Send us your Christmas stories

Have you written a story about Christmas for your memoir?

If so, send me your Christmas vignette by December 10 and I’ll select one or more to publish here.

Spiff up your rough draft (or start writing it), keeping in mind the definition of memoir (click on What memoir is: Back to basics).

Remember, in writing memoir we go beyond digging up memories. Within our memories, we peel back layers to discover what was going on under the surface. Search for overlooked significance. We work to make sense of what God was doing in and for and through us, and others, at the time—and what it all meant.

“Rather than simply telling a story from her life,

the memoirist both tells the story

and muses upon it,

trying to unravel what it means

in the light of her current knowledge. . . .

The contemporary memoir includes retrospection

as an essential part of the story.

Your reader [is] interested in how you now,

looking back on it,

understand it.”

(Judith Barrington, Writing Memoir)

“The author must impose a coherence

on events he chooses to include

that may not have been present as he lived them. . . .

It’s that selectivity that transforms a memoir

from a report to a reflection

which gives meaning to the events

which might not have been evident to the author

as she lived them.”

(The Author’s DualRole in a Memoir, by Biff Barnes)

  

Capture sweet moments, hilarious events, personality quirks, tragic loss, courageous decisions, integrity, tenacity, or high adventure—all make for great reading.

Helpful tips:

Character development: Each person is complex. Develop your main characters’ shortcomings, redeeming qualities, beliefs, prejudices, body language, tone of voice, attitudes, and quirks.

Was he sentimental or no-nonsense? Comical or dour? Consistent or inconsistent? Gentle or gruff? Did she stand tall or did she slouch? Was he optimistic or pessimistic? Did she stress the importance of table manners? What else was important to him?

picture in public domain

Emotions: Incorporate emotions—about happy, joyful events as well as scary things and grief. Not all stories have happy beginnings or endings.

Allow readers inside your heart and mind.

Include your thoughts—even your struggles—to understand what was happening. Write of your delights as well as your doubts. Ask questions even if you have no answers.

You’ll find tips from Method Writing and from Kathleen Pooler’s post, Evoking Emotions: The power of Sensory Detail in Storytelling.

Also bring in adventure and humor where you can. Click on How to Add Humor to a Sad Memoir, Lisa Romeo’s post about how, why, and where to include humor in a sad memoir.

Sensory details: If you want readers to enjoy your stories, you must include sensory details. Invite them to see, hear, feel, taste, and smell what you experienced so they can enter your story with you.

Don’t miss our earlier posts, December’s Details for Your Memoir as well as Details: A must for your memoir. They’re packed with resources for you.

Your opening: A story’s beginning can make it or break it. It can invite readers in—or send them away. Most writers experiment with many openings before they get just the right one. Spend lots of time on your opening. Some don’t even try to write it until they’ve finished the main body of the story.

Check out these helpful links about writing your vignette’s opening.  (Keep in mind these posts are about crafting the opening of an entire memoir, but they also apply to the opening of chapters/vignettes.)

Links:

Does your beginning pass the test? 

Does your opening make your story a must-read?

Your memoir’s opening—like a Baked Alaska? 

If you don’t get this right, you’ll lose readers

Why should you wait to write your opening?  

People will examine your opening  

I gave the famous author two days to convince me to read her book  

Write your story well  

Spotting major flaws in your opening 

Important: Click on this link to look at

• the importance of creating a sense of place, and
• crafting your story's ending.

Please submit a vignette that

has not been published before, or

 is a story you published in the past 

and it’s copyrighted in your name.

Aim at writing 1000 words or less in a Word document sent as an attachment to LindaKThomasAuthor [at] gmail [dot] com. (Replace [at] with @ and replace [dot] with a period, scrunch everything together, and your email should reach me.) Please write “Christmas vignette for SM 101” in the subject line so I’ll know it’s not spam. Thanks.

Ready, set, go!

Send me your Christmas stories, Part 2

WooHooo! I’ve already received a Christmas story from one of you dear followers of SM 101, and I’m excited to read stories others will submit. How’s your story coming along?

Remember, I need to receive your stories by December 10 and I’ll pick one or more to publish here. See below for submission details.

If you missed last week’s post, Click on Send me your Christmas stories. It contains tips on character development, emotion, sensory details, and your vignette’s opening.

Today we’ll look at the importance of

• sense of place, and
• endings.

Your story’s sense of place: Establishing a sense of place will draw readers into your story.

“To achieve intimacy with your reader,” says Danielle Lazarin, “you have to say to them: here is your key to the apartment, here is the school, there’s a set of trees that perfectly frame the river, that’s where your friends live, your sister’s down that road.”

How do you do that? You include sensory details. What do readers need to see, touch, taste, smell, and hear?

If you invite readers into your “place,” whether indoors or out, whether in a big city or a rural spot far from any town, readers will:

• feel they’re experiencing your story with you,
• get to know you, feel connected to you,
• feel grounded in your story,
• discover the mood, atmosphere, and emotions of that place and time,
• and, in the end, take away important lessons for their own lives. 

You’ll enjoy these words by L.L. Barkat: “. . . A writer must have passions and a sense of place. . . . The words of a region, a philosophy, a passion . . .  come with their own sounds and rhythms and fragrances.”

Make time to think deeply

and describe the culture that exists in the town or business

or church or family in your story.

Pin down the words and philosophy

and passion and rhythms and fragrances

that belong to your story.

Click on these additional posts about creating a sense of place for your story:

Your memoir needs a sense of place

The importance of place in your memoir (This one includes a Christmas setting from my new memoir, Please, God, Don’t Make Me Go: A Foot-Dragger’s Memoir.)

Your story’s ending: Pay attention to your vignette’s conclusion. A weak ending can make a story fall short of its potential impact, but a strong one makes a memoir shine.

That means you need to put a lot of work into crafting it.

Remember this: You just cannot write an ending that gushes, “And they all lived happily ever after.” No, you must not!

Give your vignette’s ending muscle.

Impact. Pizzazz.

Or turn it into a melody. 

Or a prayer.

For the benefit of your readers—and yourself—make time to discover the core, the heart, the soul of your story and highlight that in your ending.

Your goal is to write a satisfying, compelling conclusion that gives readers wisdom, compassion, courage, faith, hope, and inspiration for living.

You want to maximize the power of your vignette’s ending.

Ask yourself: 

• How do I want readers to feel after reading my story?
• How do I want them to think as a result of reading my story?
• What do I want them to do and how do I want them to live because they read my Christmas story?

The beauty of your story will shine brightest at its ending.

Click on this link for help in crafting your conclusion: The beauty of memoir: Your vignettes’ strong endings. 

Be sure to look over and apply the important writing tips from last week’s post (click on Send me your Christmas stories). When you’ve edited and polished and proofread your Christmas story, submit it for consideration. I’ll be happy to edit it before publication.

Please submit a vignette that

• has not been published before, or
• is a story you published in the past and own the copyright.

Aim at writing 1000 words or less in a Word document sent as an attachment to LindaKThomasAuthor [at] gmail [dot] com. (Replace [at] with @ and replace [dot] with a period, scrunch everything together, and your email should reach me.) Please write “Christmas vignette for SM 101” in the subject line so I’ll know it’s not spam. Thanks.

Also please include a short author bio along with links to your website, blog, Facebook Page, and other social media.

Happy Christmas writing!

Send me your Christmas stories

Have you written a story about Christmas for your memoir?

If so, Gentle Readers, send me your Christmas vignettes between now and December 10 and I’ll select one or more to publish here.

Spiff up your rough draft (or start writing it), keeping in mind the definition of memoir (click on What memoir is: Back to basics).

Here in SM 101, we go beyond digging up memories. Within our memories, we peel back layers to discover what was going on under the surface. Search for overlooked significance. We work to make sense of what God was doing in and for and through us, and others, at the time—and what it all meant.

“Rather than simply telling a story from her life,

the memoirist both tells the story

and muses upon it,

trying to unravel what it means

in the light of her current knowledge. . . .

The contemporary memoir includes retrospection

as an essential part of the story.

Your reader [is] interested in how you now,

looking back on it,

understand it.”

(Judith Barrington, Writing Memoir)

“The author must impose a coherence

on events he chooses to include

that may not have been present as he lived them. . . .

It’s that selectivity that transforms a memoir

from a report to a reflection

which gives meaning to the events

which might not have been evident to the author

as she lived them.”

(The Author’s Dual Role in a Memoir, by Biff Barnes)

  

Capture sweet moments, hilarious events, personality quirks, tragic loss, courageous decisions, integrity, tenacity, or high adventure—all make for great reading.

Helpful tips:

Character development: Each person is complex. Develop your main characters’ shortcomings, redeeming qualities, beliefs, prejudices, body language, tone of voice, attitudes, and quirks.

Was he sentimental or no-nonsense? Comical or dour? Consistent or inconsistent? Gentle or gruff? Did she stand tall or did she slouch? Was he optimistic or pessimistic? Did she stress the importance of table manners? What else was important to him?

Emotions: Incorporate emotions—about happy, joyful events as well as scary things and grief. Not all stories have happy beginnings or endings.

Allow readers inside your heart and mind.

Include your thoughts—even your struggles—to understand what was happening. Write of your delights as well as your doubts. Ask questions even if you have no answers.

You’ll find tips from Method Writing and from Kathleen Pooler’s post, Evoking Emotions: The power of Sensory Detail in Storytelling.

Also bring in adventure and humor where you can. Click on How to Add Humor to a Sad Memoir, Lisa Romeo’s post about how, why, and where to include humor in a sad memoir.

Sensory details: If you want readers to enjoy your stories, you must include sensory details. Invite them to see, hear, feel, taste, and smell what you experienced so they can enter your story with you.

Don’t miss our earlier posts, Your Memoir's December Details, as well as Details: A must for your memoir. They're packed with resources for you.

Your opening: A story’s beginning can make it or break it. It can invite readers in—or send them away. Most writers experiment with many openings before they get just the right one. Spend lots of time on your opening. Some don’t even try to write it until they’ve finished the main body of the story.

Check out these helpful links about writing your vignette’s opening.  (Keep in mind these posts are about crafting the opening of an entire memoir, but they also apply to the opening of chapters/vignettes like you’re writing.)

Links about openings:

Does your beginning pass the test? 

Does your opening make your story a must-read?

Your memoir’s opening—like a Baked Alaska? 

If you don’t get this right, you’ll lose readers

Why should you wait to write your opening?  

People will examine your opening  

I gave the famous author two days to convince me to read her book  

Write your story well 

Spotting major flaws in your opening 

For now, go ahead and work on your rough draft. But come back next week when we’ll look at

• the importance of creating a sense of place, and
• crafting your story’s ending.

Here’s something to keep in mind for the future:

Please submit a vignette that

• has not been published before, or
• is a story you published in the past and it’s copyrighted in your name.

Aim at writing 1000 words or less in a Word document sent as an attachment to LindaKThomasAuthor [at] gmail [dot] com. (Replace [at] with @ and replace [dot] with a period, scrunch everything together, and your email should reach me.) Please write “Christmas vignette for SM 101” in the subject line so I’ll know it’s not spam. Thanks.

Ready, set, go!

P.S. Remember to come back next week

for tips on developing a sense of place for your story

as well as writing its ending.

Tuesday Tidbit: Your Christmas stories, part of God’s bigger stories

You have Christmas stories to tell. Oh, yes, I know you do!

And telling them might be more important than you realize.

“It is our personal stories that bring context to God’s bigger story,” state the good folks at Christian Grandparenting Network. “And part of the telling of those stories involves writing them down.”

Illustration in public domain

How true! Think about it:

Until you put your Christmas stories in writing, they are merely your memories,

your thoughts, your experiences.

Someone needs to know your Christmas stories—the sad ones, the happy ones; the normal ones, the unusual ones; the discouraging ones, the encouraging ones; the boring ones, the surprising ones—all part of “God’s bigger story.”

This is a busy time of year so I’m not suggesting you sit down and write. Instead, as memories of Christmases past pop into your mind, jot down ideas and promise yourself you’ll write them as stories in the new year!

Your stories are important! 

God can use them as part of His bigger story 

to teach, inspire, and offer hope.

Tuesday Tidbit: Your Christmas stories need sensory details

Be sure to include sensory details in your Christmas stories.

Sensory details: What do you see, hear, taste, smell, and feel?

Why are sensory details so important? What's the big deal?

You want to draw readers into your stories. Let them experience what you experienced. Sensory details can do that—they can draw your reader right in beside you. 

During these weeks leading up to Christmas, even if you're too busy to write, pay attention to the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and textures of the season. Jot them down so you can use them later when you do have time to write.

What sensory details will you include in your holiday stories?

Maybe these: the sight of the northern lights, the sound of shoveling snow off the sidewalk, the taste of fruitcake, the scent of a pine Christmas tree, and the texture of a woolen scarf.

Or maybe your sensory details include palm trees, sandy beaches, saltwater on your skin, the smell of smoky barbecues, the taste of gingerbread.

Your Christmas details are unique. Find words for them so your readers can relive your past holidays with you.

And have fun writing!

Diana Trautwein’s story, “A Christmas Remembered”

Here’s Diana Trautwein’s riveting Christmas vignette,

the fourth* and final of our guest blog posts.

A Christmas Remembered

Christmas was one week away. As usual, I had more to do than I had hours in the day. Would I manage to keep all the plates twirling overhead as the final countdown loomed? Just the night before, our nine-year-old had played in a school concert; he complained that his foot hurt and I noticed that he limped as the brass section marched into place.

That morning, he clearly didn’t want to go to school; he was slightly feverish, so I told him he could take the day off, tagging along on my errands. “You can rest in the car at the grocery store, honey, but I’ll need you to come in with me at church. I’ve got a rehearsal for Sunday morning.”

As our trio sang into the microphone, I kept one eye on the balcony, where I watched Eric entertaining himself. My tall, lanky son was crawling his way around the balcony floor. “That’s odd,” I thought.

As we headed back to the car, I commented, “It looks like that foot is really hurting you. Can you remember anything that might have caused your ankle to twist?”

“It’s not my ankle, Mom. It’s my heel. The bottom of it is so tender, I can’t step on it at all.” That was odd, too.

At home, I took his temperature; it was now 102 degrees, triggering a call to the pediatrician. Dr. Graves was a large, kind, and careful doctor, never given to alarmism. She laid Eric out on the table, examined him and looked at me hard.

“I don’t like this at all. I don’t like the combination of fever and severe bone pain. I’m calling an orthopedist right now and I want you there ASAP.”

My heart sank. I had dragged this kid all over town. Could he be seriously sick? The entire orthopedic staff was out, having their annual Christmas party, but the doctor came back to see my son. He looked grave.

“I am admitting this boy to the hospital. Take him there now. I am certain that he has osteomyelitis, a serious infection of the bone, and he needs to be on IV antibiotics immediately. You can count on a three-week stay.”

Three weeks??

Now thoroughly frightened, I called my husband and then admitted our boy. We took turns returning home to tend our two older daughters and to pack a few things; we would need to trade off nights at the hospital for as long as it took.

Suddenly, all those plates spinning around in the air came crashing down around my feet. Presents still to buy and wrap? So what? Christmas baking unfinished? Too bad. All of it went on permanent ‘hold’ as we contemplated our son’s illness.

We had called our church prayer line as soon as Eric was admitted and we knew our large circle of family and friends was praying for our boy. We spent our time talking with medical personnel, arranging for our daughters’ care, accompanying Eric to all of his tests and scans.

The orthopedist said, “It’s too risky to cut into his foot for a culture, so I’m guessing the cause of this infection. I’ll try two drugs that should make a difference - IF I’ve guessed correctly.”

We gulped and nodded, hoping that he was as good as his reputation. We sent up wordless cries to heaven as Eric was hooked up to his IV tower, and we began to wait.

A bone scan had revealed a hole the size of a quarter in the bottom of his left heel. Something was literally eating his bone away. He and his dad had taken apart an old jungle gym the week before and both of them had used their feet to kick at rusted joints. We guessed that the problem had its source there.

But the outcome? Completely unknown from day to day. At day four, another series of x-rays and scans were taken. The hole had shrunk considerably! And the pain and fever were lessening. Thank you, Lord! The doctor was astounded at the speed of Eric’s recovery, commenting that the Christmas spirit had accomplished something medicine alone could not.

We took him home on Christmas Eve, two full weeks sooner than expected. He was on crutches for Christmas morning - but he was home! The baking was still undone, the presents were not wrapped - but none of that mattered. Our family circle was complete; together, we opened the last window on the Advent calendar, welcoming the Babe of Bethlehem to our world, grateful beyond words for God’s gift of antibiotics and for well-informed guesses!

You’ll enjoy Diana’s blog, DRGT/Just Wondering.* She’s a deep thinker and eloquent writer, a woman after God’s own heart.

*Links and resources:

Samantha’s Christmas story,

http://spiritualmemoirs101.blogspot.com/2011/12/samanthas-christmas-story.html

Kathy’s Christmas story,

http://spiritualmemoirs101.blogspot.com/2011/12/kathleens-christmas-past.html

Nancy’s Christmas story,

http://spiritualmemoirs101.blogspot.com/2011/12/nancy-fransons-christmas-vignette.html

Diana’s blog, DRGT/Just Wondering,

http://drgtjustwondering.blogspot.com/

Nancy Franson’s Christmas vignette, “Julotta”

Your Christmas vignettes, continued ~

Our guest blog posts—vignettes you wrote—continue today with Nancy Franson's Julotta. (If you missed our first two, Samantha White's* story or Kathy Pooler's,* click on links below.)


Nancy's story stirred up fond scenes from my growing-up years. I know you’ll enjoy it, too:

Julotta

When my husband, the beloved Swede, and I were newly engaged, he took me to visit the church where he and his family worshiped. My father-in-law had emigrated from Sweden as a child and had always been a member of a denomination with strong Scandinavian roots. As we walked into the sanctuary, I swear, I noticed everyone's hair and eyes were the same color. The blond-haired, blue-eyed congregation smiled politely at me, the tall, dark-haired, brown-eyed visitor.

Because once upon a time, my hair really was brown.

While sitting in the pew, I quickly scanned the church bulletin filled with names of folks from the congregation--Johnson, Swenson, Anderson, Lindquist,  I felt like raising my hand and announcing, "My grandmother's maiden name was Donaldson," in hopes that the good Scandinavian folks would accept me as one of their own.

During communion I tasted my piece of bread and recognized a familiar flavor. It was Swedish Limpa. I realized then that these folks were serious about maintaining their Swedish heritage. I wouldn't have been surprised if, instead of wine, the communion cups had been filled with coffee.

Some years later, when our daughter was nine years old, we were heavily invested in reading The Little House on the Prairie series. Stories of immigrants and pioneers captivated her imagination. I saw that a local church, founded in 1898 by Swedish immigrants, was hosting a traditional Julotta service at 6:30 Christmas morning. The senior beloved Swedes had recently moved nearby, and I thought attending this service with them would be a lovely way to celebrate Christmas morning.

It had seemed a good idea at the time. At 5:00 Christmas morning, I wasn't so sure. We had to wake our children (What kind of parent wakes their kids Christmas morning?) and drag them out the door, past the tree and its pile of waiting presents.

Temperatures had dropped overnight causing light rain to freeze on roadways. I watched out the window as a pair of headlights appeared and a car slowly made its way down our street. It had to be my in-laws, I thought. Surely no one else would be out at that time, in those conditions. We cautiously made our way over dark, twisting roads, breathing silent prayer for one unfortunate traveler whose car had fallen prey to the slick conditions.

The tiny sanctuary in the church was lit only by candles placed on the windowsills. We slipped quietly into the wooden pews and were called to worship:

    Varen icke forskrackta. Se, jag badar eder en stor gladje, son skall vederfaras allt folket...

     Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all people...

Winter in Sweden is cold, dark, and dreary. Because of its geographic location, winter days are long and dark until the solstice on December 22. Christmas celebrations, in contrast, are rich with images of light dawning and candles glowing. Throughout the service, in both Swedish and English, we listened to scriptures and sang hymns celebrating the birth of the One who is the Light of the World. As the service progressed Christmas morning dawned, the sun's light slowly overcoming the dark sanctuary.

At the close of the service, we were treated to coffee, mulled cider, and Swedish breads. We listened to stories from elderly members reminiscing about Julotta services they had attended as children. Many recalled how their parents and grandparents had traveled by sleigh, bundled in blankets, to welcome the dawn of Christmas.

It was a blessing, sharing with these folks a celebration of their Swedish heritage. Even greater, however, was the opportunity to rejoice in the heritage which both the beloved Swede and I share. We are privileged to know that, for each of us, generations of relatives have called upon the Lord and taught the scriptures to their children.

    ...surely (we) have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 16:6, NIV

And, at the end of that Christmas day, celebrating Julotta was what our daughter said she enjoyed most.

All hail to thee, O blessed morn!

To tidings long by prophets borne

hast Thou fulfillment given.

O sacred and immortal day,

when unto earth, in glorious ray,

descends the grace of heaven.

Singing, ringing, sounds are blending

praises sending into heaven

for the Savior to us is given!

(Traditional Swedish carol)

Thanks for this heartwarming story, Nancy. In Seattle I attended school and church with lots of Swedes and Norwegians—and now call some of those dear ones my relatives—so your images, traditions, and even surnames brought back fun memories for me.

Nancy originally published her story December 8, 2010, at her blog, Out of My Alleged Mind, at http://www.outofmyallegedmind.com.

Be sure to come back Wednesday because Diana’s Christmas story will grab your heart.

*Links and resources:

Samantha’s Christmas story,

http://spiritualmemoirs101.blogspot.com/2011/12/samanthas-christmas-story.html

Kathy’s Christmas story,

http://spiritualmemoirs101.blogspot.com/2011/12/kathleens-christmas-past.html

Nancy’s blog, Out of My Alleged Mind,

http://www.outofmyallegedmind.com/