They Can't All Be Hits

And maybe that's a good thing.

Once upon a time in a previous life, I worked as an acquiring editor at a publishing house.

On my first day, my new boss welcomed me with a one-sentence summary of my role: “Your job is to make hits.”

The statement was simple. The sentiment was not.

How does one make hits? The answer is anyone’s guess. (If someone tells you otherwise, they’re likely peddl…