Tis’ the season for gift giving. It’s easy to know what writers want: a five-book deal at a top publisher. Barring that, check out these suggestions to help you find gifts for the writers in your life.
FOOD ITEMS
Caffeinated beverages
If you hang out with writers, you will soon learn that we love our caffeinated beverages.
Most writers don’t earn a full-time income from writing and may take many years to “make it.” Most of us write early in the morning or late in the evening and subsist on caffeine. Liquid motivation can go a long way to making the writerly lifestyle work around full-time employment and other life demands.
Or maybe there’s just something about a steaming cup of coffee that’s downright magical.
In any case, find out the preferred caffeinated beverage of your writer and go to town. Options include:
- a sampling of teas
- a really large bag of coffee
- membership is a tea or coffee of the month club
- Gift card to a coffee shop or tea house
Go ahead and spring for the good stuff. A really good cup of home-brewed coffee is a nice luxury at cents to the cup.
Things to put caffeinated beverages into/make them with
Again, writers like caffeinated beverages. So why not give them the gift of making a swanky cuppa at home. Or a fancy mug to hold that steaming cup of inspiration.
Consider:
- a next level coffee pot
- a coffee bean grinder worthy of a true coffee drinker
- a teapot that will inspire them
- a writerly mug or two
- an electric kettle
If you’re feeling crafty, you can even try one of the millions* of ideas on Pinterest for decorating a coffee mug with a permanent marker.
Comfort foods/drinks
Aside from caffeinated beverages, comfort foods and drinks are also a good bet.
The path to success is paved with rejection and angst. The angst of showing your work to the world. The rejection when it’s not immediately accepted as the most amazing things since Harry Potter. The angst of wondering if you will EVER get published. The angst of worry when you finally are published. It doesn’t end.
Which is why, in addition to caffeinated beverages, writers are fond of our comfort foods. Ferret out the comfort food of choice for your writer and then get creative. Common choices include:
- Chocolate
- Wine
- Chocolate of the month or Wine of the month club
Like coffee and tea, a little splurge can go a long way. So skip the checkout chocolate bar and go for the Godiva.
STATIONARY
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a writer
must be in want of stationary
– Not Jane Austen
Ok, not as eloquent as Jane’s opening line about marriage, but it does seem true that writers love the physical tools of the trade. Even those of us that do our writing on a computer, still love the old-fashioned stuff.
A Fancy Pen (or two)
A good pen is a wonderful thing. I like to use pens as a tangible celebration of accomplishments. Like a bottle of wine, I find the price bump from “mediocre” to “good” is not too bad. But you can easily spend upwards of “that could have been a mortgage payment.”
Here are two pens that I currently own and love but won’t break the bank:
If your writer is a true pen lover, check out these pen recommendations.
Notebook or Journal
A nice notebook pairs well with those new pens you’re buying. If your favorite writer has not yet discovered the joys of Bullet Journaling, they will. Trust me. I give it a year or until they open an Instagram account, whichever comes first.
Whatever they’ll use it for, you really can’t go wrong with a nice notebook:
Traveler’s notebook
Really want to wow your favorite writer? Let them know you believe in them and that you have impeccable taste? Well, let me introduce you to your newest obsession: traveler’s notebooks.
The concept is easy: It’s a leather cover with elastic strings that let you slip in and out different notebook inserts. All the joy of a new notebook but it just keeps going forever.
(I may be slightly obsessed.)
A traveler’s notebook is an investment. Do a favor for your favorite starving artist and make the investment for them.
You can buy from the Midori, the company that originated travelers notebooks, or you can choose one of about a million gorgeous examples from around the interwebs. For instance:
FUN
Ok, if you have made it this far and still haven’t found anything to give your favorite writer, try these:
StoryCubes
Story Cubes are a fun and simple game, perfect for your favorite writer ages 8+. It’s simple – roll the picture dice, and use the picture you roll to help build a story.
Books
I left this to last because it seems…. obvious….?
Every writer is also a reader. Period. And most of us could use help in financing our book addiction. If you don’t have a book in mind, try one of these suggestions:
- One of these writing books
- One of these kidlit books
- Gift card to a bookstore
- Payment of library fines (No idea how this would work but boy would it be nice.)
The ultimate (and free) gift for any writer
Whatever you’re purchasing for your writer, there’s one thing you absolutely MUST give them: your support.
It’s simple. It’s free. But it’s the one thing most writers can’t do without.
Writing can be a lonely endeavor. It takes persistence and years of dedication. Let your writer know you support them.
Support can come in many forms:
- understanding that your friend may need to stay in and write rather than hit the town with you
- knowing that it’s a long process and that lack of tangible progress (like a book on Amazon) is not a sign of failure
- gifting them with the time to write
- realizing that this is a commitment and a passion, not a hobby
However you show it, shower your writer with support, and they will thank you every time.