FIRST DAY OF NANO WRIMO!

Today was the first day of Nano Wrimo.

I've been working on this novel in one way or another for the past 10 years and have yet to create a complete first rough draft.

During a retreat this year I felt like the Lord POWERFULLY encouraged me to NOT DELAY in fulfilling the vow I made to Him to write this novel.

I told myself, then, that if I did not have a rough draft by November 1st, I would do it in November with this international program designed JUST exactly for writers like me who have been wanting to do it, but for what ever reason, did not until now.

I woke up this morning, November 1st around 2:10 am and thought, !!! This is the first day of Nano Wrimo! I have to get my 1,667 words in!

The idea with Nano Wrimo, is that you write a complete 50,000 word novel from beginning to end in the period of a  month, no cheating.

So, Even though I had MANY starts to this novel- even an edited first chapter- I didn't use it. I stared over completely again.

The biggest thing about this morning's first effort, was that at the ver last moment before I started to write it, I changed my Point of View, and story structure.

Being intimidated with the project for so many years- and now, being under the gun to get the rough draft done in a short amount of time- I decided to use my MOST comfortable and natural writing style, a personal journal.

I am writing Raising Jesus as though I am Mary, before she was betrothed to Joseph.

I'm breaking all the rules, because having read multiple accounts that women then did not write, though I did come across one reference that said they did. I'm also defying the reality that writing materials were probably not handy, nor in the hands of poor young women to use at their leisure to keep their private thoughts in.

So that being said, I am thrilled! It was wonderful to be in the mind of Mary as I wrote my first chapter this early morning, and it's wonderful to know, that I can fulfill my vow to write this novel, and it's ok if I break all the rules of writing and genera as I do, because I can self publish it and share it with out needing the conventions of an agent or publisher and that is extremely liberating!

I plan to write this entire rough draft, and edit it for readability, intrigue, and grammar, but I will probably keep it as a hybrid historical fiction, because the important thing is that I write it, and to do that, I can only use what I've got, and that simply is an ability to journal daily thoughts for hours at a time, and a heart and a message and commission in Christ for this story that have consumed me for10 years.

Thank you for joining in my journey! I may update frequently, and I am NOT taking time to check for grammar or typos in this blog, nor will I burden my editor (mom) with that task, so this journal, is not written to impress you, but simply as a means to share my raw journey of writing Raising Jesus with you.

Please keep me in your prayers that I would WIN nano wrimo- that means complete my 50,000 word goal in a month- which would make for a MUCH smaller novel than i was planning on writing- but at least I will have a rough draft from beginning to end.

Below is a pasted snippet from today's writing.

"Please help me to sort through my feelings toward Joseph. And if it pleases You, please let me know if he loves me, or if Zebedee’s the one for me, do make that clear. Not my will, but Your will be done" - Mary's journal Raising Jesus (Day 1)

Thanks for reading!

Angela Schans

If you want to stick close to me in this journey, please join my journal updates list below:

YES! Please send me your writing Raising Jesus journal entries, I want to keep up with what you'e doing! I don't care if you ramble or don't check for grammar, I just can't wait to read more about this book's development!

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