Gifts for writers can be difficult to find. Take the easy route and find fabulous ideas here to fit all budgets! This is the third year in a row I’m putting out this post as I’ve had such great feedback, it seems this is something you WANT! LOL!
Unlike last year when I deleted the 2020 Gifts posting, I’ve kept the 2021 version so you can see the other items I recommended last year.
These items are all tried and tested, except where noted. I hope these suggestions provide the inspiration you need!
Click on the image of anything that catches your attention to learn more. These are affiliate links, so while you don’t pay a cent more, you do support my coffee fund! Thank you!
1. Best things I’ve added to my arsenal this year!
Yeah, boring, right? But UBER practical! In order:
- the pocket spiral project organizer fits 12 pages comfortably (I could stuff more in there though!) in each of the 24 pockets and is great for keeping the ideas for new stories, notes for current stories, to-do lists, website info sheets and a gazillion other things in one easy-to-find place. No more scratching through paper folders or dropping one when trying to carry the bunch. You can erase the writing on the tabs so it’s easy to change the category when I want, and the colors for each tab are a visual cue of what I’m looking for when I don’t have my glasses on😂 I got the one with the refillable notepad option (see next point) which also means I get an “ear” for a pen – because, yes, I have arrived at the coffee shop without that essential component!!
- the paper – what can I say? I love blank paper for outlining and one of these pads fits perfectly in the storage pocket at the back of my spiral organizer. These are A4 size, but they sell other sizes if you prefer something smaller
- the pens!! I get excited every time I think about using them. They are ERASABLE! Perfect for when I mess up on my calendar making notes for project goals (or need to revise them, because… life happens!)
2. On the subject of coffee shops..
This is on my Christmas wish list as I’m in the market for a new laptop bag for when I travel (and visit the occasional coffee shop!)
The one on the left is less bulky, but seems to have better padding than the one on the right. Both will fit my laptop, but if you (or your writer) has a larger laptop, the one on the right fits laptops up to 18″. People have also mentioned adding a thin laptop pad to counter the “not-enough-padding” issue.
I loved this reviewer’s answer to the question a buyer asked regarding what type of leather the bag was made of. His reply? “The flyer that came in the box states the bag is made of “goat hunter” leather. I don’t know where they found this goat hunter or how they got his (or his family’s) permission to make him into a bag, but it turned out real nice and I think of him every time I use the bag.”😂
3. The Proverbial Coffee Mug (still thinking coffee…)
Okay, update over last year. Problem with a coffee mug is that when I start writing, I forget about everything else. When I surface again, my coffee is cold! So while there are cool stainless-steel tumblers (middle image for girls, far right image for guys, and specifically for writers), I don’t like the taste they give my coffee. I prefer drinking out of ceramic, so the first one shown (duh! Purple!) is mine:-) Keeps my coffee warm for when I’m ready for it and has a lovely rim for sipping so I don’t spill when I’m too busy looking at my screen editing to pay attention🤣
4. The Essential Companion
Last year I had some lovely leather bound journals, but I found this fun, funky, inspirational journal with colored paper instead. Because some of us prefer to create in color! Admittedly, all I’ve done with it so far is look at it, but sure I’ll get to putting something in there at some point… must add something worthy of those pretty pages!
5. The Other Half of the Essential Companion…
This is also on my Christmas wish list… because, writer! Hello! We can never have enough pens and no idea why, but fancy pens make me feel more creative! (Read my books to figure out for yourself if that’s true or not!)
6. Essential Equipment to Give my Joints a Break!
A digital voice recorder is useful for quickly adding ideas or for “writing” stories while out walking which can then be transcribed by my dictation software.
Yes, if you have better eyes than mine, or like to stop when you’re walking to find and load the voice recording app on your phone, good for you! But this is a much simpler solution for me. The buttons are easy to memorize so I can just hit what I want without having to interrupt my train of thought to squint at my phone screen and figure out what I’m looking at🙄
7. Keep Your Ideas Safe!
Okay, so I’m paranoid! Or perhaps this comes from a husband who’s always making me aware of cyber-security😍 This is a fun (quirky!) way to store your USB backups… not very secure, but better than just leaving them in a drawer. And it’s a cute addition to my bookshelf!
8. Writerly Decor
Okay, the cute little dragon on the left is high on my wishlist, but not sure where he’d go? Perhaps my desk where I can smile every time I look at him? Far more practical is the sign on the right! Not as unfriendly as “Enter at your own peril!” but lets my family know not to interrupt when I’m writing with my timer technique.
9. And Because Your Writer Should Let the World Know They Write…
These are fabulous conversation starters! Help your writer build their Tribe!!
10. Finally, a Little Fun for All!
Build not only your writer’s imagination, but have a little family fun in the mix. Stella is a new version of Dixit. Excellent for imaginative thinking and fun (try-not-to-beat-each-other-up-you’re-so-competitive) family board game nights. Whew! That was a mouthful!
To Sum Up…
Hopefully, this list has provided a few ideas across all price ranges for in-demand gifts for you or your writer friend. Share it with friends and family—the more the merrier. May this holiday writing season be blessed!
Also, if you have some fabulous ideas of your own, won’t you share them? I’d love to hear what others find useful and/or inspiring!