I’ve posted about how to manage your writing schedule during holidays. Today, let’s talk about writing ABOUT the holidays.

Writing Tip for Today: What are some tips for writing about different holidays?

Christmas in July

If you write for any periodicals, you may already know that lead times are usually six months or more. This means that during the warm summer months, you’ll need to get all Christmasy if you want to publish a Christmas season article or essay.

Some writers actually decorate their writing spaces with lights and a decorated tree—the better to engender the spirit of the cold weather holidays. You could do solstice or any other decoration that reminds you of the holiday and gets you in the mood.

What better way to dredge up holiday feelings than by sipping on pumpkin spice lattes or mulled cider? Just be sure you don’t think too hard about that shorts and tee outfit you’re wearing in the heat of July.

Save Those Ideas

Even writing while surrounded by the trappings of Christmas, Channukah, Kwanzaa or whatever festive day you wish to write about, what to write about? Keep an idea file year-round to draw upon when you’d really rather be swimming or sunning outside.

When you notice story ideas or events happen during any holiday, jot down the overarching theme of what you will try to capture in the written piece. See if you can state that theme in a sentence and then add notes about the details of the event.

Refer to your idea file frequently. You’ll be better prepared in July and you’ll be less likely to forget important actions and dialogue to flesh out your theme. Keep a doc file or even a notebook. Keep an eye out for any holiday angles that could illustrate your ideas.

Keep an idea file year-round to draw upon.

Recycle Write

Another tip for holiday writing is to resubmit a published piece to a separate market. That Christmas or holiday piece that one periodical publisher or editor loved might be attractive to a publisher in a separate market.

For instance, you could market an essay or article to different denominational magazines or regional ezines or newspapers. By changing your piece with a different lede or slant, make your work appeal across genres or markets.

Don’t forget that by publishing short holiday themed pieces that reflect your novel or novella, you build awareness and audience. Some book publishers still release Christmas-themed novels, so stay up-to-date on calls for submissions. Holiday writing might be best in July, but you can increase your reach and platform by writing about holidays that happen in other parts of the year.

Happy Holidays to all my readers! Because of my husband’s passing last week, I’ll be posting oldies but goodies for a few weeks. Have a wonderful season and whatever you do, keep writing!