Five Tips For Writing Your Own Christmas Story
By Matthew Gurteen
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year for many people. With the food, decorations, and presents, it is no surprise that many people love the wintry season. Another reason people love Christmas, however, especially if they are creative writers, is the literature. Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, Dr Seuss’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’, and Chris Van Allsburg’s ‘The Polar Express’ are three examples of widely loved Christmas books.
With this focus on reading during the holidays, it is no surprise that many people write Christmas stories of their own. In the article, we will give you our five tips for writing a Christmas story of your own this holiday!
1. Choose a genre
Of course, the standard rules of writing apply when writing a Christmas story, as with any other tale. It is especially important when writing a Christmas story, however, to choose your genre wisely. Any genre works for the Christmas story. Christmas is not a genre itself, however. Instead, Christmas stories are also tales of horror, murder, or adventure. Your Christmas story could also be non-fiction. Clearly defining the style of your Christmas story will make it shine from the beginning!
2. Make it personal
Once you have settled on a genre, the next tip to remember when writing a Christmas story is to make it personal. When writing Christmas stories, many beginner authors include all the stereotypical aspects of the season, whether or not they practice them. The best Christmas stories, however, include your own traditions. Do not, in short, include chestnuts roasting on an open fire if you’ve never roasted chestnuts on an open fire! Instead, include your own traditions, no matter how unusual.
3. Moral lessons
Many Christmas stories feature moral lessons at the centre of their plots. You may wish to include one in your story, too. It is essential to remember, however, that moral lessons are not required in the Christmas story. Instead, it is acceptable to write a Christmas story just for the sake of it! Of course, your story should have themes. Do not feel you have to teach your reader about the goodness of giving, though, if you don’t want to.
4. Don’t make your story too Christmassy!
As much as you want to make your Christmas story personal, too, there is a danger in including too much Christmas in your narrative. When writing a Christmas story, use seasonal elements sparingly. As with any genre, you should ask yourself if what you are describing is relevant. Including Christmas traditions is excellent, but they shouldn’t overwhelm your narrative.
5. Think about publishing
Our final tip when writing Christmas stories is to think about publishing. Although you may write a Christmas story over the holiday period, it may be another year before you can release it to the public. If you decide to publish your Christmas story, try and time it so it releases in time for the next holiday season.
If you follow these five tips, you are sure to have written a Christmas classic in no time. Have you ever written a Christmas story before? Let us know in the comments below, along with your own tips for your fellow writers!
