To boost writing motivation, support the creative in your life (or pamper yourself) with fun gifts for writers.
Christmas, birthdays, and other holidays are always just around the corner. So, you may need gifts for writers in your life. Writers are complicated, considering all that’s going on in our heads (it’s a whacked soap opera carnival on most days). Still, we enjoy simple things—thoughtful gifts that support our creative endeavors. Writers are on a painstaking journey. Showing love and encouragement is the BEST gift you can offer.
Oh, and positive book reviews… Please don’t forget that!
But here are some cute ideas for writerly gift-giving that you can actually wrap. Oh, do they make bookish wrapping paper? Of course, they do.
The perfect mug.
I daresay most writers are fueled on coffee or tea. I enjoy both. So, mugs are a practical, inexpensive way to please your writer. One might say, “Ah, everyone already has enough mugs,” and yes, that may be true. I have loads of mugs, but I’m always on the hunt for my next mug obsession. The one that fits my hand just so, holds my 10 ounces of morning coffee, plus creamer, and makes me smile upon seeing it.
Here are a few gifted gems from my collection. Joe gave me the apple mug about twenty years ago as part of a writer’s gift basket with pens, highlighters, and cute supplies. He scored it from Dollar Tree.
Here are some adorable gifts for writers….
- Like this Future Best-selling Author mug. You can personalize it.
- Or I Turn Coffee Into Books… fitting for most writers, even if they don’t have a Coffeebrained blog!
- For Poe fans, this is a fun choice. And who isn’t a Poe fan?
- For writers with cats, this is cute. Or this one. Meow.
Etsy is a great resource for cool writer mugs or any unique gift. Just allow more time for it to arrive.
Amazon.com has hundreds of fun options. Mugs aren’t hard to find.
Add a gift of coffee or tea to the special mug you choose for some extra flair.
The perfect notebook.
Writers constantly brainstorm (during conversations, while driving, in the shower). Ideas are often lost if they’re not written down (Don’t ignore your idea-fairies!). Writers need notebooks. I carry one in my purse and keep them everywhere in the house. Even with the ease of computers, I find myself jotting things down and filling up spiral notebooks. Cutesy notebooks are easy to find. I get mine from Five Below because they’re cheap and have hard covers. And they’re lovely, I think.
Um, I may be addicted.
Here’s my writerly oasis (on a good day). How many notebooks do you see?
I see eight, if you’re counting… not including the planner. But there are a hundred more in the drawers and shelves.
A more discreet, scholarly writer might prefer Moleskins. These are a bit pricey but so well-made that it’s worth the extra money. They come in various sizes and colors.
To save more trees, your writer might love a Rocketbook. It’s a reusable notebook, and you can save your Rocketbook notes electronically with its app. It’s easy to use, and your writer will no longer worry about losing those brilliant ideas in the land of lost notes. Each plastic page washes off with a damp towel. It requires Erasable Pilot Frixion pens or markers, but they are easy to find and inexpensive. So, if you choose this for your writer, make it a bundle and gift the pens and markers, too. Rocketbook offers notebooks of different sizes and colors, planners, and index cards.
Here are some other lovely gifts for writers…
- For a simplistic look, try this four-pack. For a larger version, these are a good option.
- This leather journal can be refilled–a good thing for writers who always fill up their notebooks, like me.
- For an artsy look, this four-pack is sure to inspire.
And, of course, gift your notebook with good pens. My favorites are Pentel Energels or Pilot G2s. These pens write well without breaking the budget.
The perfect books to inspire the muse.
This option may require some thought and perhaps nosing around in your writer’s bookshelves, but it’s worth the snooping. See what your writer is into and find related books to enhance their collection.
If your writer pens mysteries, like me, buy them books on forensics, criminal behavior, police procedures, and true crime. I’m a sucker for books about the beach and ocean because those facts often feature in my Delilah Duffy series. I’m also excited for reboots of classics, like this new Miss Marple Mystery Collection written by twelve great writers. Update: Got Marple for Christmas, and I’m loving it!
Surely, you’ve read your writer’s work. Right? What books might inspire her ideas?
You’ll find a myriad of helpful books for any genre by simply searching for “How to write (insert genre).” Choose the highest-rated ones that your writer doesn’t already have.
All writers can use books on the craft, like Stephen King’s On Writing and The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
Recent bestsellers in your writer’s genre are excellent gift ideas, too, especially if you say, “Your book will make the bestseller’s list one day” when you hand it over (or something equally sweet). Reading bestsellers is researching what readers enjoy, and all writers need to know their market.
Also, an Amazon gift card for books works—who doesn’t like a book-shopping spree? But writers also love browsing quaint, local bookstores. A gift card to one near her will give her a fun outing along with the books she buys. Here’s where you can find them.
The perfect desk toys.
Writers spend an exorbitant amount of time at their desks, toiling away at their masterpieces. It should be a fun, inspiring place, lightly decorated with supportive reminders that people are rooting for us. Small framed pics are a great idea and easy to do. Here are other gifts that have brightened my workdays.
The three-wick candle is from Bath & Body Works. Paris Café is my favorite desk scent, but they have boo-coos to choose from, including ones for energy or stress relief.
Groot and the sand dollar wine glass turned pen holder came from my son—Groot from Amazon, and the wine glass was hand-painted at one of those paint-on-pottery places. The paperclip dishes are handmade, one by my daughter and the other from a farmer’s market. Little dishes and pottery knick-knacks like these are easy to find at local craft shows and make unique gifts for writers.
Fun desk toys are easy to find at your local GameStop, Target in the electronics or books sections, or online at Amazon. Booklights and bookmarks are fabulous, too.
Here are some other cool desk trinkets for gifts:
- Fancy Pen Holders brighten up any desk.
- I don’t even know what to think about this cool Raven desk lamp, but I’m leaning toward loving it! For Poe fans. Or horror writers. Or GOT fans.
- A portable desk light is a fun idea and can be clipped to a headboard for bedtime reading. Update: Got one of these for Christmas, too, and I don’t know how I ever lived without it!
- This lamp offers dimming options and ports to charge other devices in addition to being cool.
- A typewriter pen holder? Yes, please.
- A do-not-disturb door hanger with “Writer at work” makes a nice stocking stuffer (and prevents writing interruptions?).
- Colorful sticky notes are great for stockings, too (and always handy for writers).
- I’ve always wanted Aliens desk toys, specifically Ellen Ripley in the front loader fighting the alien queen. She’d be a good partner with my Darryl from The Walking Dead. It’s good for writers to be reminded to kick ass. Ah, maybe I’ll put those on my wish list this year.
The perfect t-shirt.
Writer-swag doesn’t get enough credit. I have only two writerly t-shirts. One says, “You’re never alone when you have a good book.” I love it, but it kinda sounds sad. The other one is Jane Austen’s profile with words from Pride and Prejudice etched in. No one gets what it is. Which is kinda sad, too.
Check out these options on Amazon. My favorites are Plotting a Murder and Get Lit. My Weekend is all Booked and Just One More Chapter are cute, too.
Amazon also has a Book Merch section because, well, of course, they do. My fav is the No Shelf Control hoodie because I love a good pun.
The perfect subscription.
For the gift that keeps on giving, try a subscription. Kindle Unlimited or Audible are useful choices for your writer.
What network, channel, or streaming service would most likely bring your writer’s work to the screen? A subscription to that network or streaming service might make a thoughtful gift. Whenever I watch mysteries on Britbox or Acorn, I consider it research.
Monthly subscription boxes are also a fun choice to give your writer extra pampering. Try these made specifically for writers.
Solve-at-home mystery boxes could provide your writer with a brainy diversion. I’m keen to try the Sherlock Holmes one myself. Wish they made one with actual cold cases to see if the average person could unlock a clue… hmm.
The perfect escape.
Sometimes your writer needs to step away from the computer, so give your writer an excursion.
Let your writer create her own desk toy or fancy pen holder by visiting a paint-on-pottery store–it may be called something else where you live, so do a search. You don’t have to be an artist to create something lovely, and painting your masterpiece is meditative, the perfect break from the keyboard.
Mystery writers might like your local escape rooms or niche museum, like The Poe Museum in Richmond, VA.
Horror buffs might like odd-ball museums or haunted tours. We’ve enjoyed our visits to our local Museum of the Bizarre in Wilmington, NC.
Romantics love beautiful gardens, beaches, and art museums. I love long walks at Arlie Gardens or The Arboretum near Wrightsville. Visits to my local parks have inspired many (murderous) ideas. Check out what’s close to your writer.
Fantasy and sci-fi writers might like the nearest science museum, war museum, or aquarium, like our favorite at Fort Fisher where you can see story-inspiring creatures like these…
You never know where ideas might come from, so don’t stick to one genre. Any excursion could lead to good writing material.
But if your writer prefers to be a homebody, encourage a mental break with gifts like these:
- Adult Coloring Books, like this one featuring novels (bonus nerdiness). (There’re great benefits to this type of mind-work.)
- For techie-coloring, a Light Pad with traceable designs should provide hours of focused escaping.
- Jigsaw puzzles are another fun option, especially if they relate to well-loved authors like Jane Austen or Agatha Christie (with clues!?!).
- Our household has enjoyed Paint-by-Number kits. They make us feel like true artists. There are amazing options, but here’s a bookish option for your writer.
- Crochet kits are another focused activity with bonus benefits. Plus, they keep your hands busy while you’re doing mystery-watching research.
Gifts like these stimulate the brain in new ways and relieve stress. Creating imaginary worlds and characters proves an even tougher challenge when a writer’s mind is overburdened. These meditative gifts might help.
The perfect gift idea.
Combine all these ideas into one mega-basket and give your writer some of everything. And buy their books to give as gifts to others, especially if they’re self-published.
For other ideas on essential tools for writers, check out my blog.
Whew! This may be my most linked article yet with over 60 clicks!
What writerly gift ideas do you have? Share below. I’ll gratefully accept any ideas for writer spouses, as they need the love, too.
