(A Krampus monster from the local Krampus parade)
I don't just mean writing for Christmas holidays. I'm talking about any holiday. Groundhog Day to Easter to Halloween.
That specific time of year rolls around and writers get inspired to write about it. Write when the inspiration hits. Holidays bring up a lot of powerful emotions and memories. There is a ton of inspiration strolling around, too, like the Krampus. Use it to your advantage.
Yet there is one problem with writing a holiday themed story on that holiday: it will be too late to publish it for that time of year once you're done.
The way I've dealt with that problem is to push my muse ahead six months holiday-wise. I've already written a couple of Valentine's Day stories and one Easter piece. I'll start in on some summer stories next month.
This way, I have holiday themed stories set to send out to various venues with plenty of time to rise up in the slush piles and be seen by editors with still a few months to spare before the holiday itself. I send Christmas stories out in June and July. Publishers usually get loads of those ones.
And yes, I do get inspired to write seasonal tales during those particular times of year. It just means I have to sit on them a little longer before submitting. As I said, write when the inspiration hits, but submit with enough time for an editor to get to your story and comfortably fit you in their schedule.
Have you ever written a holiday themed story?
Hi Christine - sounds like a very good idea ... being prepared. I haven't written holiday type stories, but I do do similar for posts and then forget - still they're their for the future ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteJust one! A Christmas themed story that will appear in Geekdom House's quarterly magazine and on their website next week. I actually had a good time writing it.
ReplyDeleteI'm old. I know I've forgotten more than I've learned. But couldn't recall ever hearing the word krampus before. Every city should have a Krampus Parade.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus
Excellent reminder! Hmm, another thing for me to add to my writing to-do list.... :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever sat down and written a particular story with a particular holiday in mind. Unless you count the one I wrote for Lightning Quick Reads in November. (Sort of a Christmas story, but dark.)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever written a holiday-themed story. I think it's because I once had a marketing type job that involved holidays. I was always several months ahead. At Christmas, my brain was at Easter and Memorial Day, and when I held that job, I was rarely in the moment and didn't enjoy any holiday enough.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea of when to write your holiday themed stories. I have written one or two for Halloween and one for Valentine's Day, but I can't recall writing for other holidays yet.
ReplyDeleteI tend to stay away from holiday themed stories because I really don't want to conform to the calendar. That's probably not the best way to go, but it's my own personal way of rebelling I suppose.
ReplyDeleteI've been told I *should* write holiday stories, but holidays simply don't inspire me. Hmm.
ReplyDeleteI've never written a holiday tale and it always impresses me writers who can and get them out in time for said holiday.
ReplyDeleteI've never done holiday themed stories, but then again, most of my stories take place on a different world where the holidays are different. :)
ReplyDeleteGood thinking, moving ahead six months. You're on top of things!
I've not written a holiday story yet. Not for any holiday. lol Am I the only one who thinks of Midol every time the Krampus ad comes on?
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and commenting! And yes, Mary, now I will. *LOL*
ReplyDeleteI have not written a holiday themed story, but I have written a short story themed around spookiness/Halloween. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
My second book was holiday themed (Valentine's Day) and the release was right before Valentine's Day. It was fun because I got to do themed giveaways with chocolate roses...and that was the only time of the year they were available. I'm hoping to maybe get a booth at a local craft fair with a Valentine's Day theme to sell a few copies...if there is such a craft fair in town.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had a Krampus parade here. The Krampus character is so funny to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to remember. Obviously, I don't do that often or I'd have those stories at the ready to talk about. Good for you! 6 months ahead is excellent.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea! I've never written seasonal stories (well, apart from a little piece of zombie erotica for a Halloween anthology) so it's not something I've really considered.
ReplyDeleteYup, holiday themed stories are fun, but true about their publication dates. Still a dare is a dare is a dare! LOL
ReplyDeleteKrampus is a new popularity!
Happy Holidays,
I've written seasonal books, but none centered only around a holiday. I instead have holiday chapters or scenes within a larger book, with holidays including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas (both Western and Eastern), New Year's, Purim, Pesach, Shavuot, Lag B'Omer, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Chanukah, and Simchat Torah. I do, though, like to share holiday-themed excerpts on my bloghops around these various holidays.
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