Should I Write a Christmas Novel? Things to Consider First
S.R. Beaston
Crafty with words, wit, and wisdom, just add caffeine to make it more interesting.
There’s change in the air, an electricity that sparks in October and runs all the way through to the new year. If you love the holidays, perhaps you have thought about bringing that electricity into a holiday novel.
Should I write a Christmas novel?
If you love Christmas and have a story in your heart for this time of year, then you should write that Christmas novel! Writing is hard, so doing it for any reason other than the sheer desire to tell your story can make it ten times harder.
There are a few things to consider when writing any novel, especially ones that are more niche, like a story for the holiday season. It may seem a little too niche, but just like most other styles and genres, it has never been more popular to write one than now. Readers know what they like, and they'll often read it over and over again once they find their happy genre.
But should you write a Christmas novel? Here are some things to consider when thinking about your new holiday adventure.
The Story
Despite what Hallmark likes to re-hash, there are a lot of ways to tell your Christmas story. It all depends on balancing your genre and subgenre (Christmas).
Is the plot about Christmas, or is the time of year closer to a coincidence? How much of "Christmas" are you selling? Is it A Christmas Carol or Die Hard?
A cozy and heartwarming meet-cute romance may be an easy idea to workshop, but that’s also every Hallmark holiday movie. They make mad money, so don’t let be scared to be a little Hallmark, but maybe add a little spice. No, not that spice (unless...). Just make it your own!
The Genre
Though Christmas can be prominent in the story, the main theme is often something else. It’s Christmas, and a crime has been committed in the quiet town of Bellspring. Now we have a Christmas mystery.
While caroling, a group of teenagers gets lost down the wrong street, one that morphs into something otherworldly and terrifying. Time to sell that $ Holiday Horror$ .
The Demand
It’s all about the vibes in 2023. As temperatures drop and the sweaters roll out, all I hear is how people want to curl up by a fire and read a book.
The demand for holiday stories is high! Think of all the heartwarming shows and movies that come around this time of year. Think of all the cozy farm games released in bulk. People crave comfort, and Christmas novels hold the same value.
Videos are dotting the front page of my YouTube on what books to read for the holiday. Shawnaci Schroeder recommends these 16 Christmas romances:
The pros and cons of writing a Christmas novel
Like with anything, I love to weigh the options and benefits from investing time into a project. Ultimately, if you love to do it, let nothing stop you, but if you're not totally absorbed with the project, here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of writing a Christmas novel.
The pros
- The fun of writing something you enjoy. You get to relish in the season when you write about it.
- The more niche the category, the less saturated the market. With some smart marketing and a good word of mouth, your book is likelier to find success.
- Holiday sales! Books are a huge gift for the holidays, and what better book than one made for the holidays.
The cons
- Holiday sales. This is two-fold. Your sales may skyrocket during the holiday season, but may become stale during the summer months.
- Writing a snowy escape romance in the middle of July can be a mood-killer. Despite the book selling in the holiday months, you have to write it before then, making your spring and summer time a conflict of interest. This might be fine for some writers, so don’t let this stop your attempt.
- The niche category. Again, this is a benefit, but it can also be a detriment if you don’t play your cards right. But this goes for writing any book.
Take these with a grain of salt. Writing is a personal process, so do what feels good for you!
There’s no real reason to not do the thing you wanna do. The demand for a good holiday story is definitely out there, if that's what tickles your fancy.
If Christmas is your favorite holiday, or you just love to indulge in the season, or if you’ve come up with a cool idea and you’re willing to see it through, then writing a Christmas novel is for you.
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