Holiday Gift Ideas for Writers
Among all the people on your gift list, writers are easy to make or craft or buy for. Basically, we'll adore just about anything that will make our writing lives easier—particularly if, like most writers, we’re balancing writing with a day job and a gazillion other things.
Here are my 8 gift ideas for the writers on your list:
Small, pocket-sized notebooks: We need them for those middle-of-the-night or on-the-go ideas. You can find them almost anywhere—including at large, cheap retail stores.
A box of professional looking thank-you cards (or two): I love to send out hand-written thank-you notes to business associates, editors, friends, book-discussion group hosts, bookstore event people and others.
Pens: We cannot have too many.
Post-it notes and index cards: Many, many post-it (sticky) notes--preferably in different colors and sizes. Index cards are good, too.
Blank journals: Journals are where we do our morning pages and rough sketches before the first actual draft of the essay or story or book. Plain, lined journals are best. Artist's sketch pads work nicely, too.
Gift cards to coffee shops, book shops and cafes: Many of us do our best work in coffee- or tea-shops. So gift cards are a winner. So are cards for local bookshops.
Packs of ear plugs: These work well when we're writing in a cafe or restaurant or on the train commute.
Gift card to a guest house, writers retreat: So far, my gift ideas have been modestly priced, but if you really want to indulge and delight the writer in your life, buy them a gift card to a comfy hotel or a writers retreat. Make sure that the use-by dates are open so your writer can book a weekend or week that works for them.