What should you buy for the writer on your gift list? Here are some ideas that may appeal to all in no particular order. Some of the more interesting gifts I’ve received have come from my writer pals or my kids, like the jar labeled Writer’s Remedy that holds little squares with different words for inspiration, or the figure holding a hammer to his computer with a plaque that says #1 Author & Mom, or the coffee mug with my book title. One year, my husband gave me a glass-blown Disney castle to represent my dreams coming true. Be imaginative or be simple. Whatever you give will be appreciated.
1. Books and DVDs on their Wish List.
2. Gift Cards to Amazon, BN, Starbucks, Office Depot, iTunes or their favorite shopping site.
3. Office Supplies: Sticky notes, highlighters, Sharpie pens, a good quality ballpoint pen, paper clips, pocket notebooks. You name it, we can use it.
4. Personalized notepads or sticky notes.
5. Cute desk accessories like Brighton pens or desk clocks or magnetic paper clip holders.
6. Scented candles to make the office smell good.
7. Body lotions, hand cream, scented soaps. These are always useful.
8. A gift certificate to a day spa. A manicure or massage can go a long way toward relaxation.
9. Flash Drive. We can use several of these to back up our files and to keep in different locations.
10. Portable charging device for electronics.
11. Food baskets, chocolates, and wine. You can never go wrong here.
12. Decorative coasters for their desktop.
13. Collectible paperweights.
14. Restaurant gift cards so they don’t have to cook.
15. Cute novelty items for writers. Look in all those catalogs you get in the mail.
16. DVD movies about writers. Years ago, I gave my critique group pals each a DVD of Her Alibi. Starring Tom Selleck, this movie is a hilarious romantic crime caper about a mystery writer. Or get one of the many take-offs on Jane Austen (Austenland, Lost in Austen, plus the works themselves), English period murder mysteries or Downton Abbey, the latest season of Castle, or anything else your loved one might appreciate. Remember how we all loved Romancing the Stone? The classics never go out of date.
17. Did I already mention chocolate?
What else would you add to this list?
Nancy,
These are great ideas! Can’t think of anything to add.
Thanks for stopping by, Jacqueline.
I’m all for chocolate, but what I want for Christmas is my muse back. She deserted me a year or so ago. Sigh.
Oh, dear. Maybe you need to sit down and start writing…anything that comes to mind, to get yourself back in the habit. Or sign up for a writers conference. That might provide inspiration. Actually, a registration fee could be a nice gift for a writer.
I think a trip to a conference or writer’s retreat is the ultimate gift for any writer, whether she be struggling or not. But the Holiday Elves need to have had a banner year to drop that one down the chimney.
I would suggest giving (or rereading) any inspirational books about writing, such as King’s ON WRITING, or BIRD BY BIRD.
My dad always finds great gifts for me–two of my favorites are a heavy mug inscribed “Professional Smartass”, and a beautiful glass paperweight engraved with the words,”There is no inspiration like the deadline.”
I agree, Kathryn, in that those personalized gifts can be most memorable.
I’m an indie author on a limited budget. My daughter financed a direct email ad at Kindle Nation Daily for one of my books. It meant the world to me.
Kathy
Now that’s a thoughtful gift!
Great suggestions. I once babysat for an afternoon as a gift for a writer who never has free time except when all are in bed asleep. She loved it!
I’ll bet she did. You’re a sweetie.
Yeah, they’d have me at chocolate. Nuff said.
Fuel for the brain, right?
Ha! I almost wrote Brain Food in my first comment. Definitely a food group for me. Yum.
Personally I wish there were a way to give the gift of imagination. A way in which we could take thoughts and mental images and share them with each in such a way to have felt as though we’ve lived it ourselves. In lieu of that though, I guess that regardless of any gift giving in the season it is nonetheless a time to be thankful on all fronts.
Indeed it is a time to celebrate in the wondrous knowledge that having lived this long you can still smile and be joyful, which is the state of being many of us enjoy due to the simple truth that we have never been kidnapped by aliens who put strange medical probes into highly inappropriate places, never had out eyes plucked out by mad scientist chickens and replaced with large white eggs with iris’s crudely painted back on them, and most especially that we have never been run over by a stampeding horde of Panamanian Slobber Bellied Jumping Bunnies, who, in spite of their name strike terror in the hearts of all who know of them due to the high acidity of their saliva and the fact that they are voracious carnivore bunnies who particularly like to eat fingers and noses. Yes…so much to celebrate … so, so much!
Ah…yes, truly we have much to be grateful for, especially our freedom to choose how we wish to spend our days. As for sharing a sense of imagination, one can always buy the recipient a selection of popular fiction.
How about paying for the services of a virtual assistant? I know I could always use help with the business side of writing.
I want that one!!!! Just saying….
I have an embroidery machine and I bought some composition books for my writer’s group pals and made covers with an embroidered picture of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, The Raven, stitched inside the outline of a raven.
That’s a clever, and a heartfelt, gift.
My parents have a large bottom freezer in their fridge. For Christmas, they’ll have lots of family coming to visit. Thought it would be fun to order a surprise to sneak into their freezer.
A severed arm.
*snort*
(Gifts from writers: a post for another day)
Yikes, that’s enough to scare someone.
Great list! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Nancy, thanks for all your great posts over the past year.
Have a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Same to you, Steve. Stay healthy and have a great holiday!
Pre-paid ticket to the conference of her choice, with first class accommodations for the writer and her critique partner.
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Flash drives. You never know when those would have to be brought up and put into use, with the very amorphous state of data transfer and movement nowadays, dropping from one point of the grid to another, and carrying their memory bulk with it, with its varied potential contributions to fields such as science, medicine and the arts. Oh well, at least, they serve such big help. Anyway, thanks for sharing that! It’s a great read. All the best to you!
Lillian Walker @ Taylor Works