Serious Wednesdays: Writing Your Christmas Book

So you're interested in writing a Christmas book, are you? It's not that bad--if you enjoy writing
books--if you follow the main rules.

Here are a few tips to help you get started. Just remember that many, or most, of these will be what you normally follow in writing a fiction book.

1. First things first. Decide what your story will be about and what characters you'll need. Give yourself time to study on your decisions. Do you need that many characters? Can you whittle them down some? Is the plot a good one? After you've those decisions, begin writing down some plot ideas. 
2. Now it's time to decide how you will open your story. It should be exciting/intriguing/heart stirring in some way to draw readers into your book--no matter what genre it is.
3. Next on your list is deciding where the story itself will take place. A big city? Country? The ocean? High in the mountains? Scribble down as many details as you can. Don't worry about order, just get a few ideas written as they come to you. You can arrange them later. Move on to details you want in your book. Will the main events be outside? Use your sense of feel--is it cold? Blustery? Calm? Are snowflakes falling? Is it a moonlit night? Or a bright, sunny day? Are you inside a grandmother's home? Is she frail and unable to do what she use to? How does your character feel about caring for her? What emotions are evoked because of her feelings? Are cookies and pies baking? Use your sense of smell to convey that.
4. Don't forget to bring conflict into your story. It is what brings interest into your writing. It helps you show your character's strengths or weaknesses. It brings in emotions like love, hate, revenge, etc. Make these emotions big and showy. Don't be afraid to allow your characters to feel these. 
5. Think about how you want Christmas portrayed in your book. Is it the main event? Is it the
   
   time period, a background to your main story plot? This is important. If it's the first, then Christmas is part of your main plot and theme. If the second, then bring in touches of the Christmas feeling to keep it alive but in the background. Again, use your senses to allow Christmas be what you want it to be. Sleigh bells ringing? Children laughing? Music playing?
6. Once you have your book written, edit, rewrite, edit, rewrite. Do it again and again. It's part of the writing process and to write a great book, this tip can not be skipped. Do the editing and rewrites until you feel you can't make it better.
7. Last of all, have your critique partners or an editor go through your book. It's always good to have other eyes read your book before publication. 

Last of all, once you know it's ready, do your research for a publisher. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer or two. But by all means, don't sit on your hands waiting once you've submitted it. Get started on the next book.

Repeat and repeat...

Happy writing!