If you need some help buying gifts for the writer in your life, here are some ideas – even if that person is you!
That's right: Time.
Gift your writer with coupons freeing up their time. For example:
- 1 week where you do their household chores
- A day where you take the kids out to a movie and leave your writer at home in blissful silence
- A weekend where you do all the cooking (or ordering out)
You get the idea. Canva has a template for making coupons, and a tutorial. Now you have no excuses.
Then s/he'll love the scents created by this candle.
We've all seen the posters and coasters with quotes from Shakespeare or Jane Austen. What if you gifted the writer in your life with a t-shirt or pillow or wine bottles with her book cover or text from her most recent book?
All writers hit a moment, maybe one each day, where the words won't come. To get out of our heads and into the creative flow again sometimes requires distraction, like the soothing motion of this chainmail vortex toy.
It is likely that the writer in your life carries a fair amount of ‘stuff' around with her: notepads, electronic devices, earphones, books, pens etc. These gorgeous bags from the Bodleian Library in Oxford come in several sizes and book-loving designs.
Books on writing are always appreciated.
Here's my list of books on writing that I have personally found useful. You can my own books for writers here.
One of my favorites is Save the Cat, which is about screenwriting (though the ideas do apply to writing fiction). Even better, there's a new release about writing a novel.
This inexpensive bluetooth speaker is a great idea for both when an author is writing – they can listen to white noise like waves or thunderstorms to help them focus – and when a writer is working on the myriad admin tasks that an author's life is always full of. Listen to podcasts while you do mindless tasks!
This speaker is small and portable so you can take it anywhere in your house (folding laundry in the bedroom? Listen to The Creative Penn podcast while you do), and it comes with a very clever and functional handle so you can hang it off kitchen cupboard handles, for example, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet.
For writing in public, as I do in my local cafe, check out the BOSE noise-cancelling headphones. Yes, they are premium, but they are my ‘must-have' device for keeping the world at bay when this introvert gets overwhelmed.
Writers are also readers.
What reader doesn't love a good book and a cup of tea? This lovely stamped spoon will delight any writer who's taking a well-deserved reading break.
This soft, cuddly blanket is perfect for long winter nights of reading. It's very reasonably priced, reversible, has great reviews, and comes in several colours.
Got a Jane Austen fan in your life? How about Edgar Allan Poe?
These literary t-shirts have novelists names on the back. The company also makes tote bags with similar designs. (Oh, and there's even a Mr. Darcy t-shirt!)
Over at Etsy, these custom book plate stamps will prevent loaned books from not returning home.
We've all had a moment when all we want to do it collapse and read. These fun socks will delight any reader who needs a break.
The Healthy Writer
Writers are becoming more aware that we need more movement in our often sedentary lives. I even wrote a book, The Healthy Writer, about it! Here are a few of the items I use to try to stay healthy:
I use a Humbleworks desk-topper to switch between sitting and standing during the day.
These 1000 mile walking socks worked wonders for me on my 100km ultra marathon in 2016.
Using dictation and speech-to-text software not only helps writers to produce books more quickly, it helps reduce the strain put on our fingers and wrists when we type. Nuance Dragon is one of the most popular speech-to-text programs.
If your writer would like to take his or her dictation practice even further, and dictate while walking, this Sony digital recorder is the one I use.
This desk tidy looks like a vintage typewriter – none of us want to use one to write, but we all love to look at them!
These literary t-shirts are printed with words from favorite books, including designs from The Princess Bride and Outlander to Frankenstein and Jane Eyre. (They've also got scarves, totes, posters and more.)
Hopefully, this list will give you some ideas. Happy Holiday shopping!
[Gift image courtesy freestocks.org and Unsplash.]