By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

The first Wednesday of February is World Read Aloud Day, and for writers, that means a day of remembrance when we first heard a story that excited us.

The earliest form of storytelling was oral. Imagine sitting around a crackling fire and listening to tales of heroes who’d gone before. Most of us have been a part of a campfire adventure with someone telling heroic tales, true happenings, mysteries, and scary ghost stories. Voice inflections made the experience more real. We still enjoy a good storyteller. The reader has the gift of placing us into the story’s setting by using sounds and expressions that keep us captivated. No wonder audio books are so popular!

We writers long for our stories to reach out and grab the reader, send them on a magic carpet ride, and forever change their lives.

For a bit of twist on things, here’s five ways we writers can celebrate World Read Aloud Day

1. Open to the first page of one of your favorite authors and read two to three pages aloud. When you are finished, ask yourself the following:

• What did I hear that provided a WOW moment?
• What do I admire about this author’s writing?
• What literary techniques inspire me to work harder at my craft?
• What can I do now to improve my writing?
• Am I motivated to begin, or do I need more study of writing techniques?

2. Open to the first page of one of your projects and read two to three pages aloud. When you are finished, ask yourself the following:

• Did I hear a WOW moment in my writing?
• What do I like about my writing?
• What do I dislike about my writing?
• What areas of my writing need improvement?
• What can I do to move my craft forward?

3. Use text-to-voice software and listen to the first several pages of your work through the computer-generated voice. When you are finished, ask yourself the following:

• Are you pleased with what you heard?
• Did you pause the process to make changes?
• Is this a practice to continue in your editing process?

4. Read aloud for fun. Did you lose yourself in the book? Were you able to enjoy the book without thoughts of critiquing or editing it?

5. Open a new book in a different genre by an author you’ve never read before. Determine to complete the book with an open mind – unless you find inappropriate material. When you finish, analyze the writer. Will you read more in this genre or by this author?

I challenge you to establish reading aloud as part of your writing and reading life, not just today but throughout the year.

What aspect of reading aloud surprised you?

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