Need a gift for a book lover, writer or illustrator but have a small budget? Give them some TIME.

 

Looking for a meaningful gift for a friend but don't have the cash? Consider giving them TIME to read, write or illustrate. Click the image above for a print-ready PDF or download the "Gift Of Time" gift certificate here.

Depending on your relationship with the recipient, you could offer to do dishes for a week, pick up the kids from school, x number of hours of running, grocery shopping, babysitting and so on. If your friend complains about not having time to read, combine this certificate with a book.

Some suggestions for presenting the gift:

- Slip the certificate into a white envelope and then decorate the envelope with holiday stickers, sparkles, doodles, etc.

- Roll up the certificate and tie a color ribbon around it. Present it as is, or wrapped in gold tissue paper.

- Print out the PDF smaller (check your printer settings) on cardstock, laminate (or use clear packing tape for DIY lamination), include with a personalized holiday card.

- Combine the certificate with themed gift, like with some packaged soothing chamomile or mint tea, chocolates in a mug, or other "it's time to spoil yourself" items.

- Combine the certificate with one of your favorite books.

Enjoy!

For more free, print-ready goodies, see Debbie's Print-Ready Archives.

Finding Time To Write Tip #176: Teaching Others To Respect Your Time

"A Gift Of Time" holiday gift certificate for your writer friends

Here's a gift idea that every writer can appreciate: TIME TO WRITE.

What to write under "Details":

Depending on your relationship with the recipient, you could offer to do dishes for a week, pick up the kids from school, # hours of running errands, grocery shopping, babysitting and so on.

Just download the high-res version (1.3 MB), print it, cut out the certificate using the guidelines, fill in the information. 

Ideas for presenting the gift:

- Slip the certificate into a white envelope & then decorate the envelope with Christmas stickers, sparkles, etc.

- Roll up the certificate and tie a colorful ribbon around it. Present it as is, or wrapped in gold tissue paper.

 Enjoy!

Comic: The Best Gift For Writers

Time Management Tip

It's often not so much about finding time to write as MAKING time to write.

Um...

But don't give up reading THIS blog, of course.

:-)

Laurie Halse Anderson: Your Time Is Your Currency

YA author Laurie Halse Anderson has a post that everyone should read. I'm serious. If you haven't already, please go read it RIGHT NOW:

Laurie Halse Anderson: Your Time Is Your Currency

I dare you to read this and NOT be super-inspired.

Time management and writing...and a poll

Apologies for the sporadic schedule of my blog posts lately. I'm finding it much easier to post regularly in my inkyelbows Twitter account, if you're interested in writing tweets...I usually post there at least several times a day.

Since the SCBWI Summer Conference, I've been approached by a number of publishers interested in my illustrations and/or writing. While it's wonderful to have the attention after years of trying to get publishers to notice me, I'm now scrambling to get my projects finished so I have something to send.

Which brings me to time management. There's a fine balance between working on building up a strong author platform and not spending enough time creating the content for that platform to support. But where do you draw the line? I'm still figuring that out myself.

Meanwhile, however, I'm about to send off one mss today (yay!) and aiming to finish a nonfiction book proposal to send out by the end of next week.

What about the rest of you? How do you balance social networking and blogging with your writing time?