How does Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer begin? Write … I especially love your advice for the “return to light”. Copyright © 2010-2020 Writing.ie. You ready for this? The only one I can think of is How the Grinch Stole Christmas! So why wouldn’t any struggling writer (which is 98% of us) not want to give the old Santa Claus an adventure or two? The Musings & Artful Blunders of Scott D. Southard | Merry Christmas to my now 1548 blog followers! Recently, I reviewed a new collection of holiday short stories called My True Love Gave to Me (edited by Stephanie Perkins). If fiction is more your thing, I’ve had four novels published in the last few years, A Jane Austen Daydream, Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, My Problem With Doors and Megan. And really, none of us are Dr. Seuss. It looks like we don't have any Plot Summaries for this title yet. Thanks for reading! Find that new twist, that new character, that new moment that has not been captured before. This is an important point, because all of the classic holiday tales recognize this darkness. Recently, I watched with my kids a Disney holiday film called Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas. For lots more writing tips see www.sarahwebb.ie. See, even that odd classic (It has an elf who wants to be a dentist, it is odd!) Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Be the first to contribute! The books and the DVDs end up in the bargain bins, and the TV specials and movies are shown at random times in the early morning (if they are shown at all). A second pair of eyes can make all the difference. One of the things I found very annoying in many of the stories of My True Love Gave to Me is the amount of cynicism of the characters. Because everyone is busy at Christmas time, particularly if they have children, I’ve kept these tips to bullet points: Good luck on your writing journey. Actually, one of the best thing I believe I have ever written is a screenplay for a Christmas film. It looks like we don't have any Plot Keywords for this title yet. Keep rewriting the story until you think it’s as good as you can make it. Everyone seemed to want to put down the holiday and the man in the red suit. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Website lovingly crafted by Design for Writers, National Emerging Writer Programme Overview, Sarah Webb & Martina O’Reilly on Plotting & Planning. These 20 Christmas writing prompts will keep your students writing - and they will have fun too! Use your senses to add depth to the tale – smell, taste, touch. So why is it so difficult to write a good Christmas story? I rewrite each of my books up to ten times before handing them over to my editor. That period is rich in symbolism and it works for stories as well. A former children’s bookseller, her Ask Amy Green series for age 10+ (Walker Books) has been shortlisted for the Queen of Teen Awards in the UK (twice) and the Irish Book Awards. Chances are, the audience that want to see Santa taken down a few notches are not tuning in or opening the pages of your book anyway. It begins with newspapers and footage of real children. These points are what separate the classics from… well… anything on the Hallmark Channel. It is entitled Me Stuff. Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Plot Summary submission guide. Pingback: Christmas 2015 | The Musings & Artful Blunders of Scott D. Southard. Parents Guide, Behind the Scenes - Write Before Christmas. You need to do something unique! All rights reserved. ( Log Out / In other words, create a holiday tale that becomes a classic, one that audiences return to yearly… which can also pay the bills yearly as well. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Now, I’m not saying you can’t write about Saint Nick. Because everyone is busy at Christmas time, particularly if they have children, I’ve kept these tips to bullet points: Before you start writing, think about your story and your characters. We've got matching Christmas writing paper in the same designs in case the story goes over a page. My review will be on WKAR’s Current State later this month. We hope that there is something here to appeal to everyone. See, there is a difference between darkness and just being evil. You can’t just give the world another story of people finding love around the holiday, unless there is something different in how it is done. Plot Keywords And my attempt at the worst Christmas movie ever! – M C TAYLOR. Change ). If it, for example, is another story about children (or puppies) helping Santa deliver presents, that ain’t it. (>^-‘)>, Pingback: The Musings & Artful Blunders of Scott D. Southard | Forward to Christmas Past! We choose to make it special. Don’t be afraid to use strong emotions. Or you can contact Rebecca T. Dickson and request to work with me by clicking the image below. Need an editor? Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Plot Summary submission guide. Sarah combines writing with visiting schools, volunteering at Fighting Words (the creative writing centre in Dublin), reading at festivals, and teaching writing to both children and adults. And if you decide to write a holiday tale, you need to give it the same amount of time you would give any other work you attempt. I have been wanting to write a Christmas romance for quite some time, and your pointers have really helped me focus my thoughts. See, in the end, it is just a date on the calendar. Sarah Webb is from Dublin and writes for both children and adults. I think a part of that is we all have in us a little bitter child remembering that moment when they discovered that Santa is not real. By Dr. Seuss. What does Christmas smell like? ( Log Out / You are preaching to the wrong crowd! While my kids (and I do too) love the sequel, Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, the first one is an awful mess not fit for children consumption. When I was speaking with an interested producer a few years back the idea of turning it into a musical came up. Dream of finishing that book but need some help? This has helped me a lot I have been working on a book for almost 20 years off an on and now I think I can finish it thank you so much for this info great stuff, thanks again. Maybe I’ll eventually get around to writing it. What's on TV & Streaming What's on TV & Streaming … TV Shows. Reblogged this on The Musings & Artful Blunders of Scott D. Southard. It is rare that any story without giving the audience something to relate to works. Consider: What these writers recognized is that the darker you go, the brighter the light is at the end. It pays the bills and, maybe, you will unwrap the golden present. Her websites are www.sarahwebb.ie and www.askamygreen.com and you can find her on Facebook www.facebook.com/sarahwebbwriter or Twitter, Read Sarah’s 10 Tips on Writing Dialogue here, her ideas on How to Write for Children & Adults here, Sarah Webb & Martina O’Reilly on Plotting & Planning, Sarah explains about her Amy Green series here, and her adult books The Memory Box and The Shoestring Club. And my attempt at the worst Christmas movie ever! She also recently contributed a short story to the teen collection, And Then He Kissed Me (Walker Books). Movies . But it is a common feeling for me each year as I dare to check out the new holiday samplings from my fellow writers. They want them for the bookshelves, for the TV screens, and the cinemas. . What is the difference between a Christmas story or a story at any other time in the year? Release Calendar DVD & Blu-ray Releases Top Rated Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Showtimes & Tickets In Theaters Coming Soon Coming Soon Movie News India Movie Spotlight. One of the best examples of reality helping a holiday story succeed is Miracle on 34th Street (the classic, not the 90s remake). I’ve had an idea for a Christmas musical (yeah, I’m that schmaltzy) kicking around in my head for a couple years. Find a way to introduce reality in your story, possibly in the beginning. You can, as long as you are adding to the mythology. Behind the Scenes - Write Before Christmas (2019) Plot Keywords. It’s one of the few things of my own that I can sit back and enjoy. People don’t want to hear nasty jokes made at the expense of a holiday that they care about. – M C TAYLOR. Pretend you are one of Santa's elves. It’s not schmaltzy. Taglines For after the darkest day, there is hope. Happy Holidays! Most holiday tales disappear at the end of the year. Go for a walk and mull it all over in your head; then grab a notebook and start scribbling down some ideas. Showing all 0 items Jump to: Summaries. . I don’t want to say too much about my review here, but the book, in the end, just left me feeling sad.