one free and giving it to someone who has no clue what I've just done.2 years ago, we had a great patch on the library lawn and I gave little kids 4-leaf clovers all the time. I tell people the secret is to look for asymmetry where everyone expects symmetry. I like the analogy between writing and finding them. Best of luck with the book. I have it on my to buy list.

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  2. I love this analogy too! It is so spot on. I'm reworking an manuscript now and looking for those patterns. I also have the sense that spring is in the air and luck is in my pocket.

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