Writing Lab Challenge: Write a Christmas Story

Have you ever fancied putting pen to paper to write a Christmas story?  Whether it’s to raise money for a good cause or just an opportunity to hone your writing skills, we challenge you to make 2020 the year you write a Christmas story!

At this time of year, Christians around the world come together to celebrate the story of the birth of Christ – the greatest story ever told.

The joys of the season inspire many would-be writers to put pen to paper to celebrate. Often these amateur efforts are written to raise money for a good cause at Christmastime. Sometimes, they are just for fun.

Whatever your reason for wanting to put pen to paper, Business Optimizer considers some tips to help you get started writing your own Christmas story.

#1. If you’re having problems getting started, use a writing prompt

Writing prompts are great starting points from which to develop your own ideas. Giving yourself a theme or context for your story is often a lot less scary than beginning with a blank page. As you get more confident with your writing, you can start generating your own story ideas from scratch.

Why not start with these ideas for Christmas story prompts for young writers?

#2. Consider the structure of your story

Writing a short story requires a great deal of plotting and planning, because your story has to be conveyed in a relatively short format. It’s therefore advisable to sketch out the story arc before you begin writing your Christmas story. What is the plot? Think about the beginning, middle and end. Take time to sketch out your characters. What journey are they going to go on over the course of your story?

Check out this guide to plot and structure before planning out your ideas.

#3. Develop your writing voice

If you are getting stuck, then you can always dive off into some short writing exercises to develop your ideas. These might not make it into your finished story, but it will help you think about the plot, location, your characters and their development. 

This helpful guide offers some suggestions for the types of questions you should ask yourself before putting pen to paper to write your Christmas story.

#4. Keep going!

Writing is a difficult business, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. If you do get stuck, don’t let it put you off. Plenty of very successful writers admit to having writers’ block occasionally!

If you do find yourself losing your way, take a break, do something different and come back to it later. Often reading one of your favourite writers can help to break the deadlock.

If you are in need of writing inspiration, these short story writing mini-guides from Mslexia are definitely worth a look.