Christmas Stories

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This Christmas I'm giving my niece and nephews short festive tales by yours truly. Stories as gifts? Why not? Certainly you cut down on your shopping time and increase your writing time.

Writing for children is exciting new territory for me. Of course my stories' main characters happen to be about the same age as my niece and nephews and have the same interests.

Before I began writing, I made lists of all the exciting events, activities, and customs associated with Christmas/winter. Then I made lists of all the ideas, questions, skills and facts associated with my niece and nephews' favourite hobbies.

I then wrote two separate stories – one for the girl and one for the boys based on the most intriguing items from the lists I'd made.

I never would have tried writing for children if I wasn't an Aunt...and I'm really glad I did try. It feels like a breakthrough of some sort.

It pays to experiment with different genres! Even if I don't succeed in entertaining my niece and nephews with my stories – I've certainly got a kick out of it. And as Ray Bradbury says, "I defy you to write 52 bad stories in a row! It can't be done. It can't be done." There's always next year, or for that matter, another birthday coming up...

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