Gift Ideas for Writers

Chances are, if you’re here reading this blog, you’re a writer. If you’re a writer, it’s likely that you have writer friends, too…and maybe, if you’ve been doing this a while, they might even be some of your closest friends. And since it’s holiday time, you might be looking for some unique gift ideas for your beloved writer friends (because let’s face it, writers are NOT normal people).

Or maybe you have someone in your life who is looking for gift ideas for you, the crazy writer in his or her life.  Or…okay. I’ll cut to the chase. If you have a writer to buy a gift for (especially a female one), maybe this list of ideas will help.

Gift Ideas for Writers

 

1. Colorful pens—Even though we do most of our work on computers, I have yet to meet a writer who didn’t have a weakness for beautiful pens. My favorite thing for brainstorming on paper is bright-colored, glittery gel pens. Glitter and gel is optional, but pens, good pens, are something a writer can never have too many of.
2. Beautiful notebooks—Along a similar vein, many of us are particular about where we take notes. For some people, less beautiful notebooks will do, but many of us prefer textures and colors. My favorite notebooks were sold by Borders (RIP) and I haven’t found a good replacement yet, but every once in a while I can find one that meets my standards at Barnes & Noble, Target, or Office Depot.
3. A weekend away with writers—This one is priceless! All you need to provide is money for a (shared) hotel room (preferably with a hot tub…for brainstorming, of course), or agree to watch the kids for a weekend, or just let her go without guilt to brainstorm or do a writing retreat or even a mini-conference.
4.  A back-support pillow— My chiropractor has had one of these in the lobby for ages. I used to avoid it and think bad things about it. Then my back got pretty screwed up from sitting all the time, and my mom bought me a Backtivator, and now I don’t make fun of it anymore. Well, except to lovingly refer to it as my butt cushion. But seriously…if your writer has any kind of lower back pains from sitting all day, this thin cushion can do wonders. It works by using a thinly inflated cushion inside that keeps your back muscles active without you feeling a thing. Though the link here is to eBay and I had trouble finding them online, my chiropractor sells them, and I’m sure others do too.
5. Post-it Notes in multiple colors—They’re useful for color-coded plot boards and for jotting down random notes. I use fewer Post-Its than I used to due to the awesomeness of Scrivener, but I’m still unable to resist a bright, multicolored new package of Post-Its.
6. Other random office supplies—Because, really, office supply lust is the whole reason some of us are in the writing thing.
7. Massage—This gift does triple duty. Not only does it relieve muscle tension from sitting too much and ease the stress of troublesome characters and pressing deadlines, but it’s a prime opportunity for a writer to get away from the screen and have some quiet brainstorming time.
8. A timer—There are versions that force a writer to puke out words online, but I prefer my old-school, wind-up owl timer given to me by one of my beloved writerly friends.
9. Bookstore gift card—Writers are avid readers. There is nothing quite as heavenly for a writer as splurging on books, whether electronic or paper, fiction or writing guides.
10. Time—Especially if your writer happens to be your spouse and the mother of your young children, she would probably appreciate nothing more than a few consecutive hours of silence and privacy to WRITE. Write it down, sign it, and wrap it up. Then honor it.

 

And if these aren’t enough gift ideas for writers for you, check out these other ideas.

Happy Holidays and good luck with your shopping!

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Amy Knupp is the author of 12 contemporary romance novels for Harlequin and 2 self-published short stories, as well as a freelance copy editor for Blue Otter Editing LLC. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two sons, and five cats. She graduated from the University of Kansas with degrees in French and journalism and feels lucky to use very little of either one in her writing career. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, buying books in excess, traveling, breaking up cat fights, watching college basketball, and annoying her family by correcting their grammar.