Gift Ideas for the Writers in Your Life
Writers are a diverse crowd. Poets, fanfiction writers, essayists, fiction authors, and all other variants often share little more than their love of writing. Some writers are disciplined enough to rise before the sun and crank out a few hundred words to start their days while others chip away at their projects well into the night.
Chances are, someone in your life is a writer. We come in all shapes, sizes, and sociability. As the holiday season is now upon us, considering what to get your writer friends and family can be tricky; after all, while many of us will never turn down a notebook, we often have a stack of them waiting to be used, and finding unique, useful gifts may be a challenge, especially for those who aren’t writers themselves.
Fortunately, the internet is host to an incredible array of gift ideas that are sure to appeal to the writers in your life. Here are a few ideas to consider when tackling your holiday shopping lists.
Literary Merchandise
Most writers can cite works that have inspired (or infuriated!) them, and in the case of the former, getting them a gift that references their favorite novels, authors, or poems can be a great way to pay homage to their writing journey. The number of options available are practically infinite. Litographs boasts items from t-shirts and scarves to tote bags and shower curtains, all of which feature all-over prints of literary works. For some sophisticated options, you might consider gifting a perfume inspired by a dead writer or tins of tea that invoke classic literature.
Visiting Etsy’s marketplace is also a great idea for literary gifts; sellers offer unique items such as novel-inspired drink coasters, witty bookmarks, and more.
If you’re interested in purchasing a literary gift for a writer, it will be helpful to identify their favorite authors and works to ensure you get them a gift that suits their taste.
Writerly Tools
While many writers often have a surplus of writing utensils and notebooks, there are always items they could still use or benefit from. Organizational tools such as pencil cups, bookends, and filing folders are gifts that writers may appreciate; of course, you should make sure that your writer doesn’t already have these things, and you can also search for unique objects like this typewriter pencil cup to spice up the prospect of gifting someone office supplies.
Another option for practical but exciting gifts would be books about writing. Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life documents the author’s experience as a writer in a series of short essays, making for an enjoyable and insightful read that can inspire writers to reflect on their own process.
For poets and prose-writers alike, Mary Oliver’s A Poetry Handbook presents a look at the formal construction of poetry in a way that is witty, creative, and meaningful; while the book is certainly targeted toward poetry as the title suggests, its look at language and the construction of written works can easily be applied to all genres and forms.
Many published writers have written books on their writing processes, so it may be worth checking to see if your writers’ favorite contemporary authors have done so.
Games & Prompts
Story games are great gifts for writers not only because they provide a creative outlet with minimal pressure but also because they also provide an opportunity for writers to connect with their loved ones in a fun, imaginative environment. Win-win! In recent years, story games have risen in popularity, meaning there are more options out there than ever before.
Produced by Thorny Games, Dialect provides a new and unique experience that allows players to explore the birth and death of a language, which is great for writers because the story is all about linguistics as well as the story of a civilization.
A more popular option is Storymatic, which can be played alone or with others and results in an original story through the use of guided prompts to establish characters, situations, and complications.
There are dozens of story games you can choose depending on your writer’s preferences and interests. If you go this route, be sure to encourage your writer to invite you to their next game night so you can take part in the fun!
Subscriptions
Subscription boxes and services are booming this year, and when it comes to snagging a subscription for writers, you are in luck! There are a few great options that can benefit writers in different ways; you can opt to sign them up for a single month so they can sample the service or for a few months to give them something to look forward to.
Scribbler is one of very few boxes exclusively marketed toward writers. Each month, subscribers receive an autographed novel, teaching tools and guides from authors, writing gifts, and exclusive invitations to live chats with literary professionals. Subscriptions cost about $30 a month.
Writers are readers — or at least, they should be! A Book of the Month subscription is a perfect gift for writers; each month, subscribers get to choose from five new releases hand-picked by the BoTM staff.
In a similar fashion, Journal of the Month sends subscribers a different literary journal on a monthly basis. These journals publish contemporary poetry, fiction, and nonfiction pieces from emerging voices. For writers, this subscription can grant inspiration by providing insight into the kinds of works being written. Additionally, this subscription will give writers a pool of magazines to which they can submit their own works!
Letters In the Mails, offered by The Rumpus literary magazine, is a unique and affordable subscription service that sends letters on a biweekly basis to subscribers. These letters come from various writers and include a return address for recipients who want to respond. Through this subscription, you can help support the literary magazine and provide a fun opportunity for your writer to connect with others in the community.
Knowing what to buy the writers in your life may seem difficult; the options are effectively limitless in this digital era, and if you don’t have an innate knowledge of their projects, habits, or favorite literature, you may feel out of your element. Consider the above options as gifts for your writers this holiday season — and if all else fails, an offer to read and celebrate their work will always be a welcome gift.
