The Best Gifts For Your Writer Friends - From A Writer
S.R. Beaston
Crafty with words, wit, and wisdom, just add caffeine to make it more interesting.
Gift giving can be a pain when it comes to your introverted writer. Depending on the writer, there are either a plethora of gifts you can give them, or very few things that they don’t already have. Study your writer for a bit and see which one of these gift ideas for authors suit your writer's needs and wants.
Software
Software is the most important, especially for a writer who is just journeying into their new story, even better if they are a new writer. Here are some recommended software ideas you can gift to any author or writer.
NovelPad
NovelPad is the writer's best friend. It engages new writers to practice the art of writing without distraction or desire to do things related to writing, but aren’t writing. For the more experienced writer, its clean and simple layout can ease the pressure, stress, and distraction other writing software may have.
The only bells and whistles are ones that are helpful to the process. They can set their own schedule, see their progress and word count throughout the months, and keep all of their notes compiled in one place.
You can gift this software for $15 a month or for $120 a year. If you really love them, you can even offer to collab with them with NovelPad's comment and collab system (at no extra cost to you).
Productivity Software
Depending on the writer, focus and productivity software may be a beneficial tool for them. Cold Turkey is a free software that helps with this, but you can also pay for a premium version. Both do a great job at shutting down specific apps until a goal is met.
If you have a writer who needs more of an incentive, gamified programs are a great gift idea. It’s safe to say a lot of writers need an outside source to push them to continue, and this is a great method. Check out $ this list of gamified focus apps$ for more ideas!
Headspace is another great app to settle the nerves of a writer. This meditation app walks you through the process of meditating and letting go. Writers have a tendency to forget to take care of themselves, so this gift is perfect for mindfulness and well being.
Stationary
You have to know your author a little better to know if they already have "too much" stationary (I’m of the belief you can never have too much). These usually help with a writer in their second draft and beyond, so knowing where they are in their process can also help with your decision. Throughout my writing years I have cultivated what I believe to be the best stationary to gift to writers.
Index tabs
When I finished my first draft, I went and had it printed and bound (a gift idea mentioned later). From there, I got my index tabs, created a color system, and read through everything. I only marked the book up with index tabs, and from there organizing things became much easier.
The tricky thing about this is I’m only one writer. Your writer may not work the same. But that’s okay! Index tabs at their fanciest are still relatively cheap.
$ These index tabs from amazon$ are my favorite, as you also get to write on them for extra organization.
Sticky Notes
Cousins to the index tabs are the $ sticky notes$ . These guys are pretty annoying but really useful if you have more to say in your redlining than the margins allow in your draft. They can also be used for temporary note-taking, however your author sees fit.
Because I personally use these for my draft, I like the transparent ones so I can see the words behind it. They also stick better!
Write-Out Tape
You can get just regular white out, but your writer will be so thankful they don’t have to deal with that mess if you $ get the tape$ . If you can make life just a little more simple for them, it will mean the world.
These work just like white-out and completely covers printer and pen ink. It’s not needed often, but when it is, we’re so glad we have it.
The Red Pen
Red pens are used to "make your manuscript bleed". Editors use it to easily show their mark-ups against the black of the manuscript. Encourage your writer to edit that way as well, because it’s both terrifying and impressive when you completely dissect your own work.
ONE Journal
If they don’t already have one, find a very nice journal. Maybe it’s the same color scheme as the novel they are writing (I promise that’s a thing) or the image is very reminiscent of it. Whatever it is, find one journal and tell them that this journal is where all the ideas for this ONE story goes. My friend did this for me and I didn’t listen (admittedly because it was so pretty I didn’t want to ruin it) and now I regret it. I have about 3 notebooks with random pieces of information for my novel that I now need to consolidate.
Desk Organizer
This is where you really need to know your writer. If they already have one of these, they don’t need another. If they don’t, however, this is a game changer for arms-length organization. There are plenty of them out there in different shapes and sizes. Get a glance at their desk and find the perfect fit to shelve all their stationary.
Books
No, I don’t mean any books. There are many books on writing, grammar, and creativity that can really motivate and help any writer. Here’s a list of books I’ve personally read through and used throughout the years.
The Artist's Way
This is a book about creativity and being blocked from it, working through the art of routine, self acceptance, and what happens to creativity. You can read more about it here.
Pity the Reader: On Writing with Style
This is a great book possibly because I am a fan of Kurt Vonnegut, on whom this book is about. It IS a book on writing, but from a student of Vonneguts who worked with him. It tells about his passion for writing and how important it is to fuel a passion; all with the same wit Vonnegut is known for.
On Writing
If Vonnegut isn’t your writer’s pace, you can’t go wrong with Stephen King’s On Writing. Chances are, your writer has already bought this or been gifted it. For newer writers, it is a great inspiration with tools and tips most experienced writers know by now, but experienced writers may enjoy reading about his process and his own inspirations as well.
Writer’s Market
I have not personally delved into any of the Writer’s Market books, but I have heard they are very helpful. It depends on where your writer is in their journey. They have one for writing novels and short stories, publishing, marketing, and so on. These books have been around for years, so it’s worth it to check them out.
Miscellaneous
These are quick-fire ideas that can be fun or helpful but wasn’t enough to have their own category.
Rolling Cart
Rolling carts are cute and super helpful if your writer likes to migrate from room to room while writing. They can take their cart full of books and stationary with them!
T-shirts
Kind of a gag gift, t-shirts are a fun way to say "look at me, I’m a writer". They have fun prints like "Plotting a Murder" with an image of a typewriter on it, or "Write, rewrite, rerewrite". There are plenty of funny sayings and images to "relate to authors".
Mugs
Like shirts, mugs often have quippy writer sayings. They are often funnier too, as it lends to the accurate stereotype of writers loving caffeine.
Writer Emergency Pack
$ This pack$ is to help come up with quick ideas for either a short story, a writing prompt exercise, or as a means to break away from writer's block. A writing friend of mine has it and said it’s quite fun!
I hope that somewhere on this list is the perfect gift for the writer in your life. If not, it’s never a bad idea to get them out of the house for a nice day out.
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