 Short Stories: December 17, 2025 Issue [#13497] |
This week: The Writer’s 12 Days of Christmas Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week.
Keep reading for your chance to claim an exclusive trinket! |
“Amidst the general call to happiness, the bustle of the spirits, and stir of the affections, which prevail at this period, what bosom can remain insensible? It is, indeed, the season of regenerated feeling—the season for kindling not merely the fire of hospitality in the hall, but the genial flame of charity in the heart.”
~ Washington Irving
The holiday season can feel like a mix of celebration, chaos, reflection—and maybe a touch of burnout. Whether you’re revising, recovering from a tough writing year, or brimming with new ideas, this break offers a rare chance to reset with intention.
So, in the spirit of festive fun (with a pinch of productivity), here are 12 ways to spark creativity, sharpen your skills, and enjoy the ride.
Day 1: Revisit Your “Why”
Before the year ends, take 10 minutes to ask: Why do I write? Your answer might surprise you—and guide your direction for the new year.
Day 2: Curate a Cozy Reading Stack
Choose 3–5 books you’re genuinely excited to read. Skip the guilt picks—just stories that delight or challenge you.
Day 3: Create a Tiny Writing Ritual
Light a candle. Brew a holiday coffee. Play instrumental carols. Small rituals signal it’s writing time.
Day 4: Write Just for Fun
Give yourself permission to play: write a micro-story, a silly scene, a journal entry, or even a tree-shaped poem.
Day 5: Review Your Year in Words
What did you write? Learn? Discover? This isn’t about wins—it’s about growth.
Day 6: Refresh Your Workspace
Clear clutter, add a plant, swap notebooks, or hang a new quote. A fresh space sparks fresh ideas.
Day 7: Try a New Genre
Write a page of sci-fi, a stanza of poetry, or a comedic monologue. Stretch your creative muscles.
Day 8: Build Your 2026 Writing Toolkit
Update your essentials:
• Go-to craft books
• Software you actually use
• Submissions tracker
• Favorite prompts
Day 9: Connect With Other Writers
Send a holiday note to a critique partner, join an online write-in, or share a favorite resource. Community matters, especially for writers who often work alone.
Day 10: Reclaim a Half-Finished Idea
Pick one abandoned project and give it 15 minutes. Sometimes ideas just need time and distance.
Day 11: Set Gentle Goals for the New Year
Think about intentions, not rigid resolutions: For example, write consistently, experiment more, or finish the draft.
Day 12: Celebrate Your Writer Self
Seriously—celebrate! This life you’ve chosen, this craft you practice, this imagination you nurture ... it’s worth honoring. Raise a mug and toast yourself.
A Final Holiday Note
The holidays don’t have to be your most productive season; they can be your most restorative. Whether you write a lot, a little, or occasionally not at all, you’re still a writer. The page will be waiting for you in the new year.
Happy holidays—and happy writing!
Do you have a restorative holiday tradition? Would you like to share your New Year's writing intentions with the rest of the WDC community? Every registered author who shares their ideas and/or creative endeavors relating to or inspired by this week's topic will receive an exclusive "Reset" trinket. The image used to make this month's trinket was created by yours truly. I will retire this month's limited-edition trinket in February when my next short stories newsletter goes live.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Thank you for reading.
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I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. I occasionally feature static items by members who are no longer with us; some have passed away while others simply aren't active members. Their absence doesn't render their work any less relevant, and if it fits the week's topic, I will include it.
Thank you, and have a great week!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
The following is in response to "Fact or Fiction" :
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DRSmith  writes: Here’s one for you, Shannon. An embellished fiction but based on a factual event. Butch was a local police chief well known for his no-nonsense demeanor, and a close friend of my dad (how I learned of the facts behind the plot. Alex was the chief’s best friend). "A KISS FROM ALEX" [13+]
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sindbad  writes: This issue's "Fact or Fiction" theme was a fantastic idea, tapping into that universal fascination with real-life events that seem too outlandish to be true. I particularly enjoyed the host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction reference; it perfectly sets the stage for the suspense of the newsletter's own six short stories.
The balance of fact and fiction stories was spot-on: three genuine historical events and three captivating pieces of fiction. It genuinely tested my ability to distinguish between a well-crafted lie and the absurdity of truth!
* Story #2 (An Extraordinary Coincidence) and Story #5 (The Dancing Plague of 1518) are astonishing historical facts. The connection between Robert Todd Lincoln and the Booth brothers is one of those deeply eerie historical footnotes.
* Story #3 (A Doomed Expedition), the survival story of Ada Blackjack, is an incredible testament to human resilience that deserves more widespread recognition. It's a gripping tale that easily served as the most inspiring piece of the issue.
I especially liked the inclusion of the "Further Reading" links; it validates the genuine curiosity the stories spark and offers an immediate route for inspired authors to delve deeper into these real-life narratives.
The discussion about using real-life events as story fodder, like the "What If?" technique mentioned in the reader feedback, is excellent advice. This issue itself provides six excellent examples—three of which are ready-made premises for a longer work.
Thanks for a truly engaging, thought-provoking, and fun newsletter!
sinbad
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S🤦♂️ writes: Taking the truth and adding fiction to it often comes up with "What if...?" questions. You mentioned the Dancing Plague... I turned it into a zombie story ("Week 42, 2025 - The Dead Dance" ). Then there was the Ash Wednesday fires... which I also turned into a zombie story ("Week 43, 2025 - Ash Wednesday" ). Then there was a snake incident... which I didn't turn into a zombie story ("Week 2, 2025 - Australian Heat" ).
Reality can form some wonderful bases for stories.
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JCosmos  writes: i got these all right. I had read about the Robert Lincoln tale before and the doomed Arctic expedition as well, the rest were new to me.
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JL Richter  writes: I've always been told to 'write what you know', so much of my work is some kind of exaggeration on the truth. But there is one piece that is a particular favorite of mine. Even after all these years, it still tugs at my heartstrings. {ritem: 2340957}
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Detective  writes: I got two correct, but I'd already heard/read them so I picked them out right away. I'm also happy to find someone else that enjoys Beyond Belief: Fact of Fiction. As you said, the show demonstrated that sometimes real life is stranger than fiction.
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thereBdragons  writes: The story I wrote about Tom Thomson and his disappearance in Algonquin Park is still an
unsolved mystery. Mystery On Painted Lake in my port.
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BIG BAD WOLF is Merry  writes: I tried writing a historical fiction story about an ancestor of mine that was kicked out of Ireland for smuggling the good stuff. I ended up working on something else.
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Jeff  writes: I love stories inspired by a mysterious, weird, or unexplained situation from real life. There's something about the mix of creative fiction and concrete details that always makes for a fascinating story. Thanks for sharing these ones!
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Elf Princess Megan Snow Rose   writes: I like the Artic woman and cat survivor story. Tom in the attic. I enjoy scary stories with a good ending that play on the heartwarming. Truth is stranger then fiction. Well-chosen stories, and we do get drawn into stories and they are fascinating. A good Short Stories Newsletter. I enjoyed the stories.
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Jinglette Bellette  writes: I used a real life family as the characters in this short story: "Handheld Gaming Devices" [E]
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ruwth  writes: The item I highlighted here "ruwth is writing..." [18+] is chock-full of true stories... Actually, my whole portfolio is full of true stories (some disguised as fiction)...
Anyways, I wanted "Ride Share" to be a true story...
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Citizen Journalist 🎵 writes: I enjoyed the stories and know historical facts to be more compelling to ring as true like Ada’s letter reminded me of those from genealogy research because English is poor, matter of fact, lacking in emotive detail. The fiction stories were vague as writers making up images details that feel contrived, while believable. Instead of research that could provide realistically to story, these were easy to spy. The historical stories strike oddly, seem random and unusual, hard to make up, where the fiction was too devised to set up a reader. The fiction entertains, non-fiction informs. What informs writing is what makes it good for me. I knew of the ironic Robert Tad Lincoln story. I skimmed for five minutes and confirmed my beliefs by googling the suspected non-fiction offerings. It was fun. Now trying to get my wife to read to see if she gets them right.
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FrosTIGGY ☃️  writes: Thank you for an interesting newsletter! I remember Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction - I was never very good at figuring out which was which but I did a little better with the examples in this newsletter.
I have used real-life events as the basis for a short story once or twice, but most are completely made up.
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