5 Things That Make a Hallmark Story
What makes a book or a script the kind of story that gets made into a Hallmark movie? It’s not just about bringing a big-city gal back to a small town, introducing a Christmas tree farmer, or even keeping things G-rated.
(Forced Proximity: 50 Reasons for Your Characters to Be Stuck Together.)
For instance, my new magical rom-com novel, Her Knight at the Museum, has been optioned for a Hallmark movie. It takes place in Chicago in the spring, and it’s a sexy book. (Obviously, a few scenes won’t make it to the small screen.) So what gives?
As a former Hallmark Channel employee and the creative producer of two Hallmark movies, I’ve observed that there are some key elements to a Hallmark story that make it distinctive, yet often go unrecognized. You can use these ingredients in any story to give it a more heartwarming, uplifting vibe.
1. Idyllic Outdoor Settings
Have you ever noticed that Hallmark movie characters are outside a lot? They’re walking around lakes, going to state fairs, and picking pears. Even when it’s cold, they’re attending a Christmas tree lighting ceremony or just hanging out at the local gazebo.
Celebrating the seasons is a big part of the Hallmark brand, and outdoor scenes are a great way to do that. But that’s only one of the functions of these settings.
Many viewers and readers turn to rom-coms, cozy mysteries, and certain other types of movies and fiction as a feel-good escape, both from their daily lives and from the depressing online content they’re consuming. An idyllic outdoor setting offers more of an escape than a typical home or workplace setting. In my book, the set pieces at a rooftop restaurant, a lively baseball game, and the beautiful Chicago Riverwalk help convey that Hallmark-movie mood.
Keep in mind, too, that a gorgeous outdoor backdrop amplifies a romantic scene. The beauty and expansiveness underscore the idyllic and limitless nature of true love.
2. Strong Emotional Support Systems
Hallmark movies and many romance novels offer not only the fantasy of falling in love with one’s soulmate, but also the fantasy of an emotional support network. In modern life, many people feel alone and disconnected.
But in these stories, main characters have family members and friends who care about them and want the best for them. Even coworkers and neighbors take an active interest in the main characters’ lives and wish them well. The stories often show new friendships or family reconciliations unfolding along with the romance.
A small town setting is one great way to evoke that fantasy of a network of emotional support.
3. Mental Health Is More Important Than Work
A common criticism of Hallmark movies is that they are anti-feminist because the heroine sacrifices her high-powered job for a man. This isn’t actually a thing.
Some Hallmark movies star a heroine who has given up too much of her life and her peace of mind to a job she hates doing. She is anxious, unhappy, and stressed. Over the course of the story, she finds a better life for herself, one that includes both love and an enjoyable career that isn’t all-consuming.
Staying in a job that makes you miserable is hardly a feminist triumph. Many Hallmark movies challenge the capitalistic definition of success. They remind viewers that no job is worth our happiness, and that a career is no substitute for a life.
4. Kindness Matters
It’s not unusual in Hallmark movies to see people doing acts of kindness. They might be bringing someone fresh-baked muffins, repairing a neighbor’s rickety porch, or heading up a toy drive for charity. The hero is just as likely as anyone else to be involved in these activities—a strong contrast to the brooding, domineering hero in many steamy romance novels.
Hallmark movies have an underlying ethos of niceness. The leads may be witty, but they’re not snarky. In most cases, they don’t look down on others or hurt others’ feelings with sarcastic comments. Eccentric minor characters aren’t outcasts; they’re still part of the community.
In my book, my medieval knight character is very eccentric. He speaks like a character out of Chaucer; he’s shocked by technology; he’s sometimes wearing a full suit of armor. Nonetheless, most Chicagoans respond to him with friendliness.
Both of my main characters in the book are extremely nice. Because the knight was lonely and isolated for centuries, he appreciates interactions with others. My heroine wants to help him adjust to modern life and be happy—even if he doesn’t end up with her.
5. Clear Character Arcs for Both Leads
In most Hallmark movies featuring a male/female romance, the female lead is often the true protagonist. However, the male lead is not just there to facilitate her emotional journey.
I learned this the hard way in my first pitch meetings with producers. A story would die in the pitch meeting because an executive would say, “I don’t understand his arc.”
In many romances, one main character has a bigger arc than the other one, and that’s fine. But whenever I plot a romance now, I consider how both characters will grow, change, or learn over the course of the story.
I hope this helps anyone who wants to write a story in the Hallmark vein! Now more than ever, we can all use hopeful and optimistic stories that make us feel positive about life.
Check out Bryn Donovan’s Her Knight at the Museum here:
(WD uses affiliate links)