Day One - 1st Annual 12 Days of Christmas Write Christmas Challenge

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all! 

DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO WRITE TODAY? HERE'S A QUICK ONE!

Even during the most hectic holidays, you can keep your creative juices flowing. If a holiday crams your family in a car en route to a celebration, try to write a tongue twister for some fast and easy fun! Guests can create individual tongue twisters together or alone using a pencil, a piece of paper, a dictionary (optional) and the following basic formula: 

Number the lines of a sheet of paper from 1 to 6. Put your name on Line 1 (Example: 1. CAMILLA).  Pass the page to the person on your right.  Fill out the next number on the list, a last name or word that can be a last name which begins with the same letter sound as name on Line 1 (Example: 2. CAPYBARA). Pass the page to the person on your right.  Write down an action that begins with the same letter sound as name on Line 1 (Example: 3. CREATES). Pass the page to the person on your right.  Write down a place or thing that begins with the same letter sound as name on Line 1 (Example: 4. COOKIES). Pass the page to the person on your right.  Write down a time period that begins with the same letter sound as name on Line 1 (Example: 5.  CHRISTMAS).  Pass the page to the person on your right. Write down a reason that begins with the same letter sound as name on Line 1 (Example: 6. TO COAX CHRISTMAS TO COMMENCE). Return the page to the person whose name is at the top of the page. That person should try saying the twister six times fast for lots of laughs. Above example: “CAMILLA CAPYBARA CREATES COOKIES TO COAX CHRISTMAS TO COMMENCE.”

It may sound like a silly exercise, but it does challenge you to consider words/language and come up with the best one, as well as demonstrates how fun a sentence can sound with some alliteration and consonance. Feel free to post your creations here. 

 HAVE A LITTLE MERRY TIME TO YOURSELF?

For those of you with a little more time. make a list of everything you love about the holidays. Pick one thing and run with it. Keep reading to see how I created my third book -- about one of my favorite Christmas things. 

THE STAR IN THE CHRISTMAS PLAY was originally based upon a beloved camel from a Christmas Manger, my family put out when I was growing up.  I had always wanted to write a story about him. 

When I finally decided to do so and the seeds of the story started germinating, the threads between plot and a camel character were just not connecting. The camel was supposed to arrive at the manger, and when he did, fit right in, so he didn't seem to have a problem. I considered what might have a problem. 

Inspired by my daughter's childhood giraffe blanket, Raffi came into my head. Surely, a giraffe would have a problem fitting in the manger due to being TOO TALL! But it didn't really make sense that he would be in the manger, so my thoughts wandered in a different direction. 

I have a theatre background and love plays and musicals, so I immediately leaned toward Raffi wanting to be a Star (movie). But that didn't quite work either due to his personality and other reasons. 

My challenge became figuring out how a giraffe would overcome a problem and become a star. So I scribbled everything that came into my head - famous stars, both movie and star constellations. I wrote down the North Star and Star of Bethlehem.  That's when everything came together. 

Finally, the pieces fit -- Raffi didn't need to be a movie star, just a kid who wanted a good role in a play. And his problem was that he was TOO BIG! Finally, the idea circle back to the manger that inspired it (although without a camel) and the title came to me -- The Star in the Christmas Play! And the solution -- well, you'll have to read the book to find out the clever solution. 

Thank you for your time today. I hope this has helped inspire you! Please leave a comment if it did. 

And please feel free to share this post on Google Plus, Facebook, Facebook Groups, Twitter and Pinterest to spread the word so that we can have an even bigger and better challenge next year!

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Lynne Marie is the author of Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten - illustrated by Anne Kennedy (Scholastic, 2011), Hedgehog's 100th Day of School – illustrated by Lorna Hussey (Scholastic, January 2017), The Star of the Christmas Play -- illustrated by Lorna Hussey (Beaming Books, 2018), Moldilocks and the 3 Scares -- illustrated by David Rodriguez Lorenzo (Sterling, pending) and Let's Eat! Mealtimes Around the World -- illustrated by Parwinder Singh (Beaming Books, 2019). You can learn more about her at www.LiterallyLynneMarie.com. 

To order the Star in the Christmas Play, click the title.