5 Things I Learned While Writing A Christmas Novel

Every story has a story to tell the author.

Welcome to Writing Wednesday. Each hump day I'll post about some aspect in my writing journey, writing tips and hacks, or actually pretty much anything related to writing in some way, shape or form. If you have topics you want me to cover or questions you'd like me to answer, just fling them my way in the comment section or feel free to email me.

Now then, for the first writerly post, here are a few things I learned while writing 12 Days at Bleakly Manor…

1. You don't have to write during the holiday season to stay in the spirit.

In fact, writing during the holidays is super stressful. So is trying to cram in words leading up to the holiday. I discovered the best time to write a Christmas story is after Christmas when all the hubbub has died down.

2. Christmas music gets annoying.

As I usually do, I made a playlist to have on as background inspiration while I write. And what better music to play than Christmas tunes, right? Wrong-oh, bucko. There is such a thing as too much Christmas music. I suspect this may be why some people are currently locked up in padded cells.

3. You can never have enough Christmas cookies on hand.

This is the flip side of the whole Christmas music debacle. There's a lot to be said for delicious little globs of fat and sugar to munch on while you're writing. Okay, so even if you're not writing, cookies are always a good idea.

4. Cheesy Hallmark movies are great sources of inspiration.

Admittedly, some of the syrupy holiday flicks are enough to make you toss your Christmas cookies, but there are some that get you in a writerly groove. My personal favorite? The Spirit of Christmas. I watched this bad boy six times.

5. Scrooge is for real.

There are a lot of crabby people in this world who have strong opinions and aren't afraid to share them. Writing a Christmas story before the actual date is usually met with "oh-how-lovely" or "what-a-fun-idea." But when you tell people you're writing a Christmas story when it's more like Valentine's Day, be prepared to be on the receiving end of "what-is-wrong-with-you" types of comments.

I've recently just started book II in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series. Stay tuned for more insights.