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It’s December! Which means it’s almost Christmas. If you’re like me, you’ve been thinking for months now about what to get the important people in your life but… have yet to actually purchase anything. I love looking at Gift Guides each year because it’s such a great way to get new ideas or find things you want to put on your own list. This year I’ve decided to come out with a couple so check out our other gift guides for even more ideas for this Christmas.
Here we are with our gift ideas for writers! As a writer myself, writerly gifts are some of my favorite because not only are they useful, but they speak to my creative side. So when I was thinking of gift guide ideas, I definitely wanted to include a list for writers on here.
In preparation for making this list I looked at everything I use daily in my writing life. I also looked at other lists to see if there were other things I could recommend (and buy for myself). And while I did come across some great finds there were a lot of things I was not interested in. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m sort of cynical or because I just have no use in my life for fluff that won’t actually help me write or be more creative (I’m looking at fake literary tattoos or literary socks). While those things might be cute (though I’m still not interested in actually using either) I’m not sure how they will make me more creative or help my writing. (You can correct me if I’m wrong. I’ll fake tattoo my whole body if you convince me I’ll be a more productive writer).
So, for this list, I’m only including items that I think will actually FORCE you to finish that novel in the upcoming year, or to help you come up with your next great idea.
Books About Writing
- Bird by Bird- Anne Lamott
- On Writing– Stephen King
- The Artist’s Way– Julia Cameron
- You Are a Writer– Jeff Goins
Writer’s Market Deluxe Edition 2020
If you’re in the market for an agent or publisher in the coming year the Writer’s Market books are the best for researching who you might want to work with. It’s a great tool for when it’s time to start shopping your manuscript.
Bookmarks
What writer doesn’t need a new bookmark? If they’re like me they’re probably using a tissue (clean, I promise), or boarding pass to hold their place.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Budget: Sony WH-CH700N
Splurge: Boise Wireless 700
Reading Light
Bathtub Book Caddy
They say the best place for getting creative ideas is in the shower. So I tell myself that translates into the bath. This reading caddy will keep your books from getting wet while letting you either take your mind off of your current project or research ideas for a new chapter.
Planner
I love using planners for everyday life as well as keeping track of work. If you’re a writer you’re probably juggling a million things like me. An Erin Condren planner is a great way to keep yourself organized in a stylish way. Sure, they’re a splurge, but they hold up so well to all-year use and can be used as a journal to look back on your year and remember all that you’ve accomplished.
Adult Coloring Book
So, confession. I have a hard time relaxing. If I take the time to get away from writing or work I just can’t settle down. My mind wanders back to whatever project I’m working on and the next thing I know I’m blowing my time I set aside to get away from that stress. I’ve found that coloring is a great way to get my mind off those projects while still being creative. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy coloring?
USB Oil Diffuser
Now, don’t roll your eyes. While I am suggesting an essential oil product, I’m not promising to sell you something that will suddenly cure all of your issues. However, I do believe that aromatherapy is a game-changer especially for creative types. I have this diffuser on my desk and I change up the scents to better fit the mood I’m trying to get. The best part is there is no water in the diffuser so you don’t run the risk of it spilling all over your keyboard.
Kindle Unlimited Subscription
Grammarly Premium Subscription
If you’re a writer you’ve probably heard of Grammarly. If you haven’t, well, let me tell you. It will be your friend. While it’s not foolproof (I mean it’s a program), it can catch so many little mistakes in writing that other spell-check/ grammar checker doesn’t. It’ll check for overuse of words, typos, grammatical errors that you weren’t even taught in college, and more.
Scrivener
I’m a pretty recent Scrivener convert but I’m really starting to enjoy the organization it provides for those long and complicated novels or projects I’m working on. It’s taken away the overwhelm I feel when I look at a word document that is hundreds of pages long and helps me to better picture the novel as a whole.
Spotify Premium
I always have to listen to something when I write. One of my favorite things is to find a Spotify playlist someone has made that might suit the type of work I’m doing at the moment. And while Spotify is free, once I got a premium subscription (my husband and I share a family plan) it was life-changing (to be dramatic). You can skip as many songs as you want, listen without adds (because no one wants to hear a Toyota commercial right at the climax of their writing session), and you can
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