HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR WRITERS: Gift-Buying Ideas For Writers, Librarians and Bibliophiles

November 8th, 2007 · 13 Comments

From the Inkygirl archives:

With the holiday season coming up, I figured it was about time for a list of suggestions for those of you who need gift ideas for your writer friends, or in case your family and friends need ideas on what to get for you…with time to mail order (hence the timing of this post, even though you Americans haven’t had Thanksgiving yet).Jane Austen action figures! Shakespeare umbrellas! Writer’s Remedy magnetic poetry! Sealing wax and homemade bookmarks! See more gift ideas…

Gifts for Poets: The Poets.org store carries items for those who write or like poetry including Great Poets Coffee Mugs ($10), 2008 Poem-A-Day Calendar ($12) and The Poet’s View DVD ($20), an 80-minute DVD that offers “unprecedented insight into the lives and work of some of America’s finest poets through conversations with the award winning director Mel Stuart.”

Bookends. If you wanted to splurge on an extra nice gift for a bibliophile writer (and face it, how many writers aren’t bibliophiles?), you could get some Book Bookends ($159.99).

Levenger is a writer’s dream. This is a great place to get nice things for a writer that they likely wouldn’t get for themselves unless they had money to spare. I’m already drooling over the Lapalot Lap Desk with Laplighter, for example ($128):

The New York Public Library online shop is also a great source of gifts. It’s pricey, but check out this Typewriter Key Bracelet ($145):

I love the Women Writers book bag that a friend gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago, and I notice that a Shakespeare book bag is also available ($22.50 each):

Ooo, just noticed that they have umbrellas with the Shakespeare and Women Writers themes as well:

Nostalgic Impressions has some great stuff, including all kinds of sealing wax sets, seals (Celtic-theme seals, too!) and unique stationery.

Their desk accessory section has a collection of intriguing erasers, bookmarks and letter openers (including a pewter Sword Letter Opener from Italy for $18.95). The store also has an entire section devotely solely to feather quill pens.

Magnetic Poetry: There’s even a special Writer’s Remedy set. If you’re not sure if they already have a set, then browse their online shop for other ideas like a Word Stamp Kit, Poetry Stones (craft kits), and Poetry Beads.

Bookmarks: paper, leather or other material. You can find some unusual bookmarks by doing a search for ‘bookmarks’ in eBay. You can also get plantable bookmarks (perfect for writers with a green thumb). Get a handmade bookmark from Etsy. Or make your own bookmark by taking your own photos/images and then getting them laminated. Here are a list of other bookmark craft projects. There are also tons of gorgeous and unusual bookmarks you can buy online from sites like Mirage, which also has magnetic bookmarks:

Cafepress is a great place to find t-shirts and other items specifically for writers, and it’s unlikely that your writer friend will have already received it. Search for the term ‘writer’ or writing. And (ahem), you may also want to check out my Will Write For Chocolate Cafepress store:

Conceal Bookshelf (Large) or Conceal Bookshelf (Small): I have some in my office and love them. It looks as if books are floating against the wall! ($11.95, or $14 CAD at Umbra).

Moleskine notebooks. I *love* my Moleskine. Great for jotting down story ideas, and the small version fits nicely into pockets and purses.

Gift subscriptions to: Writer’s Digest (or a subscription to the online Writersmarket.com, where they have access to a frequently updated database of markets as well as a FABULOUS daily publishing news column by yours truly ;-), Writer’s Journal, Poets & Writers, Speculations (speculative fiction writers), The Writer, Canadian Writer’s Journal, Byline, or one of the other newsletters and magazines for writers.

I don’t know any writer who wouldn’t appreciate a gift certificate to a local or online bookstore. And of course there are tons of books for writers, depending on their area of interest. You can check the Writer’s Digest bookstore for ideas.

The DVD of Freedom Writers: I recently saw this movie and loved it; so did my husband (much to his surprise). Maybe even combine the DVD with the original book, The Freedom Writers Diary : How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. This might be a nice gift for a teacher, too.

McPhee’s Action Figures include Edgar Allan Poe, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and Charles Dickens. $8.95 each.

Put together a fun “Writer’s Survival Kit“, personalized for the recipient. Some ideas: fun pens, pencils, notepads, coffee mug, pencil sharpener, eraser, one of the items listed above and of course CHOCOLATE.

Any other ideas?

13 responses so far ↓

farzana doctor // Nov 8, 2007 at 2:44 pm

I think one of the best gifts you can give a writer is the gift of TIME. But chocolate is also good.
Katie M // Nov 8, 2007 at 4:59 pm

I go to an arts high school, and am in the Creative Writing Dept- I’ll definitely look back on this page to see what I should get my friends in C-Dub, as we like to call it.
amethystlune // Nov 8, 2007 at 10:21 pm

LOVE the cartoon!
Lydia // Nov 8, 2007 at 11:16 pm

Chocolate is REALLY good…and time is too, especially if it’s during November, because that means NaNoWriMo! But of course, I’d like to have an Alphasmart Neo. I just can’t stand to write longhand. When I got to type it up, I’m afraid my internal editor will make me edit it completely as I go along. I’m waiting for March (and NaNoEdMo) for that. Then she can come out to play. *adds another lock to closet door*
Peggy Trendell-Jensen // Nov 11, 2007 at 3:50 am

If you have a young writer in your life (Grade 5 through high school), I’d love them to know about the Vancouver-based Young Writers’ Club, a program of the non-profit Lynn Valley Literary Society. We send out a monthly, posted newsletter full of writing tips, challenges, contest news and member work, and have members-only contests of our own. Members also have access to a private forum for posting their work, sharing feedback and responding to issues presented in that month’s newsletter. We also publish an annual anthology. Kids who live in Vancouver have access to regular workshops and writing sessions, but members are welcome from all over North America. If you’re interested, you can find out lots more on our website. Happy writing!
Palmer // Nov 23, 2007 at 6:34 am

You can easily make Conceal shelves yourself. Lifehacker featured this link on their site a couple years ago, which I’ve dutifully kept bookmarked.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Invisible-Book-Shelf/
Wrytergurl // Nov 24, 2007 at 9:21 am

Here is my kit for writers! (for the begining of NANO)

After halloween buy a BIG bag of candy, one with 50 bars: They tell your NANO peep that they are allowed to eat 1 every thousand words!
Pretty Journals or Plain?: Plain not boring but plain, I am afraid I will not write somthing worthy of an italian leather journal, but a red hardback giant note book from Borders, says “Pwease write in me!”
Cute pencils and erasers: lots! (oh yes and a pencil sharpener!
and LAST BUT NOT LEAST: If they are a caffine addict buy them, Mountain Dew or STARBUCKS! (for the starbucks worshiper get a gift card and say give yourself a starbucks every 5 or 10 thousand words depending on what drink they get, the strait coffee people only cost about 1.50 the pretty yummy stuff is 3.5o)

All I know is I am doing this for ME next year

Wrytergurl
Tally // Nov 28, 2007 at 4:14 pm

I have one of those typewriter key necklaces. My grandparents gave it to me last Christmas. It’s one of the only pieces of jewelry I wear.

Although, my favorite literary item ever is an eraser I got from the Globe that says “Out damned spot! Out I say!” I’m pretty sure they can be ordered online.
Susan J. // Nov 28, 2007 at 6:51 pm

Love this list! But honestly I’m with farzana doctor when I say “all I want for Christmas” is an extra hour in every day. Seriously! Chocolate is nice, too.
Sarah Alice // Dec 5, 2007 at 1:25 am

Before getting your writer friend a writers guide, ask them if they would ever use it. I’ve read several of them and they just make me feel kind of stupid. That’s just my oppinion, but according to the NaNoWriMo forums, one of the only writers guide that doesn’t make us feel stupid is No Plot? No Problem! because it doesn’t tell you how to write stuff, it offers encouragement and time management methods. Whereas most writers guides will tell you that there is only one way to write things when in reallity, you can do whatever you want while writing. And they’re good procrastination methods (if I wanted to, I could have a story ready to write, and spend years reading writing guides, and get no where with this story), which is the last thing most writers need.
Writing Nag // Dec 9, 2007 at 1:52 pm

I added massage and spa treatment to my list… what writer doesn’t need a paid getaway from the keyboard. Thanks for your suggestions.
Petra Martin // Dec 11, 2007 at 12:39 am

How about a week’s stay at the Whidbey Island Writer’s Refuge? If the distractions of everyday life are keeping a loved one from finishing (or even begining) a writing project, help him or her get away, get inspired, and get it done. The Writer’s Refuge offers amenities for living and writing comfortably—and none of the distractions your loved one will find at home. For information, visit http://www.writersrefuge.com.
Devon Ellington // Dec 19, 2007 at 3:56 pm

Over on my blog A Biblio Paradise (http://biblioparadise.wordpress.com), I have a list of writing books for writers and why I think each of them works.

I love the NYPL stores — they have great stuff, and lots of little stuff for stocking stuffers.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art stores also have amazing knick-knacks and books, some of them geared to writers.

And the JP Morgan Library, also in NY — it’s expensive, but the quality is supreme.

Inkygirl: Daily Diversions For Writers