With the exception of a few Christmas films streaming and new channels competing for viewers, I've watched all but one of the Hallmark, Lifetime, UpTV, IonTV Christmas Romances. The last few played were bottom of the barrel. I learned a lot. Long thread...

Story: a well crafted story can make or break a script. What makes a great story? That's the million dollar question. I prefer stories that pull at the heartstrings & keeps me engaged. Stories that could happen in real life. On occasion, whimsical stories with Santa using magic.

Chemistry: it can be written for the characters but in film, actor chemistry is critical. And there were many in which the pairing was off. Again, it could have been Covid, tentative physical engagement/proximity. But if I don't feel the attraction, then I don't trust the story.

Conflict: It happens. It's realistic. But in a Christmas film, I want a lighter conflict. A story of a parent dying thru the film and at the end isn't light. It's not my cup of tea during this pandemic. I didn't watch one yet bc of the grieving involved.

Goal/Motivation: there's always G/M in a story. The more creative the G/M of the couple, the more I rooted for them to get together. But if their G/M would seemingly keep them apart, I tended to dislike the story bc I feared their relationship wouldn't work in the long term.

Happily Ever After: it's all in the journey and how the couple works toward their HEA. If all conflict and G/M have been neatly tied up in a pretty bow, then I feel a greater satisfaction that the kiss in the snow means they'll be together forever.

Production: screenwriters have little-to-no say as to casting or production, but some of the productions we're rushed. The scripts/dialogue/action were dense. The chemistry and casting were unremarkable. But despite that failing, it gave me hope.

As a first time screenwriter, hoping to sell my first script, I saw those terrible stories as a chance to sell mine. Not that I'm calling my work terrible but the high demand for scripts means there's a chance for newbies to sell a script. It may debut on an unknown channel...

But in all high probability, it will be made. And I noted Diversity in all facets of filming, not just in casting but the writers to: Black and Asian. That's important. Writers need to see other writers of color selling scripts and films getting made.

From my research, there are some writers who've written many Christmas Romances. They've cornered the market within that segment of screenwriting. That's encouraging. There are still so many stories to be told because there's a...

Formula: you must know how to craft a Christmas Romance script It's as easy as following Romancing The Beat. Watching many films or reading scripts will assist a writer with formulating a script. The viewership prefers this formula, which is why they watch and why there's demand.

Lastly, I don't see the industry halting these holiday Romances. If anything, they're finding more reasons to bring more holiday romance films. I noted the Hallmark films coming in January with new year- new resolution themes. Viewers become hooked.

2 years ago, I wrote out holiday and seasonal themes on index cards with the intention of including stories. It seems like I could sell a script for each month of the year. And that's a good thing for writers.