Because I work at Crown Media, I get questions all the time about how to submit scripts to Hallmark Channel. Unfortunately, the short answer is: you can’t. (The long answer is: you cannot.) The company doesn’t consider unsolicited pitches or scripts. As an employee, I can’t do script writing for Hallmark Channel, either, per company policy.
Nonetheless, I’ve been a teeny bit involved with a couple of the movies.[spacer height=”20px”]
Christmas In Evergreen[spacer height=”20px”]
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A few years back, when I was still writing for Hallmark Cards, I developed a synopsis that a script writer turned into Christmas in Evergreen, which turned into the first of four Hallmark Christmas movies. I took my inspiration from the classic Christmas illustrations of Geoff Greenleaf, a master artist on staff.
The story changed quite a bit from my synopsis, and with good reason. While there isn’t a Hallmark Christmas movie formula, per se, I didn’t know nearly as much then as I do know about made for TV movies and the Hallmark Channel house style.
Still, I was proud of my small contribution. My husband and I watched the premiere of Christmas in Evergreen in a hotel suite with my brother and his wife, who were visiting Kansas City. We sipped champagne and I enjoyed the pleasantly surreal sensation of seeing some of my ideas—the stressed-out friend, the Kringle Kitchen, the pregnant cow, the snow globe that grants wishes—come to life.
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A Timeless Christmas
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Once Hallmark Publishing got going, it was sometimes hard to get book projects that fit the Hallmark style. Because of that, I developed a few synopses, got them greenlit internally, and then assigned them to authors. Three of our books came about that way; the fourth one, Sunrise Cabin, was too hard for me to let go of, so I wound up writing it myself.
I don’t get paid anything extra on top of my salary for any story development or writing. I was just doing everything I could to get books lined up. Now that we’ve been publishing original fiction for a couple of years, agents and authors have gotten a better idea of our vibe, so I’m probably not going to do it any more in the future.
A Timeless Christmas was one of those books that began with my synopsis. It’s a time travel romance, as you might’ve guessed. The heroine is a tour guide at a historic house that’s been turned into a museum; she wears period clothing and plays the role of the maid who was there in 1903. The hero travels to the present-day from 1903 and finds a bunch of strangers wandering through his house.
I knew exactly who I wanted for the writer: Alexis Stanton. She’s better known as Eva Leigh, the author of sexy feminist Regency romances, and I first got to know her as Zoe Archer, the author of the Blades of the Rose books. Those books were among the first romance novels I ever read, and they helped me get hooked on the genre. If you’ve read my books The Phoenix Codex or The Equinox Stone, you know I like sexy romance with a lot of action and magic, so it’s no wonder I loved the adventurous, steampunk-esque Blades of the Rose series.
Just as I knew she would, the author did an amazing job of turning the very bare-bones synopsis into a fully fleshed out novel with engaging characters and unforgettable scenes. Even though she usually pens edgier stories, she had no trouble writing for Hallmark. She made it her story. It’s charming, quirky, and just plain terrific.[spacer height=”20px”]
[spacer height=”20px”]I was thrilled to learn it was becoming a movie. I loved the last Hallmark time travel movie, Journey Back to Christmas, and I thought viewers would really enjoy watching another one. We’ll see!
Ryan Paevey is starring as Charles, the man out of time. Megan is being played by Erin Cahill, who also starred in a previous Hallmark Publishing book-to-movie adaptation, The Secret Ingredient.
The trailer looks just perfect to me. I really can’t wait to watch.
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Do you watch Christmas movies? Have you ever collaborated on a creative project? Or have you written an actual movie script or two? Let us know about it in the comments! Thanks so much for reading, and take care!
Bryn, you crack me up – I love your “long answer” and I’ve gotta say, you have me intrigued with the pregnant cow! How exciting for you to have another movie come out! How are you celebrating this time? Do you ever get to be an extra in the movies? That would be super fun. Oh, and this book has been added to MY Christmas list…but I might cheat a little and watch the movie first since it’s a premier and all. 🙂
HI Katrina!! I don’t even have any celebration planned this time (I’m still trying to figure out how to celebrate my book release this Tuesday, giving the pandemic), but I’m looking forward to watching. I wish so much I could be an extra! I can walk down a festive Christmas street like nobody’s business 😀 Thanks for the kind words!
That’s amazing! Congratulations! I just watched one of the Christmas in Evergreen movies a few hours ago (Letters to Santa-but I’ve seen the original as well). I cannot wait for “A Timeless Christmas”. It looks wonderful! I am currently writing what I hope will be a book based off a prompt from a different writer. I have read your “5000 Prompts” book and I hated to return it to the library, but I plan on checking it out again as soon as I can!
Hi, Andrea! Thank you so much! Ahh, I hope you like the movie. And I’m so happy to hear you like the 5000 Prompts book! Thanks for commenting. 🙂 I hope you’re doing well!
Sounds fantastic Bryn! I will certainly watch and would also like to read it. Best of luck with these projects. Please continue to keep us informed. Have a great day!!
Cheryl! It’s always good to hear from you 🙂 Thank you so much! Right now as I type, everyone but the West Coast has watched it, so I’m getting antsy, haha. Take care of yourself!
I do watch Hallmark movies and love them! I will look for this one. Thanks for the post and please continue to keep us informed.
I do have a series I’m writing, set in the Ozarks. I’m sending the first to an editor now. The second is a Christmas novel. The third is outlined and I have scribbled notes and a file on my laptop on the fourth.
The first one has been in the works for a while. It’s been through four critique groups and is finally polished enough to submit to an editor.
Every critique group has commented that the novel reads like a Hallmark movie. My current group says they want to move to my little town and spend time with the characters. I wanted to rehabilitate the villian and invite him for Thanksgiving dinner, but they were having none of it. Thry said it was good riddance when he was caught and sent packing.
So, yes, I’m writing a Christmas novel. It’s full of snow, romance, a Christmas wedding, mystery, and a heroine trying to find her place in a new life.
Wow! Bonnie, you have a lot going on, I’m impressed you can juggle so many at once. Best of luck on these projects!
Thank you, Katrina. I’m retired, so I have time to write. Thank goodness, my husband is supportive of my craziness. He will eat whatever I throw on the table. All he asks is we do a day trip now and then.
Bonnie, what Katrina said—you have so much going on! I’m always impressed by your projects. How funny that you wanted a redemption arc for the villain and they were like…nah. 😀 Great to hear from you!
Thank you, Bryn. As I commented to Katrina, I’m retired. I have time.
We lost the Hallmark channel when we changed providers, but we are signing up for the streaming channel this week. We enjoy the Christmas movies every year. This year it will be fun to watch your movie. Congratulations on that.
Yes, my critique group holds my feet to the fire. I made the villain a little too nasty to be redeemed. ?
I’m going to subscribe to the Hallmark Channel to watch all thr Christmas movies, and catch yours. Congratulations!
This is so exciting! Thanks for sharing. I have been watching a lot of seasonal Hallmark movies lately and will definitely look for this one. It’s great to hear the behind-the-scenes stories!
Aw thanks Jillian! And it’s great to hear from you. 🙂 I hope you like it!
I’ve had this on my calendar ever since Eva Leigh posted about it! I’m tickled to hear you were involved too. I am not a fan of Christmas, but I love Christmas stories that have a hint of vulnerability. I love Love, Actually and I thought Jill Shalvis’s Christmas movie that was done by Passionflix was really good, but I don’t usually watch a whole lot of holiday films. But last year I wrote a Christmas story for my former publisher and it was so fun and so sweet. Sadly a lot of things happened in Romancelandia last Christmas that put a damper on its release. I have the rights back and need to decide if I’m going to re-release it this year or wait. There’s just something about a well-done Christmas story! Congrats to you! Can’t wait to see it!
Hey friend! Oh, my gosh, I know exactly what you’re talking about re: your former publisher and Romancelandia, and I’m so sorry it effected you. I’m glad you got the rights back! I hope 2021 holds good things for you, as an author and in general. Thanks for the kind words!
What a great look behind the scenes of Hallmark Publishing. You’ve worked so very hard to grow the publishing arm of Hallmark, and it amazes me. Congratulations, not only on the movie(s), and books but on continued growth and success. I’ve never been lucky enough to collaborate on a project, but I think that it would be so much fun. I’ve given a try with writing scripts, and wow, it was a challenge for me and ended up in the back of a drawer. But I never say never!!
Awww, thank you, friend. I know script writing is very different from fiction—I might try it someday, but I know it’ll be a challenge! Never say never, indeed. 🙂 Hope everything’s going well with you!
My wife and I are really big on the Christmas season, from getting the tree and decking it with some ornaments, taking tours of the Christmas decorations at the local historical society mansion, to enjoying the holiday village and blueberry muffins they have setup at the local Jordan’s Furniture. One thing we also loved quite a bit was watching Hallmark Christmas movies, as they can always be counted on to deliver good feelings. It’s cool to know that you were behind one of those movies.
As for me, I’ve mentioned writing a screenplay (first draft finished) and novel (right now just a bunch of scenes that need to be fit together and given a backbone). I was planning to rush and complete them by end of November. But life gets busy when you don’t expect, and I’ve had to put off the completiion of them.
Right now I’m looking to read several books on writing (including yours) so I set myself up for the best possible outcome.
And my plan now is to spend all next year writing and polishing my work so they end up being as high quality as possible.
Hi Chris! Some years we’ve done a lot of Christmas things, and some years, not so much. This year, I can’t wait to decorate. 🙂 Congratulations on the finished script draft! That’s fantastic. I hope 2021 is an amazing year for your writing, and for everything else, too!
Wow I had no idea you had such a cool job. It’s great that you’re making inroads into the TV industry through your writing. It must be so exciting to see you ideas turn into a movie. Congrats!
Hi Naomi! Well, my job can be pretty crazy, but yes, it’s very cool, too. 🙂 I’m watching right now and it’s a lot of fun. Thanks for the kind words! I hope everything’s going well with you!
Congratulations! It was wonderful! Everyone tweeting along loved it, too!
My first published story was Christmas. The current story I’m revising is also a Christmas story. I once wrote a short Christmas play “collaboration” for a youth group at church–many moons ago.
I belong to an online screenwriters group, but I think I prefer to pen books. I have both kinds of author friends. One of my friends won a Nicholl’s Fellowship. She was also a finalist for the RITA many years ago.
Congratulations, Bryn. Good work. Much success, Sue Rich
I’m a total sucker for cheesy Christmas movies. While I may have strict rules on when decorations are put up and taken down, I will watch those things all year long.
That is really cool that you’ve had a hand in so many of those. You should be really proud. It’s another lovely feather for your already glorious hat.
I’ve always loved your writing, and even though I am currently editing my 13th novel, I have learned a lot from you with the last few. Thanks for always including me when you send you blog out.
Congratulations! I love the Hallmark movies, and I can’t wait to see this one!
Eeep! You described the dream–sitting with loved ones and sipping something bubbly while watching your story ideas on TV. *swoon*
Okay but seriously, how did you get started in the editing/publishing industry? I’ve been following your blog for a few years and I suppose I am a wee bit enamored by your work experience. I’m trying to figure out if I even have the slightest chance of getting my foot in that door at all, or if it’s a freelance life for me (after grad school, of course). Not that there is anything wrong with freelance work–I’m 100% fine with that route, as well! 🙂
Heyyy friend! It really was lovely. As far as how I got involved with publishing…it’s kind of a funny story. Basically, I pitched the idea for the business to the folks at the Hallmark Channels, and it got greenlighted. For so long, most of the publishing jobs were in New York, but I do think that with the pandemic, they may be opening up to more remote jobs. I hope so!
Loved…….LOVED……..L.O.V.E.D. a Timeless Christmas. Just made it in time, too. (That is the reference to what I call the Hallmark-Two-Minutes-to-Kiss-Bewitching-Hour). Thank you for your work, I just loved it.
Am looking forward to someday being part of the Hallmark family as I venture into doing this the way it’s outlined by so many; with an agent, and teasing a story of a rich father charging his son to remain incognito granting a large gift at Christmas time as he meets the love of his life doing what his father asks……but……oh wait, I may have said too much. 🙂
May our pathways cross someday.
Thanks again.
Warm regards.
Tom