FLOAT THAT BASKET (Rewind)

There comes a point in every writer’s life when it’s time to float that basket. What I mean is, if you’ve written your story, edited it, tweaked it, listened to your critique buddies’ advice, edited again, prayed, battled depression that it might never sell, battled insomnia because you know it’s time to send it out…if you’ve finished the thing, it’s time for that baby to go!

Yep, it’s time to put your “baby” in the proverbial basket and float it down the river. What basket am I talking about? Why, the basket that Miriam used, of course; the basket called Faith. Have you read the story of Moses, how his mother Miriam saved him by placing him in the basket and letting go? That’s the basket I’m talking about.

The basket was only made of wicker (or whatever they used back then, so please, don’t anyone write me and tell me how wrong my historical facts are!). Wicker on the Nile River, people…can you imagine? Wicker on a river full of crocodiles and other deadly “stuff” just snapping and snarling and waiting to destroy the baby Moses. Yet his mother placed him in the basket, put her faith in God…and let go.

And Moses, baby that he was, made it safely to the Pharoah’s Palace, where Pharoah’s daughter found him and…yes, loved him instantly. Destined for greatness, that one was!

So if you’ve finished your book, let it go. Now, I said, if you’re “finished.” I didn’t say if you have an idea, or if you’ve scribbled a few lines, or if you’ve written something on the back of a napkin, or if you’ve typed out a few scenarios. And I definitely don’t mean if you’ve typed out your very first draft, and without editing, critiquing or rewriting, you plan to package it up and send it out…

I mean, if you’ve given your story your all; if you’ve labored and sweated; if you’ve polished the thing until it shines like the top of the Chrysler Building, if you’ve put your seal of approval on it, then by all means, let it go.

Remember…a submitted book has a chance to be published. Granted, it also has a chance of being rejected…but either way, it has a chance. But a book that remains in your brain, or shoved deep inside your closet, or stacked on your junky desk—or worse—saved on your hard drive and never printed out, won’t EVER get published, because you’re the only one who knows about it.

In short, float that basket, baby. You never know whose hands it will fall into, where it will end up, or who will fall instantly in love with it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Best wishes and happy writing,

Rita Lorraine

Foot Note: The comparison of Miriam floating her newborn son Moses in the basket with “letting go and trusting God” is not my original concept. I wish it was…but, not. I heard a wise man by the name of W.C. Hunter speak that concept, and I have never forgotten it. Thank you, Bishop Hunter.