Oops, We Misprinted Your Book And Will Have to Delay Your Book Launch (Annie Duke Edition)

Annie Duke, the legendary poker player and author, is getting ready to release her second book, “How To Decide” on September 15th. With days to go, the odds (and maybe the gods) just moved against her. A printer error duplicated 20 pages of her book and left another 20 pages out altogether. What would you do? More importantly, what would Annie Duke do?*

First, she sent a heartfelt email explaining what happened (twitter version available here). The publishing error will delay the book release by a month. Second, she explained that all print pre-orders will automatically be canceled and asked anyone who did order to please do so again. Ouch.

Third, she offered some evidence by linking to the broader industry issues that are going on with COVID, just to help frame it out (I didn’t know this was a broader issue, it was good for context). And then… she kind of went back to normal.

The book is still getting launched. There’s an eager audience of people like myself who are still stoked to get it. If anything, the delay is more anticipation for those of us in that camp. But more than anything, it’s a reminder that sometimes you just gotta roll with it.

So your book couldn’t come out because of a freak publishing error. So what. It’s still going to come out. WWADD? Admit those were pretty crazy odds, recognize she’s still in the game, and move on to the next hand. It feels like a big deal at the time, but in the end, it’s just another deal.

If she can keep moving, we can keep moving. Tuck this story away for next time something feels like a major setback. It’ll be worth remembering.