Writers can seem like complex and mysterious creatures, but our Gift Guide for Writers means buying for them this holiday season doesn’t have to be impossible. Whether you live with a writer or you pulled a writer’s name for Secret Santa, you don’t have to fret about what to buy – we got your back. If you are a writer, here are some ideas for what you might want to add to your list – or, if you’re too busy writing, just send Santa a link to this blog post.
A Gift Guide for Writers
If you have a writer in your life that you’re shopping for this holiday season, you may feel perplexed for what to buy them. Of course, we writers have many interests, wants, and needs outside of writing, but your desire to pick something specifically relevant to our passion means more than you can imagine. While you may not “get” us, your support is everything.
Books on Writing & Editing:
- Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
- Story Genius by Lisa Cron
- Scene & Structure: Elements of Fiction Writing by Jack M. Bickham
- Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell
- Writing Creative Non-Fiction by Philip Gerard
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne
- Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland
- Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
- The Emotion Thesaurus by Becca Puglisi
- The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr
For Inspiration & Creativity:
- On Writing by Stephen King
- Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The Successful Author Mindset by Joanna Penn
- Witchy Writers Oracle Deck by Belinda Boring & Kristie Cook
- The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
- Write Away: A Year of Musings and Motivations for Writers by Kerrie L. Flanagan and Jenny Sundstedt
Apps & Subscriptions for Writers:
- Plottr
- Scrivener
- Brain.fm
- Spotify (a paid subscription means no ad interruptions while we’re writing)
- Canva
- Book Brush
- CraveBooks
Writerly Gifts Just for Fun:
- This Lego typewriter set
- These writing dice
- Smells Like a Bestseller candle
- This Blank Page Warrior tote bag
- In My Author Era sweatshirt like this one
- A personalized leather journal
- This Plot Thickener writing prompts game
- These pen nib earrings
- This Write the Damn Book coffee mug
- This bookstore book nook kit
Writers also love treats to sustain us while we hide out in our writing caves. We are magicians, turning chocolate and coffee into words. A care basket full of your writer’s favorite snacks and drinks, along with a pad of paper and some fun stickers, can be a meaningful gift, too.
Remember those homemade coupon books you used to make for your mom when you were little? Spin that idea as a great gift for the writer in your life. Coupons can be “services” such as a neck and shoulder massage, making dinner, listening to the writer work through a plot point or block, or taking the kids out for the day so the writer can have some quiet time to focus. Coupons can also include gifts like a weekend at a hotel to finish a book, a spa day, or a trip to a location in the writer’s current book that you can enjoy together.
Writing is normally a solitary activity, and being a writer can sometimes feel lonely. When you show your support, you are giving the writer much more than anything that can be bought: encouragement and inspiration. We hope this gift guide for writers provides you with inspiration for choosing a heartfelt gift for the writer on your list.
