By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

This month brings on the most festive time of the year, and for writers, this often means how can I give something meaningful to my readers. The what-to-give and how-to-present it can be a huge dilemma, but hopefully after reading this article, you’ll choose the perfect gift for your readers that also fits your budget.

The following are five ideas to stir up your creative juices. In addition, some of the ideas may be suitable gifts or events for family and friends.

1. Write a short new story that fits your genre, a Christmas short that includes your characters from your last novel, or a Christmas short story. Create a cover and present the story in a pdf. This can be presented via online or through a QR download code.
2. Do you have a particular theme, hobby, or career in your last book or a topic uniquely you? Can you expand on any of those? For example, a pdf of recipes, instructions related to a specific hobby or interest, an epilogue to your current story, or your own travel experience during the holidays.
3. Do you have a self-published e-book that readers could download?
4. Zoom parties are incredibly fun. The writer sees the faces of those in attendance, and the partygoers see the writer’s face. The interaction creates lasting friendships. This option can include many opportunities to ensure a zoom party is the best possible event.

• Create a meme invitation and spread the word through social media.
• If the writer has a green screen, he/she can opt for a Christmas background.
• Add more fun to the event with a cookie recipe swap, Christmas pajama contest, ugly sweater contest, etc.
• Decorate your desk for all to see.
• Offer contests for all to vote: For example, a Christmas pajama contest, or an ugly sweater contest.
• Random drawing contest with a favorite list of Christmas songs, Christmas movies, books, holiday vacations, holiday pertaining questions, who lives the farthest away, etc.

5. Group Zoom parties allow the participating writers to contribute to the planning and fun! The event has the potential to be a memory-maker for all.

• All the ideas listed in #4 apply.
• Each writer contributes a book to a giveaway.
• Each writer donates money for a grand giveaway gift card from an online retail store.
• A Christmas play script could be developed for each writer to play a role. The script could reflect a specific genre, such as romance, mystery, suspense, historical – just keep it fun.

Use your imagination for your Reader Christmas Gift excursion. Your readers will thank you, and you will be blessed.

What other ideas can you share?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards, the Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, BookBub, YouTube, LinkedIn. or her website: diannmills.com