what prince caspian taught me about publishing

We watch a lot of Narnia in my house. A lot. Of Narnia. Confession here? I’m not as good a literary person as you may think—I never read the books. But I watch the movies and enjoy them, if nothing else for the battle scenes.
               
We recently (again) watched Prince Caspian (just because it really is a wonderful movie to see). My favorite quote comes about ten minutes from the end of the movie. Finally, the true ruler of Narnia, the noble lion Aslan, returns, and the Narnian leaders—Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Caspian—cross the ford to bow at his feet. Aslan replies, “Arise, kings and queens of Narnia.” So Peter, Edmund, and Susan stand, leaving only Caspian still on his knees.
               
Aslan continues, “All of you.”
               
Caspian glances up, then lowers his eyes again. “I do not think I am ready.”
               
“It is for that very reason I know you are.”
               
And so Caspian rises.
               
In the movie, Caspian was the wrong everything. The wrong nationality, the wrong age, from the wrong family, in the wrong place at the wrong time. In fact, he was so “wrong” that even the Narnian rulers saw him as inferior. This led him to make some bad and sometimes stupid decisions. As long as he tried to be ready all on his own, his problems just twisted deeper. But, when he finally gave up and did what he should have done first—relied on Aslan for help—he was as right and ready as he could ever be.  When the Narnians saw him as inferior, Aslan saw him as the king he could be if he’d just ask for help.
               
“I do not think I am ready.”
               
“It is for that very reason I know you are.”
              
Sometimes we feel more wrong than ready. Things pan out for a lot more than we've bargained for. Someone is always waiting to crack down on your message or declare you wrong for the publishing world, or whatever world you're in right now. But as long as our words and imagination are surrendered to the true Ruler of the world—I'm as ready as I could ever be.     
               
And so are you.
               
What do people say you’re wrong for? Surrender it to the Real King. And prepare to take your throne.

Enough of this. Now for some book-loving humor.