Sarah Shard has successfully self-published two books with the Christmas Collective. Here are her secrets for writing success…

A couple of years ago, I saw a competition from Penguin Michael Joseph to submit your idea and opening chapter of a Christmas love story. Easy, I thought. Fast forward many moments, if not hours, of staring at my computer with absolutely no idea what to write. After almost giving up, one day in early December, I decided to go for a walk. As I got outside, it started raining, but I continued my walk. My head was flitting from idea to idea but nothing was sticking. I started to cry; the tears matching my heart break not just for the lack of Christmas inspiration but for the realisation I hadn’t enjoyed Christmas in years. Not since my dad had passed away. Christmas was his favourite time of year and as a family, we had lost that magic. So that day I cried, in the rain, heartbroken and then it happened.

I looked up to see a Christmas tree in a window and it was filled with blue fairy lights. My Dad’s favourite colour and exactly how he had decorated the tree for the last few years of his life. Then the idea hit me: I could write a book for my dad but with very fictional characters. So, December for Dad was born and if you are reading this, you already know that my novel idea was shortlisted. It felt like the perfect tribute to my dad. The book itself is still in progress, but since then I have written two Christmas short stories; one a prequel to December for Dad and the second, a stand-alone story. Although I do not claim to be an expert, I have a little experience now and am happy to share my thoughts on five steps to writing a Christmas love story.

Location, Location, Location

Across our two anthologies, we have a plethora of locations and landmarks. We have Big Ben from this year’s Carol O’the Bells by Karl King which takes a well-known landmark and places it right at the heart of the story. We have New York as another location; we have had Thailand and even a fantasy world. The point is the location influences the story. So think about the kind of story you want to write and find a location or backdrop that makes sense. 

My stories tend to centre around life in fictional villages which are often inspired by places I have visited. This year’s story, Stay Another Day, takes place in a fictional village known for its Christmas spirit, Cringleton. Whilst Cringleton itself is fictional, it is based on Hathersage village in the Peak District, which I visited for a night earlier in 2022 with a friend. Ivy cottage is similar to the one we stayed at, except, in the story it’s much nicer than the original, which my friend and I lovingly call Dog Shit Cottage. I’ll let you imagine why – let’s not ruin a nice blog. 

Traditions

To make it a Christmas story, there has to be some reference to well-known Christmas traditions, whether it be decorating the tree, making gingerbread houses or eating a Christmas dinner. Without traditions, it’s just a story that happens to take place in winter. If you are unsure about which traditions to use, then don’t just think about your own traditions but look online for those in different countries or take inspiration from movies you have watched.

Get in the mood

This one might sound a bit weird, but writing a Christmas story in the middle of summer is actually quite challenging. Whilst I don’t keep my tree up longer than is required, I will watch endless hours of soppy Christmas romance films any time of year. 

This year, to get me into the spirit of the festive season in May, I watched my Hallmark channel non-stop at weekends and played Christmas music whilst writing, mostly playing the song that my story is inspired by, Stay Another Day. 

Magic Moments

If a reader chooses to read a love story set at Christmas then they are eagerly waiting for the magic moment when they feel immersed in your fictitious reality. They want to feel the chills of the snow falling or the smell of Christmas pudding. Whatever you want your magic moment to be, create it with all of your senses to ensure you are giving the reader a magic moment. 

Below is a small excerpt from my story, Christmas at the little blu bookshop from last year’s, More than Mistletoe. Hopefully, this example shows that with the right description, the reader can feel themselves watching the scene take place. 

“He smiled as he watched a delicate tiny snowflake fall between her eyes and land on the end of 

her nose. More followed. They both looked up to see the sky filling with snow.

Sofia knew this was the moment that she had dreamt of but the reality far surpassed any dream. 

With the laughter and joy coming from the shop, the sound of “Silent Night” was a perfect 

backdrop to this perfect moment between the two long lost-souls, their search for each other 

now over.”

The Kiss

Well, I am a romance writer, so there will always be a ‘that kiss’ kind of moment in my stories. The kinds of kisses that you remember your whole life and that demand the hairs through your entire body stand to attention. As with point 4, think about the magic of the moment that the two characters kiss either for the first time or for the last time in your story. Make it memorable whether that be under the mistletoe, over a hot chocolate or on the street corner with a brass band playing Silent Night in the background. 

And if you remember nothing else from this blog than this advice, I will be happy. Make it special, bring the festive feels alive and give hope to your readers that the magic of Christmas is real and can melt even the coldest of hearts. 

Written by Sarah Shard

For more Christmas Collective news, tips and all things Christmas, sign up to our newsletter here.