So let’s talk about what the Christmas romance tropes are:

“But since it’s Christmas…” 

When better to confess our feelings than on Christmas? But is it a tired cliché? Your readers will be expecting a character to divulge their secrets in a festive epiphany—and Christmas might seem like a useful plot device to make this happen. 

But consider how you could do this in a “new” way. 

Maybe your character goes to reveal their feelings but can’t bring themselves to. Or maybe they find Christmas confessions convoluted and would never admit their feelings, especially on a holiday. 

Maybe they get rejected because their love interest doesn’t believe them. What would you do if someone told you they loved you for the first time, just because it’s Christmas? Would you be flattered or think, do they mean it?

Consider these three main things when writing a romance trope: 

• Is it believable? 
• Is it truthful? 
• Does it reflect real life?

The Christmas or Office Party

Another way we are inspired to confess our feelings is through alcohol. Usually fed to our characters through some kind of Christmas or office party, and there are plenty of these at this time of year. 

Alcohol, or the kid-friendly version, festive spirit, gives us the opportunity to have our characters do things that are, well, out of character. 

Using this as a device means you can create situations where your characters are vulnerable about how they feel. It also allows you to create a storyline where the two leads get together but are still unsure about how the other feels about it the next day. Was it all just because they were drunk or got swept up in the moment? It leaves room for misinterpretation—a classic tool that all romances use. And maybe you’re thinking: ‘I don’t want to use misinterpretation if it’s an overused device’. 

But once again ask yourself, is it realistic? Maybe you wouldn’t get up on stage and sing karaoke to your crush, but you might not believe them if they said they liked you too, after a few drinks.

Post-Break-Up

Picture this: A woman, sitting alone in Starbucks, Pret, Cafe Nero, maybe she’s drinking a Pumpkin Spice Latte, maybe it’s a black coffee. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is that she’s alone. And what’s the only reason a woman gets coffee alone? That’s right, she’s just had her heartbroken. 

Post-break-up is a great place to start a romance story as it begins your story with conflict. But is it too predictable? Are we tired of the hopeless female lead whose life can only be fulfilled through romance? Yes, probably. 

Heartbreak is one of the most relatable emotions we can write about, almost everyone has experienced heartbreak in some way, so draw on those memories, experiences to write about those moments in a concrete and honest way.

Nowhere to Go for Christmas

Another classic trope, which leads off of “the broken-hearted” trope is nowhere to go for Christmas. This could be because of a recent break-up or a strained family relationship but it will make your lead more interesting to their love interest, as they’ll be an air of mystery about it. In a way, this is a hard trope to avoid as it opens up your protagonist to have free time over the holidays. 

So how can we make it fresh? To repeat a mantra, consider realism—many people have fine relationships with their families but still choose to spend Christmas alone. This could be a statement about the character and add to their particular personality and view of the world. 

Maybe they’re working over the holidays—this could lend itself to roles in the emergency services which could be also used as a tool to create the “meet-cute”. 

Stranded

Instead of broken-hearted, maybe your main character is just broken-car-ed 

This is the stranded trope, which can be written in two ways: 

1. A character’s car/vehicle breaks down and is rescued by someone and ends up having to spend Christmas with them.
2. Two characters become stuck or stranded together e.g. in a snowstorm. 

This is a great way to make a romance happen between two characters who “hate” each other (of course, we know that hate is actually attraction). 

Think about opposing characters—how can you make this dynamic super fresh and modern? 

One suggestion, start with your lead—write their character map—and then write a completely opposite character map. These are your two protagonists. 

Pretend Relationship

Stereotypically, holidays can be difficult for single people. At this time of year, in particular, there’s a social expectation to be in a relationship, to have “a date” for events. This is where the “pretend relationship” trope comes in. 

Two single people agree to pretend to be in a relationship for the holidays—whether that’s for one party or the whole two weeks. 

This can go one of two ways, they fall in love with each other or it works to create conflict between one of those characters and their true love interest. However you spin it, the outcome will be when the truth comes to light. 

How can we turn this trope on its head? One way of making this fresh is to think about how the “pretend relationship” comes out. Miscommunication can be a tiring and overused trope and maybe it’s high time our characters were a bit more honest. What if your character just told the truth? That could make a great piece of conflict and drive your story forward.

Mistletoe

What’s it all building up to anyway? Christmas stories are usually fairly family-friendly, which means what we’re leading up to is the kiss. And what’s a great instigator for that? Mistletoe. A magical plant that makes people kiss, what could be a better plot device than that? 

But bear in mind, is a forced kiss really romantic? What are some more romantic ways your two leads could kiss?

An audience has come to expect, and enjoy, these tropes particularly in the sub-genre of Christmas so it’s not wrong to use these tropes. In fact, it’s almost impossible not to. Remember “no idea is an original idea” so don’t feel put down about using these tropes. 

Our advice

Think about quality over quantity. That means don’t use all of them. These tropes aren’t a list to tick off, but a jumping-off point for ideas. Try just using one or two and see where the story takes you. 

Extra tip: 

The best romances are based on truth—so think about the most interesting romantic story from your own life, whether it’s tragic, funny, or just plain romantic.

Lily Ruaah is a Content Writer for PublishingPush.com, which Patrick Walsh founded in 2014. PublishingPush.com is a self-publishing company based in the UK. Patrick started the company because he didn’t feel like the current publishing strategies were fair on authors. Writing, after all, is an art form, not a commodity; and he wanted to give everyone the chance to get published.

The post But Since It’s Christmas: Making Christmas Romance Tropes Fresh appeared first on DIY MFA.

Debbie is the author of many books including: It’s Better This Way, A Walk Along the Beach, Window on the Bay, Cottage by the Sea, Any Dream Will Do, If Not for You, and the Rose Harbor Inn series. Thirteen of her novels have been New York Times #1 bestsellers, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel. The Hallmark Channel has also produced the original series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, based on her Cedar Cove books. With more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide, Debbie is a leading voice in romance and women’s fiction.

In this episode Debbie Macomber and I discuss:

• How our subconscious comes out in writing and directs the topics we explore.
• The balance between writing light Christmas stories and still providing substance.
• Why she began her book with a series of letters and flashbacks mixed with the present.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Debbie Macomber 

Debbie Macomber, the author of It’s Better This Way, A Walk Along the Beach, Window on the Bay, Cottage by the Sea, Any Dream Will Do, If Not for You, and the Rose Harbor Inn series, is a leading voice in women’s fiction. Thirteen of her novels have reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel, including Mrs. Miracle and Mr. Miracle. Hallmark Channel also produced the original series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, based on Macomber’s Cedar Cove books. She is also the author of the cookbook Debbie Macomber’s Table. There are more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide.

You can find Debbie on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Dear Santa

Lindy Carmichael isn’t feeling particularly joyful when she returns home to Wenatchee, Washington, for Christmas. The man she thought was “the one” has cheated on her with her best friend, and she feels completely devoid of creativity in her graphic-design job. Not even carolers or Christmas cookies can cheer her up—but Lindy’s mother, Ellen, remembers an old tradition that might lift her daughter’s spirits. 

Reading through a box of childhood letters to Santa and reminiscing about what she’d wished for as a young girl may be just the inspiration Lindy needs. With Ellen’s encouragement, she decides to write a new letter to Santa, one that will encourage her to have faith and believe just as she’d done all those years ago. Little does Lindy know that this exercise in gratitude will cause her wishes to unfold before her in miraculous ways. And, thanks to some fateful twists of Christmas magic—especially an unexpected connection with a handsome former classmate—Lindy ultimately realizes that there is truly no place like home for the holidays.

In Dear Santa, Debbie Macomber celebrates the joys of Christmas blessings, old and new.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 381

(Right-click to download.)

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 381: Writing and Publishing a Christmas Novel – Interview with Debbie Macomber appeared first on DIY MFA.

Romantic Times has described her as “a magician with words” and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their “Top Pick” slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. Today we’ll be discussing the art and craft behind her latest novel A Wedding in December.

In this episode, Sarah and I discuss:

• How one character inspired A Wedding in December
• What makes holiday romances so popular
• Navigating writing a story where “happily ever after” is guaranteed
• Developing an authentic setting
• Balancing family secrets in a multi-pov story

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Sarah Morgan

Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She has sold more than 18 million copies of her books and her trademark warmth and humour have gained her fans across the globe. She is also a three-time RITA award winner, most recently for How to Keep a Secret. Sarah lives near London with her family and when she isn’t writing or reading, she likes to spend time outdoors walking or riding her mountain bike.  

Join Sarah’s mailing list at www.sarahmorgan.com for all book news. For more insight into her writing life follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

A Wedding in December

This funny, charming and heartwarming new Christmas novel is USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan at her festive best!

In the snowy perfection of Aspen, the White family gathers for youngest daughter Rosie’s whirlwind Christmas wedding. First to arrive are the bride’s parents, Maggie and Nick. Their daughter’s marriage is a milestone they are determined to celebrate wholeheartedly, but they are hiding a huge secret of their own: they are on the brink of divorce. After living apart for the last six months, the last thing they need is to be trapped together in an irresistibly romantic winter wonderland.

Rosie’s older sister, Katie, is also dreading the wedding. Worried that impulsive, sweet-hearted Rosie is making a mistake, Katie is determined to save her sister from herself! If only the irritatingly good-looking best man, Jordan, would stop interfering with her plans…

Bride-to-be Rosie loves her fiancé but is having serious second thoughts. Except everyone has arrived—how can she tell them she’s not sure? As the big day gets closer, and emotions run even higher, this is one White family Christmas none of them will ever forget!

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio or Google Play and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 285: Character-Driven Holiday Romance — Interview with Sarah Morgan appeared first on DIY MFA.